Pappardelle al Ragù di Anatra
Tender duck ragù simmered with tomatoes and aromatics, finished with rich egg pasta ribbons. A classic Italian braise that tastes far more involved than it is.
- Total time
- 120 min
- Servings
- 2
- Calories
- 745
- Protein
- 52g
Ingredients
- 2 whole duck legs or thighs, skin on
- 1 medium onion, roughly chopped
- 1 medium carrot, roughly chopped
- 1 stalk celery stalk, roughly chopped
- 400 g canned crushed tomatoes
- 150 ml dry red wine
- 250 ml chicken or beef stock
- 1 whole bay leaf
- 2 whole fresh thyme sprigs
- 250 g pappardelle pasta, dried or fresh
- 30 g Parmigiano-Reggiano, finely grated
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- 1
Pat duck legs dry with paper towels.
- 2
Season duck generously with salt and pepper on both sides.
- 3
Heat olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat.
- 4
Place duck legs skin-side down in the pot.
- 5
Sear until duck skin is deep golden brown, about 8 minutes.
- 6
Turn duck and sear the other side for 4 minutes.
- 7
Transfer duck to a plate; set aside.
- 8
Discard all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the pot.
- 9
Add onion, carrot, and celery; stir to coat with fat.
- 10
Cook vegetables, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes.
- 11
Pour wine into the pot, scraping up browned bits from the bottom.
- 12
Simmer until wine is reduced by half, about 4 minutes.
- 13
Add crushed tomatoes, stock, bay leaf, and thyme sprigs.
- 14
Return duck legs to the pot, nestling them among the vegetables.
- 15
Bring to a simmer; cover with the lid slightly ajar.
- 16
Reduce heat to medium-low and braise for 1.5 hours.
- 17
Remove the lid and skim any excess fat from the surface.
- 18
Transfer duck legs to a cutting board; cool slightly.
- 19
Shred duck meat from the bones, discarding skin and bones.
- 20
Return shredded duck to the pot; stir to combine.
- 21
Simmer uncovered for 10 more minutes to meld flavors.
- 22
Remove bay leaf and thyme sprigs; discard.
- 23
Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil.
- 24
Add pappardelle and cook according to package directions.
- 25
Reserve 120 ml of pasta cooking water; drain pasta.
- 26
Add pasta to the ragù pot with duck sauce.
- 27
Toss gently, adding pasta water a splash at a time if needed.
- 28
Divide between two bowls.
- 29
Top each bowl with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and fresh parsley.
Tools you’ll need
- large heavy-bottomed pot with lid (at least 6 quarts)
- large pot for pasta water
- cutting board
- paper towels
- wooden spoon or silicone spatula
- instant-read thermometer (optional)
- tongs
- microplane or fine grater
- two serving bowls
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