Homemade pasta with duck ragout
Throughout the region, but particularly in the Provinces of Pescara and Chieti, it is customary to prepare various duck recipes.
For instance, during harvest time this type of meat is slowly pan-cooked, both with and without tomatoes, and this allows all the juices to be released. If it is used for pasta sauce, the duck is chopped into pieces and dipped in flour. Oil is heated in a pan and the meat is sautéed.
The meat is removed from the oil and roughly chopped celery, carrots and onions are added, then fried.
When the vegetables are golden brown, the meat is replaced and cooked with the vegetables. Montepulciano d’Abruzzo is added and when the wine has reduced completely, bay leaves, rosemary, peeled tomatoes and a strip of sweet pepper are added, then the meat is left to cook slowly, for about an hour and three quarters.
Salt is added about 15 minutes before the meat is fully cooked. The pasta served with this sauce is usually rather long “sagne a pèzze”, small flat rectangles (about 10x4cm).
The pasta is made from a mixture of durum wheat flour and whole flour containing some bran, which makes it more easily digestible. The use of organic grains, and thus flours, gives particularly good results. Another type of pasta served with duck sauce is known as ‘lahanelle’, which resemble irregular tagliatelle.