Try this recipe taken from Gwyneth Paltrow's Notes from my Kitchen Table (and tested by the Stylist team). Adapted from a recipe given to her by Jamie Oliver, it makes a hearty supper for 4-6.

Ingredients (serves 4-6)

1 organic large duck, washed and dried (Stylist tip: We recommend buying a duck crown as opposed to the whole duck for smaller portions)
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Coarse salt
Freshly ground black pepper
4 slices duck bacon (or whatever bacon you love), finely diced
1 med onion, peeled and finely diced
2 med carrots, peeled and finely diced
2 med celery stalks, finely diced
5 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2 x 12.5cm sprigs fresh rosemary , stems discarded and leaves finely chopped
3 x 400g cans whole peeled tomatoes in their juice
250ml Italian red wine
100ml tomato purée
450g pappardelle (fresh or dried)
Gremolata breadcrumbs [find Gwyneth’s recipe in Notes From My Kitchen Table] or freshly grated
Parmesan cheese, for serving

Active preparation time: 50 minutes

Total preparation time: 4-5 hours

Method

1) Preheat the oven to 180°C, 350°F, gas 4.

2) Trim off excess skin from the opening to the duck’s cavity and from the back end. Rub the entire duck with 1 tbsp of olive oil and sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper, inside and out. Roast it for a total of 2 hours, flipping it from its back to its breast (and vice versa) every half an hour. Once roasted, let it cool. Drain off the fat.

3) While the duck is roasting, heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a casserole over medium-high heat and add the bacon. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the onions, carrots, celery, garlic and rosemary, turn the heat down to low, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 mins, or until softened. Add the tomatoes and their juice to the pan then put 125ml water into one can, swish it around to get all the tomato stuck to the sides, pour into the next can and repeat again with the third. Add the tomato water to the casserole along with the wine, a good grind of pepper and a healthy pinch of salt. Bring to the boil and then turn the heat down very low and let simmer for 1 hour 15 mins.

4) After the duck has cooled, remove and discard the skin and bones and shred the meat. Fold the duck meat into the ragu along with the tomato purée and cook on very low heat, uncovered, for at least 1 hour and up to 4, adding splashes of water if necessary to keep it from drying out (continue to season as you splash).

To serve: Cook the pasta, divide it between bowls, and spoon a generous amount of duck ragu over the pasta. Top with the breadcrumbs or Parmesan.

Has this recipe tickled your taste buds? Also try Gwyneth's Ivy Chopped Salad and her Fudgy Chocolate Brownies.

Gwyneth Paltrow's Duck Ragu