I'm ready to eat pasta any night of the week. It's so easy to prepare, and quick sauces make it perfect for busy nights. Though on weekends, when I make pasta dishes, I like to take advantage of the extra hours and prepare rich sauces that simmer on the stove for hours. Most recently, I made Lamb Ragu. Lamb. Vegetables, tomatoes, and warm spices like cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, along with some fresh mint simmered for a few hours and developed into a deliciously flavored sauce with warm flavors. I topped it with grated parmesan for an incredible meal.
Ingredients for Lamb Ragu with Bucatini:
2 pounds ground lamb
1 pound of Bucatini cooked according to package directions
olive oil
2 cups chopped onions
1 cup red wine
1 cup chicken broth
1- 28 ounce can whole tomatoes
1-14 ounce can diced tomatoes
4 tablespoons chopped celery
4 tablespoons chopped carrots
3 tablespoons tomato paste
2 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons chopped garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
5 fresh mint leaves
Serve with grated parmesan cheese.
Time-Saving Tip: Prepare the ragu up to an hour in advance and gently reheat before serving.
Let's see what we need.
We're ready to cook.
Add a tablespoon of oil to a large pot followed by the lamb. Season with salt and pepper and saute until meat is no longer pink. When cooked, pour the meat into a strainer and then transfer to a bowl. Let the reserved liquid stand in a large measuring cup and refrigerate.
Clean out the pot and then add two tablespoons of oil, the carrots, onion, and celery. Stir and then add the dried spices, including the salt and pepper. Saute for 4-5 minutes until the vegetables have softened but not browned.
Return the meat to the pot. Discard the white layer of fat from the reserved lamb cooking liquid and pout the remaining brown meat juice into the pot along with the lamb.
Add the tomato paste and garlic. Saute until fragrant and add the wine. Simmer until most of the wine has evaporated.
Stir in the tomatoes and broth; add the fresh mint. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer.
Partially cover the pot and gently simmer for 2-2 1/2 hours until sauce has slightly thickened and reduced.
Toss sauce with cooked pasta and serve with grated cheese.
It's ready! Lamb Ragu is delicious and a wonderful change from regular meat sauces. The cinnamon and other spices make this so aromatic. Everyone loved this new twist on a old favorite.
Enjoy!
Lamb Ragu with Bucatini:
2 pounds ground lamb
1 pound of Bucatini cooked according to package directions
olive oil
2 cups chopped onions
1 cup red wine
1 cup chicken broth
1- 28 ounce can whole tomatoes
1-14 ounce can diced tomatoes
4 tablespoons chopped celery
4 tablespoons chopped carrots
3 tablespoons tomato paste
2 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons chopped garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
5 fresh mint leaves
Add a tablespoon of oil to a large pot followed by the lamb. Season with salt and pepper and saute until meat is no longer pink. When cooked, pour the meat into a strainer and then transfer to a bowl. Let the reserved liquid stand in a large measuring cup and refrigerate.
Clean out the pot and then add two tablespoons of oil, the carrots, onion, and celery. Stir and then add the dried spices, including the salt and pepper. Saute for 4-5 minutes until the vegetables have softened but not browned.
Return the meat to the pot. Discard the white layer of fat from the reserved lamb cooking liquid and pout the remaining brown meat juice into the pot along with the lamb.
Add the tomato paste and garlic. Saute until fragrant and add the wine. Simmer until most of the wine has evaporated.
Stir in the tomatoes and broth; add the fresh mint. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer.
Partially cover the pot and gently simmer for 2-2 1/2 hours until sauce has slightly thickened and reduced.
Toss sauce with cooked pasta and serve with grated cheese.
Time-Saving Tip: Prepare the ragu up to an hour in advance and gently reheat before serving.