Papero alla frutta

01 / ABOUT THE DISH

About the dish

Papero alla frutta is a traditional dish originating from Veneto. This pairing of duck and fruit was popularized in the 17th century by a Bavarian-born Paduan cook Mattia Giegher. The dish is made with a combination of duck, lemon, pear, grapes or cherries, olive oil, butter, capers, sugar, and salt. A lemon is placed in the chest cavity of the duck, and it is then roasted with lemon juice in olive oil for three hours. After an hour and a half, the duck is turned upside-down and the pears and grapes (or cherries) are added to the pan. Near the end of cooking, butter is stirred into the fruit and sprinkled with sugar. The cooking juices are passed through a sieve, and the duck meat is then served drizzled with the sauce and garnished with capers and glazed fruit.