Recipe by BBC Good Food

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Cinnamon adds complexity to this slow-cooked pasta sauce, which goes perfectly with large tubular paccheri pasta, or ribbons of pappardelle

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Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 4 duck legs
• 2 onions (finely chopped)
• 2 garlic cloves (fat, crushed)
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tsp plain flour
• 250 ml red wine
• 400 g cans chopped tomatoes
• 1 chicken Stock Cube (made up to 250ml)
• 3 rosemarysprigs (leaves picked and chopped)
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 tbsp milk
• 600 g paccheri (or pappardellepasta)
• Parmesan  (shredded, to serve)

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Method

1. 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. 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. 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.

View the recipe instructions at BBC Good Food