Duck ragu with bigoli pasta
Ask your butcher to mince the duck meat to make this easy comforting pasta dish.
By Matt Tebbutt
From Saturday Kitchen
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 50g/1¾oz unsalted butter
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- 1 tsp finely chopped fresh thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 3 celery sticks, finely chopped
- 1 juniper berry, crushed
- 500g/1lb 2oz duck legs, meat removed and minced or cut into small pieces
- 150ml/5fl oz red wine
- 1 Parmesan rind
- 300ml/10fl oz duck or chicken stock
- 150g/5½oz bigoli pasta
- salt
- 75²µ/2¾´Ç³ú Parmesan, grated, to serve
- 2 chestnuts, toasted and grated, to serve
Method
Melt the half the butter with the oil in a frying pan. Add the garlic, thyme, bay leaf, onion, celery and juniper berry and sweat for 8–10 minutes, or until softened.
Add the duck and fry until golden-brown. Pour in the wine and cook until slightly reduced. Add the Parmesan rind and stock and simmer gently for 1 hour until the duck is tender.
Meanwhile, cook the bigoli in a saucepan of boiling salted water according to the packet instructions.
Discard the Parmesan rind and stir the remaining butter into the ragu. Drain the pasta and stir into the ragu. Transfer to warmed bowls, sprinkle with the Parmesan and chestnuts and serve.
