Venetian Duck Ragu
Duck ragu simmered with cinnamon reveals Venice's medieval spice trade heritage on a plate. This Veneto classic balances rich game meat with wine and tomatoes, while cinnamon adds unexpected warmth that deepens as the sauce reduces. The technique requires patience: low heat coaxes the duck's fat into silken richness, creating a sauce complex enough to demand full attention and a good red wine alongside it.
Instructions
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.
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.
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..
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