Duck and porcini tortellini with caramelised pear (tortellini di antra e poorcini con pera caramelata)

The duck for the tortellini is roasted first – the idea is that when you put a little parcel in your mouth, you think of roasted duck with hints of mushrooms.

• serves

  6

• prep

  45 minutes

• cook

  1:25 hour

• difficulty

  Mid

Ingredients

Roasted duck

• 2.2 kg duck
• sprig of rosemary
• sprig of sage
• 1 tsp juniper berries, crushed
• 1 star anise, crushed
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 125 ml olive oil

Tortellini

• meat from the roasted duck
• olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, sliced
• 1 celery stalk, sliced
• 100 g ciabatta, roughly chopped, briefly soaked in water and squeezed dry
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 100 ml marsala
• 2½ tbsp white wine
• 100 g frozen porcini (cepe) mushrooms, thawed and sliced
• ¼ cup freshly grated parmigiano reggiano
• 300 g fresh pasta sheets

Pear

• 1 large, firm pear, cored and cut into 1 cm cubes
• 100 g (½ cup) brown sugar
• 200 ml white wine

 

• knob of butter

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Put the rosemary and sage into the cavity of the duck. Place the duck on a tray and sprinkle with the crushed juniper berries, star anise and some salt and pepper, rubbing the mixture into the skin. Drizzle with the olive oil and roast for approximately 40–45 minutes, until cooked through. Allow to cool slightly, then take the meat from the bones.

To make the filling for the tortellini, roughly chop the duck meat including the skin. Heat 2½ tablespoons of olive oil in a heavy-based saucepan and sauté the onion, garlic and celery until softened. Add the moistened bread and duck meat and season with salt and pepper. Add the tomato paste, marsala and wine and cook for a few minutes, then remove from the heat.

Briefly sauté the mushrooms in a frying pan and add to the duck mixture. Allow the mixture to cool before mincing or chopping it coarsely. Add the parmigiano reggiano and mix well.

Cut the pasta sheets into approximately 60 circles, 7–8 cm in diameter. Put a small amount of filling in the centre of each circle. To make a tortellini, lightly moisten the edge of a circle with water. Fold the circle in half and lightly press the edges to seal. Fold the rim of the tortellini down and bring the two corners around to meet, pressing together to seal. Continue making the tortellini, then set aside on a lightly floured work surface while you cook the pear.

Put the pear, brown sugar and wine in a frying pan over medium heat and cook slowly for around 10 minutes, until the pear is soft and the sugar begins to caramelise.

Bring a pot of salted water to the boil and cook the tortellini for 4–5 minutes. Drain and toss with the caramelised pear and the knob of butter.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.