PASTA perfection

We tend to take pasta for granted– it’s the storecupboard staple we turn to for a quick midweek supper. But with a little inspiration from Italy, it can be transformed into impressive dishes

Duck ragu

Like all the best ragus, this one is slowly simmered until the meat is meltingly tender. It’s also good value – four duck legs feed six. It might seem like an unusual addition, but the cinnamon really lifts the dish. In Venice, this style of sauce would usually be served with thick, noodle-like pasta called bigoli, or try large tubular shapes called paccheri, or the more familiar pappardelle (ribbon pasta). Serves 6 Prep 15 mins Cook 2 hrs 30 mins

1 tbsp olive oil

4 duck legs

2 onions, finely chopped

2 fat garlic cloves, crushed

2 tsp ground cinnamon

2 tsp plain flour

250ml red wine

2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes 250ml chicken stock

3 rosemary sprigs, leaves picked

and chopped

2 bay leaves

1 tsp sugar

2 tbsp milk

600g paccheri or pappardelle parmesan, grated, to serve

1 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 occasionally.

2 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 two 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. 3 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.

PER SERVING 505 kcals, protein 30g, carbs 62g,

fat 12g, sat fat 2g, fibre 2g, sugar 8g, salt 0.9g