Duck Pasta Recipes

PASTA WITH TUSCAN DUCK SAUCE

Steps:

• Trim visible fat from duck legs, then lay them, skin side down, in a 10-inch skillet. Turn heat to medium; when duck begins to sizzle, turn heat to low and cover. Cook undisturbed about an hour (check once to be sure legs aren't burning); the skin should be golden brown. Turn and cook until duck is very tender, at least 30 minutes.
• Remove duck and set aside. Add onion to skillet and turn heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Set a large pot of salted water to boil for the pasta.
• Add wine to skillet and raise heat to high; cook until liquid is reduced by about half. Add tomatoes and some salt and pepper, and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture is saucy, about 15 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning.
• Meanwhile, shred duck from bone and add it to sauce as it cooks. A few minutes after adding tomatoes, cook pasta. When it is tender but not mushy, drain it and serve it with sauce, along with cheese.

DUCK CONFIT PASTA

Steps:

• remove the bones from the confit, chop the meat into bite-size pieces.
• cook the fettucine according to package directions, drain, set aside.
• heat olive oil and duck fat in a skillet.
• add garlic, and shallot, cook 2 minutes.
• add apricots, cook 1 minute.
• add hazelnuts and wine, cook over low heat, stirring until reduced by half.
• add stock and duck, reduce by half, 6-8 minutes.
• stir in butter, thyme and pepper.
• mix some sauce into the fettucine.
• spoon pasta onto 4 plates.
• top each with sauce and 1 tbsp chevre.
• serve.

VENETIAN DUCK RAGU

Steps:

• 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.