Venetian Duck Ragu

Ingredients

• 1 tbspolive oil
• 4duck legs
• 2onions, finely chopped
• 2 clovegarlic, minced
• 2 tspcinnamon, ground
• 2 tspall-purpose flour
• 1 cupred wine
• 1 3/4 lbchopped tomatoes, two 400g cans
• 1chicken bouillon cube, dissolved in water to make stock per pack instructions
• 3 sprigrosemary
• 2bay leaves
• 1 tspsugar
• 2 tbspmilk, added at end to soften acidity
• 1 1/3 lbpaccheri pasta, or pappardelle
• 1 3/4 ozparmesan cheese, grated, to serve

Method

1. 1

   Heat the oil in a large heavy pan and brown the duck legs on every side, about 10 minutes in all. Move them to a plate.

2. 2

   Cook the onions in the fat the duck left behind for 5 minutes, until soft, then add the garlic for a minute. Stir in the cinnamon and flour and give it another minute, so the flour loses its raw taste.

3. 3

   Put the duck back in with the red wine, the tomatoes, the stock, the rosemary sprigs, the bay leaves, the sugar and plenty of salt and pepper.

4. 4

   Bring it up to a simmer, drop the heat right down, cover the pan and leave it for 2 hours, stirring every half hour or so.

5. 5

   Lift the duck legs onto a plate. Peel away the skin and fat, shred the meat off the bone with two forks, and throw the bones out.

6. 6

   Return the meat to the sauce with the milk and simmer it uncovered for 10–15 minutes while the pasta cooks. This is where the sauce thickens and the sharpness of the tomatoes softens.

7. 7

   Cook the paccheri to the packet timing, saving a cupful of the water before you drain it. Tip the pasta into the ragu and turn it over for a minute, loosening it with the reserved water if it stiffens.

8. 8

   Serve with the grated Parmesan over the top.