Pappardelle Recipe

Shred and season

Remove any skin and bone from confit duck legs if not already done. Using forks or your hands, shred the meat into bite-sized pieces. Place shredded duck in a bowl and season lightly with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper; mix gently.

Warm in duck fat

In a large sauté pan over medium heat, add 3 tbs duck fat. When shimmering, add shredded duck and sauté 3–5 minutes, pressing to get some crisped edges. Transfer warmed duck to a plate and reserve pan fat for the root vegetables step.

In the same large sauté pan with reserved duck fat (add 1 tbs butter if pan looks dry), add the diced carrots, parsnip and celeriac. Sauté over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to soften and caramelize at the edges, about 6–8 minutes.

Add the minced shallot and garlic and cook another 1–2 minutes until fragrant, taking care not to burn the garlic.

Pour in 1 tbs white wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up fond from the bottom. Let the wine reduce by half, about 1 minute.

Add 1/2 cup stock and the sliced sage leaves. Reduce heat to low and simmer until the vegetables are tender and the liquid has mostly evaporated, about 4–6 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning with a pinch of salt and pepper.

Return the warmed shredded duck to the pan, toss with the vegetables, and keep on very low heat while you cook the pasta so flavors meld (2–3 minutes).

While vegetables cook, make the gremolata: in a small bowl combine the diced Granny Smith apple, 3 tbs minced sage, 2 tbs minced parsley and 1 tbs lemon zest.

Drizzle 1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil over the mixture, season with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper, and toss to combine. Taste and adjust acidity or salt if needed. Set aside at room temperature so the apple keeps some crunch.

Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a vigorous boil. Add 12 oz pappardelle and cook according to package directions until just al dente (typically 5–8 minutes for dried; 2–3 minutes for fresh). Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta, leaving it slightly wet.

Return the large sauté pan with the duck and vegetables to medium heat. Add the drained pasta to the pan. Add 1/2–1 cup reserved pasta water as needed to create a silky sauce; toss gently for 1–2 minutes so the pasta absorbs flavors. If the mixture seems dry, add more reserved water a few tablespoons at a time.

Stir in 2 tbs extra-virgin olive oil and 3 oz finely grated Pecorino Romano, tossing constantly so the cheese emulsifies with the starchy water and coats the pappardelle. Add freshly ground black pepper (about 1 tsp) and taste for final seasoning.

If desired, fold in the optional microgreens or baby arugula just until wilted, about 30 seconds.

Divide pappardelle among 4 warmed plates or shallow bowls. Spoon any remaining duck and vegetable mixture over the pasta.

Finish each portion with 1–2 generous teaspoons of the sage-apple gremolata placed on top so it brightens the dish.

Scatter shaved Pecorino over each plate, add a final crack of black pepper, and serve immediately.