How to make a Pappardelle Cacciatore

Pappardelle Cacciatore is a hearty Italian pasta dish that combines slow-roasted duck, earthy porcini mushrooms, and salty Parma ham in a creamy white wine gravy style béchamel sauce. Follow these simple steps to make this delicious meal.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. pappardelle pasta
• 1 whole duck, about 4-5 lbs.
• 1/4 lb. dried porcini mushrooms
• 4 oz. Parma ham, sliced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 2 cups chicken or duck stock
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 4 tbsp. unsalted butter
• 4 tbsp. all-purpose flour
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Fresh parsley, chopped for garnish

Preparation:

1. Roast the duck: Preheat the oven to 325°F. Season the duck with salt and pepper and place it in a roasting pan. Roast the duck for about 3 hours, until the meat is tender and falling off the bones. Remove the duck from the oven and let it cool. Once cool, remove the skin and bones, and shred the meat into bite-sized pieces.
2. Rehydrate the mushrooms: Place the dried porcini mushrooms in a bowl and cover them with hot water. Let them soak for about 30 minutes until they are soft. Drain the mushrooms, reserving the soaking liquid, and chop them into small pieces.
3. Sauté the onion and garlic: In a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and minced garlic and sauté until they are soft and fragrant, about 5 minutes.
4. Add the Parma ham and mushrooms: Add the sliced Parma ham and chopped porcini mushrooms to the skillet and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
5. Add the white wine and stock: Pour in the dry white wine and chicken or duck stock, and bring the mixture to a simmer. Cook until the liquid has reduced by half.
6. Make the gravy béchamel sauce: In a separate saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add the all-purpose flour and stir until smooth. Gradually whisk in the reserved porcini soaking liquid, heavy cream, and the mushroom mixture. Simmer for 10-15 minutes until the sauce has thickened.
7. Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pappardelle pasta and cook according to the package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water, then drain the pasta and set it aside.
8. Combine the pasta and sauce: Add the shredded duck to the mushroom gravy béchamel sauce and stir until everything is well combined. Add the cooked pappardelle pasta to the skillet and toss everything together until the pasta is coated in the sauce. If the sauce seems too thick, add a bit of the reserved pasta water to thin it out.
9. Season and serve: Taste the dish and season with salt and pepper to your liking. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and serve immediately.

Tips:

• If you don’t have a whole duck, you can use duck legs or breasts instead. Roast them in the oven until they are cooked through, then shred the meat.
• You can use fresh porcini mushrooms instead of dried, but they may be harder to find and more expensive.
• If you don’t have Parma ham, you can use prosciutto or pancetta instead.
• To make the dish more decadent, you can add grated Parmesan cheese to the sauce.