Venetian Duck Ragu

Name: Venetian Duck Ragu
Total time: 150 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1 tbsp olive oil; 4 duck legs; 2 brown onions, finely chopped; 2 garlic cloves, minced; 2 tsp ground cinnamon; 2 tsp plain flour; 250ml red wine; 2 tins (800g) chopped tomatoes; 1 chicken stock cube; 3 sprigs fresh rosemary; 2 dried bay leaves; 1 tsp granulated sugar; 2 tbsp whole milk; 600g paccheri pasta (or rigatoni); Freshly grated parmesan cheese, to serve

Slow-cooked shredded duck legs simmered in rich red wine and tomato sauce with pasta.

150 min serves 4 Medium Watch

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil500ml

4 duck legs4 pack

2 brown onions, finely chopped3 pack

2 garlic cloves, minced3 pack

2 tsp ground cinnamon40g

2 tsp plain flour1.5kg

250ml red wine750ml

2 tins (800g) chopped tomatoes800g

1 chicken stock cube10 pack

3 sprigs fresh rosemary20g

2 dried bay leaves10g

1 tsp granulated sugar1kg

2 tbsp whole milk1L

600g paccheri pasta (or rigatoni)500g

Freshly grated parmesan cheese, to serve170g

Method

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.

Cost to cook

serves 4 · I have the cupboard staples

Mostly estimated prices. Full-pack shop cost · about £12.86 of it is what this recipe actually uses.

Find it in store

Search the ingredients at your stores:

Tesco Asda

£27.39 est. · serves 4

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil500ml

4 duck legs4 pack

2 brown onions, finely chopped3 pack

2 garlic cloves, minced3 pack

2 tsp ground cinnamon40g

2 tsp plain flour1.5kg

250ml red wine750ml

2 tins (800g) chopped tomatoes800g

1 chicken stock cube10 pack

3 sprigs fresh rosemary20g

2 dried bay leaves10g

1 tsp granulated sugar1kg

2 tbsp whole milk1L

600g paccheri pasta (or rigatoni)500g

Freshly grated parmesan cheese, to serve170g

Method

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.