Braised Lamb Ragu

This ragu is the perfect rainy Sunday recipe. It only takes 20 minutes to start, then braises for a couple of hours, filling your house with the comforting smell of sweet meat!

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS

• 1/4 cup Olive oil

• 1 lb/454 g Boneless Lamb shoulder

• Sea salt and black pepper

• 1 Shallot, finely diced

• 1/2 bulb Fennel, finely diced

• 1 rib Celery, finely diced

• 2 cloves Garlic, thinly sliced

• 1/2 cup Red wine

• 1 jar Tomato Puree or 14-oz can Diced tomatoes

• 1 cup Chicken stock

• 1 sprig Rosemary

• 1 sprig Thyme

• 500 g Pasta (Try it with fresh Rigatoni or Pappardelle from Alimentari!)

• Parmigiano Reggiano

METHOD

Heat half of the olive oil in a Dutch oven or deep pan. Season lamb with salt and pepper. Brown on both sides in oil, then remove from pan and set aside.

Add the remaining oil to the pan. Saute vegetables until softened, then add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant. Deglaze the pan with the red wine, scraping the bottom to incorporate any brown bits, and cooking down for a minute.

Add the tomato puree or tomatoes, stock, and herbs, then nestle the lamb into the mixture. Simmer it, covered, for an hour and a half, or until the meat is tender. Pull the meat apart with two forks and remove the herb stems.

Then, simmer it, uncovered, until it reaches the desired consistency for pasta. (Note: Use the starchy pasta water to thin out the sauce and bind it to the pasta!)

Serve with pasta and a healthy grating of Parmigiano Reggiano. Enjoy!