86 OCTOBER 2020
Dutch oven. Bring to a boil over medium-
high. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook
until liquid is reduced to about 2 cups,
about 40 minutes.- Meanwhile, stir together butter
and flour in a small bowl until smooth.
Gradually add butter mixture to reduced
braising liquid, 1 teaspoon at a time,
whisking constantly, until completely
melted and incorporated. Cook over
medium-low, whisking occasionally,
until raw flour taste cooks out, about 3
minutes. Season with salt and pepper
to taste. Keep sauce warm over low until
ready to serve. - Heat 2 tablespoons reserved duck fat
in a large nonstick skillet over medium.
Place 3 duck legs, skin sides down, in skil-
let; cook until skin is golden brown and
crisp, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip and cook until
duck legs are just heated through, 1 to 2
minutes; transfer to a plate. (Do not wipe
skillet clean.) Repeat process using 2
tablespoons duck fat and remaining duck
legs. Reserve and refrigerate remaining
duck fat for another use. - Arrange spaetzle, mushroom ragout,
and duck legs on a platter. Serve with
braising sauce.
MAKE AHEAD Duck legs may be braised,
cooled, and chilled overnight in braising
liquid. Discard hardened fat, and reheat
duck slowly on the stove before
continuing recipe.WINE Earthy, darkly fruity German Pinot
Noir: 2017 Franz Keller Schwarzer AdlerNOTE Find duck legs at dartagnan.com.Spaetzle
ACTIVE 1 HR; TOTAL 1 HR 30 MIN
SERVES 6 TO 8Sinskey’s method for making spaetzle, a
rustic, ribbony egg-enriched pasta, is
steeped in family tradition. Prepared in a
bowl, the dough is tipped over a pot of
simmering water then quickly cut with a
hot knife, allowing the dough pieces to
drop into the pot one at a time, which
guards against sticking. It takes a little
more finesse than more modern methods,
but the resulting pasta holds up well dur-
ing sautéing, the final and most crucial
step. Be sure to preheat the skillet before
browning the spaetzle; the hot butter
gives each piece a golden brown crust
that’s irresistible.31 / 2 cups all-purpose flour
(about 14^7 / 8 oz.)
1 / 4 cup plus 2^1 / 4 tsp. kosher salt,
divided
1 / 2 tsp. baking powder
1 / 8 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
4 large eggs4 qt. plus 1 cup water, divided
Extra-virgin olive oil, as needed
11 / 2 cups unsalted butter (12 oz.), plus
more as needed- Stir together flour, 2^1 / 4 teaspoons salt,
baking powder, and nutmeg in a large
bowl; make a well in the center. Whisk
together eggs and 1 cup water in a sepa-
rate medium bowl; pour into well in flour
mixture. Using a wooden spoon, gradually
incorporate flour mixture into egg mix-
ture. Once blended, stir vigorously until
dough is smooth, sticky, and stretchy, 1 to
2 minutes. Cover and let stand at room
temperature at least 20 minutes or up to
2 hours. - Meanwhile, bring remaining 4 quarts
water and remaining^1 / 4 cup salt to a vigor-
ous simmer in a large pot over medium.
Fill a large bowl with ice water; place a
colander in ice water. - Uncover dough. Slowly tilt bowl of
dough over simmering water until dough
just rolls to the edge of the bowl. Dip a
sharp knife into the simmering water,
and cut dough into about 3-inch-long,
(^1) / 8 -inch-thick ribbons as it reaches the
bowl’s edge, letting ribbons gently drop
into water, keeping the knife blade firmly
against the edge of the bowl for smooth
cuts. (Dip the knife into the simmer-
ing water after each cut to keep dough
from sticking to the blade.) Repeat until
surface of water is mostly covered with
dough pieces. Dough pieces will sink ini-
tially as they cook and then return to the
surface. When cooked pieces float to the
surface, cook until firm and pale yellow,
about 2 minutes and 30 seconds.
- Using a slotted spoon or spider, trans-
fer cooked dough pieces to colander in ice
water, and let cool 2 minutes. Drain well,
and transfer to a rimmed baking sheet.
Drizzle lightly with about 1 tablespoon
olive oil; toss to coat. Repeat cooking and
cooling process with remaining dough
and additional olive oil. - Preheat oven to 250°F. Heat a large
stainless steel skillet over medium-high.
Add 3 tablespoons butter, and swirl until
butter is melted. As soon as butter begins
to brown, add about 2 cups cooked dough
pieces. Immediately toss to coat dough
pieces in butter; spread into an even
layer. Cook, undisturbed, until each piece
forms a crust on the bottom and is golden
brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Shake skillet to
loosen pieces, and carefully use a spatula
to flip. Continue cooking, shaking skil-
let occasionally, until spaetzle is mostly
golden brown and crisp, 3 to 4 minutes. - Transfer spaetzle to an ovenproof serv-
ing platter, and keep warm in preheated
oven. Repeat with remaining butter and
cooked dough pieces. Serve immediately.
Braised Duck Legs with
Spaetzle and Mushroom Ragout
ACTIVE 35 MIN; TOTAL 4 HR 35 MIN, PLUS
8 HR REFRIGERATION; SERVES 6 TO 8Inspired by German celebratory harvest
meals from centuries past, this comfort-
ing braised dish trades the traditional
goose leg quarters for easier-to-source
duck, served on a bed of buttery-crisp
spaetzle and saucy mushrooms. A beurre
manié—a quick mash of softened butter
and flour—is the key to thickening the deli-
cious sauce in this braise. The duck will
continue to cook while standing in the
braising liquid for an hour, so only cook it
until tender beforehand.6 (12-oz.) bone-in, skin-on duck leg
quarters, trimmed
2 Tbsp. kosher salt, plus more to
taste
2 tsp. black pepper, plus more to
taste
6 cups water
1 medium-size yellow onion,
quartered
6 thyme sprigs
3 garlic cloves, smashed
1 fresh or dried bay leaf
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
Spaetzle (recipe follows)
Mushroom Ragout (recipe p. 91)- Sprinkle duck legs evenly with salt and
pepper. Arrange legs, skin sides up, on a
wire rack set inside a baking sheet. Refrig-
erate, uncovered, 8 hours. - Preheat oven to 275°F. Heat a large
Dutch oven over medium-low. Add 3 duck
legs, skin sides down, to Dutch oven; cook,
undisturbed, until deep golden brown
while slowly rendering duck fat, about 25
minutes. Transfer legs to a rimmed baking
sheet. Pour rendered fat into a heatproof
bowl. Repeat process using remaining
duck legs, reserving fat. Chill rendered fat
in bowl until ready to use. - Return all duck legs to Dutch oven; add
6 cups water, onion, thyme, garlic, and
bay leaf. Bring to a boil over medium-
high. Cover Dutch oven, and transfer to
preheated oven. Roast until duck is just
fork-tender and cooked through, 1 hour
and 15 minutes to 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Remove from oven. Let mixture cool,
uncovered, in Dutch oven at room tem-
perature 1 hour. - Transfer duck legs to a rimmed baking
sheet; tent with aluminum foil, and set
aside. Pour braising liquid in Dutch oven
through a fine wire-mesh strainer into a
heatproof bowl; discard solids. Skim and
discard fat from liquid; return liquid to