Name: Venetian duck ragu
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 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 -; 1 chicken stock cube, made up to 250ml -; 3 rosemary sprigs, leaves picked and chopped -; 2 bay leaves -; 1 tsp sugar -; 2 Tbsp milk -; 600g paccheri or pappardelle pasta -; parmesan, grated, to serve -

Ingredients for - Venetian duck ragu

1. 1 tbsp olive oil

2. 4 duck legs

3. 2 onions, finely chopped

4. 2 fat garlic cloves, crushed

5. 2 tsp ground cinnamon

6. 2 tsp plain flour

7. 250ml red wine

8. 2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes

9. 1 chicken stock cube, made up to 250ml

10. 3 rosemary sprigs, leaves picked and chopped

11. 2 bay leaves

12. 1 tsp sugar

13. 2 Tbsp milk

14. 600g paccheri or pappardelle pasta

15. parmesan, grated, to serve

How to cook deliciously - Venetian duck ragu

1 . Stage

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 every now and then.

2 . Stage

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 2 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 . Stage

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.