Rye Pappardelle Recipe
braised duck, schmaltz onions, local mushroom, sour cream, cracklin crumble
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Ingredients
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Pappardelle & Dough
Braised Duck
Schmaltz Onions & Cracklin Crumble
Mushrooms & Finishing
Sauce & Finishers
Method
Braised Duck
- 1
Prep and Sear
Pat duck legs dry and season both sides with 2 tsp kosher salt and 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Heat a large ovenproof Dutch oven over medium-high heat (no additional oil). Place duck legs skin-side down and sear until the skin is deeply brown and most fat has rendered, about 8–10 minutes. Flip and brown the other side 3 minutes. Transfer duck legs to a plate and reserve rendered fat in the pot.
- 2
Build Braising Base
Reduce heat to medium. Add carrot, celery, and quartered onion to the rendered fat; cook, stirring, until lightly browned, about 6 minutes. Add smashed garlic and 2 tbsp tomato paste; cook 1–2 minutes until fragrant. Deglaze with 1 cup dry red wine, scraping browned bits, and let reduce by half, about 4 minutes.
- 3
Braise
Return duck legs to the pot. Add 3 cups stock, 1 bay leaf, and 3 thyme sprigs. Bring to a simmer, cover, and transfer to a 325°F (160°C) oven. Braise until meat is fall-apart tender, about 2 to 2.5 hours. Alternatively simmer gently on the stovetop with a tight-fitting lid. When done, remove duck and let cool slightly. Reserve braising liquid; skim fat, strain solids, and reduce liquid on the stove over medium-high heat until you have about 1 cup concentrated sauce (approx. 10–15 minutes). Shred the duck meat, discarding bones and excess skin, and set aside.
Schmaltz Onions & Cracklin Crumble
- 4
Schmaltz Onions
In a wide sauté pan, warm 3 tbsp schmaltz (or duck fat) over medium-low. Add 2 cups thinly sliced onions and 0.5 tsp salt. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally, until deeply golden and jammy, about 25–30 minutes. Toward the end, stir in 0.5 tsp smoked paprika. Keep warm.
- 5
Cracklin Crumble
In a small skillet, melt 1 tbsp unsalted butter over medium. Add 0.5 cup panko and toast, stirring, until golden, about 3–4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in 0.5 cup finely crushed pork cracklings. Season lightly with salt if needed. Set aside for garnish.
Mushrooms & Finishing
- 6
Sauté Mushrooms
In a large sauté pan, heat 1 tbsp butter over medium-high heat. Add 10 oz mixed mushrooms and cook without stirring for 2 minutes to promote browning, then stir and cook until golden, about 4–5 more minutes. Add 1 tbsp minced shallot and cook 1 minute. Deglaze with 2 tbsp dry white wine and cook until liquid evaporates. Season with salt and pepper and stir in 2 tbsp chopped parsley. Transfer mushrooms to a bowl and keep warm.
- 7
Make Sauce
Lower heat to medium. To the same pan, add the reserved 1 cup reduced braising liquid and bring to a gentle simmer. Whisk in 2 tbsp butter and 1/2 cup sour cream until smooth and slightly thickened. Stir in 1 tsp lemon juice to brighten. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. If sauce is too thick, add 1–2 tbsp water or stock to reach desired consistency.
Pasta & Assembly
- 8
Cook Pasta
Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil. Cook 1 lb rye pappardelle according to package instructions until al dente (fresh 2–3 minutes, dried 6–8 minutes). Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water, then drain pasta and return to pot.
- 9
Combine
Add the warm mushroom mixture, shredded braised duck (about all shredded meat), and the sour-cream enriched braising sauce to the drained pasta. Toss gently over low heat just until everything is hot and the sauce clings to the noodles, adding reserved pasta water a splash at a time if needed to loosen the sauce. Stir in up to 1/4 cup grated Parmesan if using.
- 10