Duck and cavolo nero orecchiette with hazelnuts

Read the full method and weigh the listed ingredients. Prepare the meat and vegetables as described in the ingredient list, keeping sauce, starch, garnish and working ingredients separate. Clean hands, boards and utensils after handling raw meat.

Heat the oven to 150°C fan / 170°C conventional.

Allow about 15 minutes in total, checking the oven has reached its setting.

Pat duck legs dry and season. Put skin-down in a cold casserole and heat gradually to medium. Brown for 8–10 minutes, turn briefly and remove. Pour off excess fat, keeping a thin film.

Soften onion for 6 minutes.

Stir in garlic for 1 minute.

Add white wine, scrape the browned residue from the pan and bubble until substantially reduced.

Return duck legs and add chicken stock, listed herbs. Bring to a simmer.

Bring the filled casserole to a simmer, cover and carefully transfer to the heated oven.

Cover and braise for 2–2½ hours until the meat pulls apart easily. Use tenderness rather than the clock; add listed top-up water if necessary.

Check the liquid is still moist enough; add the listed top-up water if needed and replace the lid.

Continue covered until the stated tenderness cue is reached. Extend cooking if it still resists a fork.

Check the stated readiness cue using a probe for cooked meat where specified. Carefully take the dish out and set it on a heatproof surface.

Pull duck meat from the bones, discarding skin and tough tissue. Remove herb stems, skim excess fat and return shredded meat to the sauce.

Simmer uncovered until concentrated but still moist, stirring and supervising. Finish with the listed sauce vinegar and taste for seasoning.

Toast hazelnuts in a dry pan for 3–4 minutes, watching closely.

Cool briefly and roughly chop the hazelnuts.

Start heating the listed greens cooking water and cooking salt.

Allow the water to reach a boil.

Add prepared cavolo nero to boiling water.

Blanch for 3 minutes.

Drain and squeeze gently to remove excess water.

Melt butter and soften sliced finishing garlic over low heat for 1 minute without browning.

Add greens, shredded duck, reduced sauce and sherry vinegar. Warm gently and season.

Put the listed pasta cooking water and cooking salt in a large saucepan and start heating.

Allow the water to reach a full boil; the timer assumes a covered pan and a strong hob.

Add orecchiette to the boiling water and stir to separate. Follow its packet for the final cooking time.

Cook until just short of the packet’s al dente time; this timer is an estimate for dried pasta. Fresh pasta cooks faster.

Stir briefly, taste for doneness and extend if needed.

Reserve some starchy cooking water, then drain the pasta.

Toss drained pasta into the finished sauce over medium heat for 1–2 minutes, adding reserved pasta water gradually until coated.

Take off the heat and fold in most of the pecorino. Serve with toasted hazelnuts and remaining cheese.