A rich, winter-worthy duck ragù slow-braised in red wine, rosemary and warm spices, tossed through al-dente pasta and finished with the duck leg on top.
This one balances depth (wine, star anise, cinnamon) with brightness (parsley) for a restaurant-style bowl you can pull off at home. Using Vinca Red Wine adds juicy Sicilian fruit and a silky, glossy sauce—plus it’s mostly hands-off thanks to the oven braise.
The recipe at a glance
- Prep time: 15 mins
- Cook time: 1 hr 45 mins
- Total time: ~2 hrs
- Serves: 2
- Skill level: Easy–intermediate
- Best wine pairing: A juicy Sicilian red
Ingredients List
- 2 duck legs
- 20g of salted butter
- 1 small white onion, finely chopped
- 1 carrot, finely chopped
- 1 stick of celery, finely chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
- Large sprig of fresh rosemary
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 star anise
- 1/2 tsp of cinnamon
- 1 large tbsp of tomato purée
- 100ml of Vinca Red Wine
- 250ml of chicken stock
- 1 tbsp of dark soy sauce
- 150g of pasta shape of your choice
- Small handful of fresh parsley, finely chopped
Method
-
Preheat the oven to 160fan. Start by placing the duck legs skin side down into a cold frying pan. Place on a medium heat and fry the duck legs, rendering out the fat.
- After around 5 minutes and the duck legs are sizzling and golden brown, flip over and fry for a further couple of minutes. Remove from the pan and place into a small oven proof dish.
- Turn the heat down to medium-low on the frying pan and add the butter followed the onion, carrot and celery. Cook this sofrito down for 10 minutes, stirring regularly until softened and translucent.Once well sautéed, add the garlic, rosemary, bay and spices. Fry for a further two minutes before adding the tomato purée and pour in the wine. Let this bubble away for a minute or so and deglaze the pan by gently scraping anything stuck to the bottom. This will give you extra flavour to the dish.
- Add the beef stock and season well with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer then pour over the duck legs, submerging them in the liquid as much as possible. Place into the oven and cook for 90 minutes.
- After 90 minutes, place a large pan of well salted water on to boil for the pasta.
- Remove the duck once cooked and carefully lift out the duck legs and place to one side. Pour the cooking liquid into a saucepan and place on a very high heat. Bring to a boil and reduce by around two thirds of the quantity by boiling it down. This will take around 5-10 minutes. This method will intensify the flavour and thicken the liquid to a nice sauce consistency.
- Whilst you reduce the sauce, add the pasta and cook until al-dente.
- Once the pasta is cooked and sauce has reduced, drain the pasta and add into the sauce. Add the parsley then stir everything together. Divide between two bowls and finish with the duck leg over the top.
Substitutions & variations
- No duck legs? Use duck thighs or confit legs; reduce oven time to ~60 minutes for confit
- Gluten-free: Swap in quality GF pasta.
- Herbs: Rosemary is king here, but thyme works.
- Extra body: Stir a knob of butter into the reduced sauce for sheen.
What to serve with duck ragù
- A simple bitter-leaf salad (radicchio, chicory, lemon dressing)
- Garlic-rubbed bruschetta for mopping.
- Vinca Red Wine—its juicy Sicilian fruit compliments the aromatic spices and duck.
Frequently asked questions
Can I shred the duck into the ragù?
Absolutely. Either serve the leg whole on top (dramatic!) or shred the meat into the sauce before tossing with pasta.
Why add soy sauce to Italian-style ragù?
It’s a smart umami booster—think of it as a rich seasoning that adds depth of flavour.
Can I cook it on the hob?
Yes: simmer very gently, covered, for around 90 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent catching.