Quick Lamb Ragù Recipes

LAMB RAGU

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a Dutch over over medium-high heat.
• Season lamb shoulder with salt and pepper; cook in hot oil until well-browned on all sides, 20 to 30 minutes. Remove shoulder to a platter.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Stir onion, celery, carrot, fennel, and garlic into the rendered fat remaining in the Dutch oven; season with salt. Cook and stir the vegetables in the hot fat, scraping the bottom of the pot to release any dark bits of meat stuck, until the vegetables are softened, about 10 minutes.
• Return lamb shoulder to the Dutch oven along with any juices accumulated on the platter; add tomatoes and white wine. Bundle marjoram, thyme, and rosemary together with kitchen twine; add to the Dutch oven and submerge in liquid. Place a cover on the Dutch oven, bring the liquid in it to a boil, and transfer pot to the oven.
• Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour. Pour 1 cup water into the Dutch oven and continue cooking for 1 hour more.
• Remove lamb to a cutting board, cut into small pieces, and return to the Dutch oven. Pour remaining 1 cup water over the lamb and stir.
• Cook until lamb is tender, about 30 minutes more.
• Stir rosemary, orange zest, and red pepper flakes into the lamb mixture. Add more water if the mixture is too thick.

QUICK LAMB RAGù

Steps:

• Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add onions and garlic, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions have become translucent and have totally softened, 5 to 8 minutes. Add a pinch of red-pepper flakes and anchovies, if using, and cook for a minute or two, just to toast the spices and melt the anchovies.
• Add tomato paste and continue to cook, stirring occasionally so it has a chance to stick to the bottom of the pot and caramelize a bit, 2 or 3 minutes.
• Add lamb and season with salt and pepper. Using a wooden spoon or a spatula, stir lamb until the fat starts to soften and the meat begins to break down. Continue to cook, stirring rather frequently until the lamb begins to brown and sizzle in its own fat, 5 to 8 minutes.
• Add crushed tomatoes, stirring to scrape up any bits on the bottom of the pot. Fill the tomato can halfway with water and swirl around to get all the remaining tomato, then add to the pot. Season with salt and pepper and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue to cook until sauce is thickened and insanely flavorful, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Serve sauce mixed into and over pasta with plenty of cheese for grating over the top, scattered with a small handful of marjoram, oregano or thyme leaves if you like.

BAKED RIGATONI WITH LAMB RAGù

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a medium (10- to 11-inch) heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, such as Le Creuset, over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots and fennel and sauté for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to brown. Add the lamb, garlic and fennel seeds and cook for 8 minutes, breaking up the lamb with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink. Stir in the tomato paste, tomatoes, 2 cups of the wine, the oregano, red pepper flakes, 1 tablespoon salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer, partly covered, for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. Off the heat, stir in the remaining 1/2 cup of red wine.
• Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add 2 tablespoons salt and the rigatoni and cook according to the directions on the package, until barely al dente. Drain.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and cream. Add the rigatoni and toss well. Grate half of the mozzarella on a box grater and add it to the rigatoni mixture. Add the lamb mixture, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper and toss well.
• Transfer to a 10-by-14-by-2-inch baking dish and sprinkle with the Parmesan. Slice the remaining mozzarella and arrange it on top. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the sauce is hot and bubbling and some of the pasta is crusty on top. Serve hot.