Duck Ragù Papardelle

Ingredients

Serves 2

• 2 duck legs
• 2 carrots
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 bulb fennel
• Porcini mushrooms
• Rosemary
• Olive oil
• Chianti wine
• Peeled tomatoes, 14 oz.
• Fresh papardelle
• Italian parsley

Directions

In a pan, put three tablespoons of olive oil and bring to high heat. Place the two legs in the pan and let sizzle for five minutes. Turn the legs to cook the other side for five more minutes. Reduce the heat to low, add half a glass of water in the pan and cover. Leave the legs to cook slowly, turning them every ten to fifteen minutes.

Cut the fennel bulb into wide rings. Reserve a few rings and one mushroom for later. Slice the remaining mushrooms and mince the carrots, garlic and a bit of the fennel. The flavor of fennel may overpower the other ingredients, make sure to dose it per your taste.

In a dutch oven, cook the minced ingredients and the rosemary in two tablespoons of olive oil on high heat for a few minutes. Pour a bit of the wine and reduce the heat for another five minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour the peeled tomatoes in the dutch oven and add water, about half of the tomato can. Let the ragù to slow-cook and evaporate for two hours.

Thirty minutes before the ragù is done, remove the skin from the duck legs and cut the meat off the bones. Get rid of as much fat as possible. Chop the meat into small bits and integrate into the ragù sauce.

Ten minutes before the ragù is done, bring two quarts of water to a boil. Slice the remaining porcini mushroom. In a frying pan, put two tablespoon of olive oil on high heat. Brown the fennel rings and the mushroom slices for a few minutes. Take out of the fire and let rest on a paper towel.

Add salt and olive oil to the water. Cook the fresh papardelle into the water for three minutes. Serve with the ragù on top of the pasta. Top each serving with two or three browned mushroom slices, the fried fennel rings and minced parsley. Serve with the remaining wine.