Venetian Duck Ragu

Category: 

Pasta

Area: 

Italian

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Ingredients

  • Olive Oil  -  1 tbls
  • Duck Legs  -  4
  • Onions  -  2 finely chopped
  • Garlic  -  2 cloves minced
  • Cinnamon  -  2 tsp ground
  • Plain Flour  -  2 tsp
  • Red Wine  -  250ml
  • Chopped Tomatoes  -  800g
  • Chicken Stock Cube  -  1
  • Rosemary  -  3 sprigs
  • Bay Leaves  -  2
  • Sugar  -  1 tsp
  • Milk  -  2 tbs
  • Paccheri Pasta  -  600g
  • Parmesan Cheese  -  Grated

Instructions

Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the duck legs and brown on all sides for about 10 mins. Remove to a plate and set aside. Add the onions to the pan and cook for 5 mins until softened. Add the garlic and cook for a further 1 min, then stir in the cinnamon and flour and cook for a further min. Return the duck to the pan, add the wine, tomatoes, stock, herbs, sugar and seasoning. Bring to a simmer, then lower the heat, cover with a lid and cook for 2 hrs, stirring every now and then.
Carefully lift the duck legs out of the sauce and place on a plate – they will be very tender so try not to lose any of the meat. Pull off and discard the fat, then shred the meat with 2 forks and discard the bones. Add the meat back to the sauce with the milk and simmer, uncovered, for a further 10-15 mins while you cook the pasta.
Cook the pasta following pack instructions, then drain, reserving a cup of the pasta water, and add the pasta to the ragu. Stir to coat all the pasta in the sauce and cook for 1 min more, adding a splash of cooking liquid if it looks dry. Serve with grated Parmesan, if you like.