Pappardelle With Venetian Duck Ragù

The combination of cinnamon and orange with the richness of duck meat gives this dish a distinctly Venetian flavor profile, by whispering of its years of cross-cultural exchange with the Middle East.

Makes 4 servings

4 duck legs (found at most Asian markets)

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, divided in half

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 carrot, finely chopped 1 onion, finely chopped 1 rib of celery, finely chopped

Zest of 1⁄ 2 1 bay leaf

an orange

3⁄ cup dry white wine

4

(such as Pinot Grigio)

Juice of

1⁄ 2

orange (about 1 cup passata (pureed tomatoes)

1 heaping tablespoon tomato paste

5 cups chicken stock 1⁄ 4 cup)

1 pound fresh pappardelle pasta (see Note)

Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Season the duck legs with salt, pepper and half the cinnamon. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to a large, straight-sided pan over medium heat and bring to temperature. Cook the duck legs for 7 to 8 minutes on each side until browned. Remove and set aside on a plate.

Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to the same pan. Add the chopped carrot, onion and celery, orange zest, bay leaf and the remaining 1⁄ teaspoon of cinnamon and

2 sauté for 10 minutes, stirring often until the vegetables are soft.

Increase the heat to high and add the duck back to the pan with the wine. Bring to a boil, cooking until the volume has reduced by half. Add the orange juice, passata, tomato paste and chicken stock and stir to combine. Simmer the ragù slowly, uncovered, for 2 hours, f lipping the duck over after 1 hour. If the sauce reduces too much, add some water. Take the sauce off the heat and remove the duck legs, letting them cool on a chopping board for 10 minutes. Shred the meat off the bone using a fork. Roughly chop it, then add it back to the sauce. The ragù is ready at this point.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the fresh pappardelle for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the pasta with large tongs, drain it and set the pasta aside. Ladle 3 cups of ragù into a large sauté pan and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta to the ragù, toss to combine and bring back to temperature, about 1 minute. Serve in bowls with a sprinkling of freshly grated Parmagiano-Reggiano cheese.

Note: If using dried pasta, cook for 1 minute shy of the timing on the package instructions.