Duck ragù with mushrooms is a classic pasta sauce found in many parts of Italy. It is not a fashionable dish or a recent invention, but one that continues to endure because of its depth of flavour and its suitability for slow cooking.
Why Pappardelle Works So Well with Duck
Whenever I prepare a ragù with duck or game, I usually choose pappardelle. The wide ribbons of pasta are ideal for catching the rich sauce and substantial pieces of meat. In Tuscany, pappardelle is often served with wild boar, hare or duck ragù, and it remains one of my favourite combinations.
Preparing the Duck Over Two Days
On this occasion I purchased a whole duck and prepared the ragù over two days.
This is not essential, but it has advantages. After the duck is slowly braised and left overnight, the cooking liquid sets into a rich jelly and the fat rises to the surface, making it easy to remove. The resulting sauce is lighter and more refined, while still retaining all of the flavour.
The duck was first browned to render some of its fat.
I then prepared a simple soffritto of onion, carrot and celery in the same pan, allowing the vegetables to absorb some of the flavour left behind by the duck. Red wine, chicken stock, rosemary, bay leaves and a small amount of tomato completed the braising liquid.
The duck cooked slowly until the meat could be easily removed from the bones. Once cooled, I stripped the meat into generous pieces and set it aside. The braising liquid was strained and reserved separately.
Rather than discarding all of the rendered duck fat, I kept a small amount to cook the mushrooms. Brown mushrooms were sautéed with garlic, thyme and parsley until fragrant and lightly coloured. The reserved braising liquid was then added gradually and reduced until concentrated and glossy.
Finally, the duck meat was returned to the pan together with the mushrooms and a small grating of nutmeg. The result was a rich ragù with layers of flavour from the wine, herbs and slow-cooked duck, balanced by the earthiness of the mushrooms.
Tossed through freshly cooked pappardelle and served immediately, it made a satisfying meal that reflects the best qualities of traditional Italian cooking: patience, good ingredients and the willingness to let time do much of the work.
Ingredients
- 1 whole duck, cut into pieces
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 1 carrot, finely diced
- 1 celery stalk, finely diced
- Fresh rosemary
- 2 bay leaves
- ½ cup diced tomatoes or 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 cups dry red wine
- 3 cups chicken stock
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 250 g brown mushrooms, sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- Fresh thyme and parsley
- Freshly grated nutmeg
- Pappardelle, to serve
Method
I bought a whole duck, dismembered it and trimmed away the obvious fat.
Pat the duck pieces dry. Brown them skin-side down in a heavy casserole until the fat renders and the skin colours well. Turn and brown the other side.
Remove most of the fat and set the duck aside.
In the same pan, cook the onion, carrot and celery until softened.
Return the duck to the pan and add the wine, stock, tomatoes, rosemary, bay leaves, salt and pepper.
Cover and simmer gently for 1¾–2¼ hours, or until the meat is tender.
Cool and refrigerate overnight if possible.
Remove the layer of fat that forms on the surface.
Lift out the duck, discard the skin and bones, and shred the meat into chunks.
Strain the cooking liquid and reserve.
Sauté the mushrooms in a little duck fat with the garlic, thyme and parsley.
- The finished duck and mushroom ragù.
Add the braising liquid gradually, reducing it until concentrated.
Return the duck meat to the pan, add a little freshly grated nutmeg and adjust the seasoning.
Toss through cooked pappardelle and serve.
A generous sprinkling of Parmigiano Reggiano is optional, although many Italians prefer to enjoy duck ragù without cheese.
See Pappardelle with hare:
PAPPARDELLE (Pasta with Hare or game ragù)
A Sicilian recipe for Duck:
Anatra a paparedda cu l’ulivi (Sicilian Duck with green olives and anchovies)