Lamb ragu! I hope you’ll try this recipe. It’s so easy. Instead of braising chunks of lamb for a couple of hours, using ground lamb makes this a quick recipe. In just an hour you have a deeply flavored luscious dish of pasta! I used pappardelle here, but any shape can work very well.

The full recipe is below. I also demonstrated how to make the dish on Today in Nashville on WSMV-TV Channel 4 in Nashville. Check the link below.

Plus Pastene tomatoes, originally from the Boston area, are here in the Southeast and at Publix. I love to use the San Marzano DOP or the Kitchen-Ready Crushed Tomatoes. Both work great in this recipe.

Let me know how it goes!

Lamb Ragu
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, small dice
1 carrot, peeled & cut into small dice
2 garlic cloves, peeled & smashed
1 lb. ground lamb (or beef, if you prefer)
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/3 cup dry white wine
1 28-oz can Pastene crushed tomatoes
1 28-oz can Pastene Whole San Marzano tomatoes
salt & pepper to taste
3-4 sprigs fresh mint
1 lb. pappardelle pasta, fusilli, or your favorite pasta
grated parmesan for individual servings

Equipment needs: large saucepan with lid, pasta pot for boiling pasta (with insert or use a colander), cutting board, knife, large serving bowl for pasta. We’ll be using the stovetop.

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan. Add the onion, carrot, and garlic. Cook on medium heat until onion softens, about 3-4 minutes. Add the meat. Brown meat, breaking up into smaller pieces, with some larger chunks (making for a rustic mixture of meat pieces). When the meat is not longer pink, add the cinnamon and nutmeg, stir in. Then add the wine. Let it sizzle and mostly evaporate. Add the tomatoes. Season with salt & pepper. Stir to combine. Simmer for 20-30 minutes, cover askew.

Place a pasta pot of water on the heat. When boiling, salt water. Add pasta. Cook until al dente (not too soft, but tender to the bite). Fresh pasta takes only 2-3 minutes. When done, drain. Add to a large serving bowl. Spoon some sauce and gently coat. You can add extra sauce on top of individual servings. And dust with some grated parmesan.

https://www.wsmv.com/video/2024/01/11/chef-paulette-makes-lamb-ragu/