Lamb Bolognese
(from Metro Cooks’s recipe box)
Source: Michael Simon
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 55 minutes
Serves 5 people
Categories: Pasta
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound ground lamb shoulder
- Kosher salt
- 2 medium carrots, roughly chopped
- 1 stalk celery, roughly chopped
- 1 small red onion, roughly chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups dry red wine
- 12 ounces canned San Marzano tomatoes, chopped
- 3 sprigs fresh oregano
- 1 fresh bay leaf
- 1 cinnamon stick
- Pinch chile flakes
- 2 pounds tagliatelle pasta
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 cup picked and torn fresh mint leaves
Directions
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Heat a large rondeau (or Dutch oven) with the olive oil over medium-high heat.
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Add the lamb with a liberal pinch of salt and cook until brown, about 4 minutes.
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Meanwhile, combine the carrots, celery and onions in a food processor and pulse to chop finely.
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With a slotted spoon, remove the browned lamb from the pan and set aside.
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Add the vegetables to the pan with a large pinch of salt and sweat until translucent and aromatic, 3 to 4 minutes.
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Add the garlic and sweat 1 minute more. Deglaze the pan with the red wine, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to get all the goodies into the sauce.
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Bring to a simmer and cook until reduced by about half.
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Then add the tomatoes, oregano, bay leaf, cinnamon stick and chile flakes, and simmer for 10 minutes.
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Add the lamb back into the pan and let simmer 20 to 30 minutes longer.
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While the sauce is simmering, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
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When you have 10 minutes left for the sauce, drop the pasta into the boiling water and give a stir so it doesn’t stick.
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When the pasta is cooked al dente, remove and set aside 1/2 cup of the pasta water, and then drain the pasta.
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Stir the pasta into the sauce to coat the noodles.
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Add the reserved pasta water, Parmesan, butter, olive oil and mint and continue to mix.
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Once the butter is melted and everything is incorporated, remove from the heat and serve immediately.