Cracklings made from the leftover duck skin top this satisfying pasta dish.
Ingredients
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, sliced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon crushed dried red pepper
1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, crushed, juice reserved
4 duck legs reserved from Spice-Rubbed Duck Legs Braised with Green Olives and Carrots , skin peeled off and cut into 1/2-inch squares, meat shredded
1 1/2 cups vegetables reserved from Spice-Rubbed Duck Legs Braised with Green Olives and Carrots , olives pitted, vegetables chopped
1/2 cup sauce reserved from Spice-Rubbed Duck Legs Braised with Green Olives and Carrots
1 pound rigatoni or ziti pasta
Grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
Heat oil in large deep skillet over medium heat. Add next 4 ingredients. sauté until onion is soft, about 6 minutes. Add tomatoes with juice. Simmer until slightly thickened, about 7 minutes. Add shredded duck, reserved vegetables, and reserved sauce to skillet. Heat through, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool slightly. Cover and chill ragù and duck skin separately. Rewarm ragù over medium heat before continuing.
Heat large skillet over medium heat. Add duck skin; fry until crisp and most fat renders, stirring often, about 8 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but firm to bite. Drain, reserving 1 cup cooking liquid. Stir pasta into duck mixture, adding pasta cooking water by 1/4 cupfuls if dry. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to large bowl. Sprinkle cracklings over and serve, passing cheese alongside.
