Refined rustic
THIS rich duck sauce is the basis of a dish called bigoli all’ anatra after the thick, rustic semolina spaghetti called bigoli, in Verona, hometown of Chiara Conti of Fabiolus Cafe on Melrose. At Fabiolus, it’s a frequent special, served with house-made bigoli, but it can also be served with tagliatelle, ordinary spaghetti or any other pasta cooked al dente.
Michalene Busico, Times deputy features editor, was taken by its rich, deep flavor, and says it’s a dish that’s both “luxurious and rustic.”
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Fabiolus Cafe duck ragu
Total time: 2 hours, 20 minutes
Servings: 6 to 8
3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
1 large peeled carrot, finely chopped
4 duck legs with skin
Salt
Freshly ground black
pepper
1 1/2 cups red wine
2 tomatoes, chopped, or 2 cups peeled canned tomatoes with juice, pureed in a blender or food processor
1 to 2 bay leaves
1 rosemary sprig
1 to 1 1/4 pounds pasta
1/4 cup freshly grated
Parmesan cheese or more to taste (optional)
1. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch-oven style pot over medium-low heat. Add the onion, celery and carrot and cook gently until the vegetables are tender, stirring often, about 6 to 8 minutes.
2. Season the duck legs with salt and pepper and add to the pot. Saute on both sides (about 15 minutes) then add 1 teaspoon salt, one-fourth teaspoon pepper, the wine, tomatoes, bay leaves and rosemary.
3. Bring to a simmer and cook covered over low heat 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until the meat is very tender. Check and stir often to avoid burning.
4. Remove the duck legs from the sauce and cool. Remove and discard the bay leaves and rosemary. If the sauce is still too liquid, uncover and cook down to sauce consistency. Skim and discard oil from the surface of the sauce. For a rustic sauce, leave it as is, or blend in a food processor until smooth.
5. Remove the skin and bones from the duck legs and gently tear into small pieces. Add the meat back to the sauce. Adjust seasoning and keep warm.
6. To serve, cook the pasta al dente, drain and if desired, stir Parmesan cheese into the pasta, then mix with the sauce and serve.
Each of 8 servings with cheese: 418 calories; 21 grams protein; 53 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams fiber; 10 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 42 mg. cholesterol; 393 mg. sodium.