Pheasant ragu with parpadelle and crispy sage

Ingredients

1 pheasant
1 small pack sage, leaves picked
200g mushrooms, sliced
75g diced pancetta
1 onion, peeled & roughly chopped
1 clove garlic, peeled
125ml white wine
400g can chopped tomatoes
400ml chicken stock
1 bay leaf
3-4 sprigs thyme
400g parpadelle or other wide pasta strip

parmesan to serve 

Milo Brown

Serves 4

Crisp your sage. Heat 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil in a heavy pan over a high heat. When hot add the sage leaves until they turn dark green, then remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a plate with kitchen roll. 

Turn the heat down to medium, add the pheasant to the hot oil, and brown all over. Remove and set aside on a plate.

Add the mushrooms, pancetta and onion to the pan with a big pinch of salt and fry gently for 10 minutes.

Grate the garlic into the pan and stir well, then add the white wine and bubble until reduced by half. Add the chopped tomatoes and stock and bring to the boil. 

Add the bay leaves and thyme sprigs and turn to a low simmer. Return the pheasant to the pan and cook for 1 hour until the meat is falling off the bone.

Remove the pheasant from the pan, along with the bay leaves and thyme stalks; discard the stalks. Bring to the boil and reduce until the mixture turns to a thick sauce. 

Shred the meat and discard the carcass. Once the sauce has thickened, return the meat to the pan; taste and season.

Leave to simmer very gently while you cook the pasta in salted water according to the packet instructions. Use tongs to transfer the pasta from the water into the ragu, tossing the parpadelle in the ragu until the sauce is thoroughly coating the pasta.

Twirl into bowls and top with parmesan and the crispy sage leaves.