Order a young cleaned duck with its liver, heart and cleaned gizzard. A large broth pot is essential. For larger quantities use additional pots or pans, keeping the piece sizes and cooking endpoints.
Make ahead Chop the vegetables ahead. Cook the broth and pasta on serving day, keeping raw giblets refrigerated until needed.
Bigoli con l’anatra
Prep 25 min · Cook 2 hr 20 min · Serves 4 · Difficulty Medium
Method
Check that the cleaned duck and water will fit the pot with headspace. Keep the liver and heart covered in the refrigerator while the broth cooks. Put the water, salt, celery, carrot and broth onion studded with the cloves in a pot. Add the duck and cleaned gizzard.Check that the cleaned duck and water will fit the pot with headspace. Keep the liver and heart covered in the refrigerator while the broth cooks. Put the water, salt, celery, carrot and broth onion studded with the cloves in a pot. Add the duck and cleaned gizzard.
Bring slowly to a gentle boil, allowing about 35 minutes. Skim, then simmer uncovered for about 90 minutes, until the duck is tender and thoroughly cooked. Check the thickest meat away from bone with a clean probe: 75°C for 30 seconds. Extend cooking if necessary.Bring slowly to a gentle boil, allowing about 35 minutes. Skim, then simmer uncovered for about 90 minutes, until the duck is tender and thoroughly cooked. Check the thickest meat away from bone with a clean probe: 167°F for 30 seconds. Extend cooking if necessary.
Near the end of the simmer, finely chop the sauce onion, garlic, sage and parsley. Soften them gently in the butter in a wide pan for about 8 minutes without browning. Chop the liver and heart, add to the pan and cook, stirring, until thoroughly done; check 75°C for 30 seconds. Add the torn bay leaf.Near the end of the simmer, finely chop the sauce onion, garlic, sage and parsley. Soften them gently in the butter in a wide pan for about 8 minutes without browning. Chop the liver and heart, add to the pan and cook, stirring, until thoroughly done; check 167°F for 30 seconds. Add the torn bay leaf.
Lift out the cooked duck and gizzard. Keep the duck hot for separate service; its meat does not go into this sauce. Finely chop the gizzard and add it to the pan. Strain the broth into a clean pot and bring back to a boil.Lift out the cooked duck and gizzard. Keep the duck hot for separate service; its meat does not go into this sauce. Finely chop the gizzard and add it to the pan. Strain the broth into a clean pot and bring back to a boil.
Cook the bigoli in the boiling duck broth until al dente, following their cooking directions and checking the center. Reserve a little broth, then drain the pasta and toss with the hot giblet sauce, loosening it with a little broth if necessary. Remove the bay leaf. Off the heat fold in the Grana Padano and pepper and serve immediately.Cook the bigoli in the boiling duck broth until al dente, following their cooking directions and checking the center. Reserve a little broth, then drain the pasta and toss with the hot giblet sauce, loosening it with a little broth if necessary. Remove the bay leaf. Off the heat fold in the Grana Padano and pepper and serve immediately.
