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

  1. Heat a large rondeau (or Dutch oven) with the olive oil over medium-high heat.

  2. Add the lamb with a liberal pinch of salt and cook until brown, about 4 minutes.

  3. Meanwhile, combine the carrots, celery and onions in a food processor and pulse to chop finely.

  4. With a slotted spoon, remove the browned lamb from the pan and set aside.

  5. Add the vegetables to the pan with a large pinch of salt and sweat until translucent and aromatic, 3 to 4 minutes.

  6. 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.

  7. Bring to a simmer and cook until reduced by about half.

  8. Then add the tomatoes, oregano, bay leaf, cinnamon stick and chile flakes, and simmer for 10 minutes.

  9. Add the lamb back into the pan and let simmer 20 to 30 minutes longer.

  10. While the sauce is simmering, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

  11. 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.

  12. When the pasta is cooked al dente, remove and set aside 1/2 cup of the pasta water, and then drain the pasta.

  13. Stir the pasta into the sauce to coat the noodles.

  14. Add the reserved pasta water, Parmesan, butter, olive oil and mint and continue to mix.

  15. Once the butter is melted and everything is incorporated, remove from the heat and serve immediately.

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