This duck ragu pasta is utterly to die for! The fresh duck is cooked until so tender that it falls straight off the bone. The meat fully absorbs the rich sauce made with red wine, stock, and Italian tomatoes. Zest of orange and ground cinnamon not only add complexity to the flavours, but also make the pasta stand out.
This pasta dish is not difficult to prepare (you only need one pan), but it’s going to make you feel like dining at an upscale Italian restaurant! It is almost impossible to dine in during pandemic, so why not indulge yourself with this delicious duck ragu pasta at home?
Ingredients（serves 2):
- 1 large duck leg
- 40g each: celery, carrots, onion. Finely chopped.
- 1/2 – 1 tbs tomato paste
- 60ml red wine
- 350ml unsalted stock
- 180g Italian canned tomatoes, puréed.
- 1 bay leaf
- zest of half an orange
- ground cinnamon to taste
- salt & pepper
- 2 servings pasta (Fettuccine, Pappardelle, Tagliatelle, etc.)
Instructions:
- Rinse and pat dry duck leg with paper towel. Lightly season duck with salt and pepper. Place duck leg in a cold non-stick pan, skin side down. Cook over medium heat for 5-7 minutes on each side, until duck turns golden. Set aside duck leg, save the fat.
- Add finely chopped celery, onion and carrot to the same pan, sauté for about 10 minutes until vegetables are soft, onions turn transparent.
- Add tomato paste, stir and mix.
- Pour in red wine, reduce red wine by half.
- Return duck to the pan, add stock, crushed tomatoes, bay leaf. Bring liquid to a boil, cover the pan and simmer for an hour until duck is fork tender. Flip the duck halfway through.
- Turn off the heat, remove duck leg and shred the meat using forks (chop the meat if desired). Meanwhile, cook pasta according to packet instructions. Return shredded meat to the pot, heat the ragu up over low heat.
- Add pasta cooking water if the ragu becomes too dry. Discard bay leaf, add orange zest, ground cinnamon. Taste the ragu and add salt & pepper to taste.
- Add drained pasta to the ragu, toss to coat pasta with sauce. Then serve.
Adding grated parmesan cheese at table is always a good idea, I also recommend adding extra orange zest before serving, to elevate the dish.
Rich, intense, with a hint of sweetness, this duck ragu pasta is really going to comfort your soul. Favourite Italian restaurants closed during COVID-19, so what, one can easily make restaurant-quality pasta at home!
