Equipment
- Enamel Dutch oven
Ingredients
- 1 kg lamb should or lamb leg preferably bone-in
- 700 g passatta
- 1 carrot
- 1 medium onion
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1/2 cup red wine
- 1 stock cube (beef, chicken or vegetable)
- small bunch of wood herbs
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- salt
- pepper
- pasta of your choice
Instructions
- Preheat oven, season lamb and prep vegetables.Preheat your oven to 160°C. Cut the lamb into large chunks, leaving some meat attached to the bone. Rub the pieces with salt, pepper and a little olive oil, then leave for 10–15 minutes while you get everything ready. Chop the onion, carrot and garlic, and tie the herbs into a small bunch with kitchen string.1 kg lamb should or lamb leg, salt, pepper, 1 medium onion, 1 carrot, 3 cloves garlic, small bunch of wood herbs
- Brown the lamb in batches.Heat a heavy, oven-safe pot over medium-high heat, then add a little olive oil. Add enough lamb to make a single layer with some space between the pieces. Leave it long enough to develop a good brown crust before turning to brown the other sides. Transfer the browned pieces to a bowl and repeat with the remaining lamb. Brown the meaty bone pieces too, wherever they make contact with the pot. Adjust the heat as needed so the brown bits on the bottom don’t burn.1 kg lamb should or lamb leg
- Sauté vegetables.Reduce the heat to medium and add a little more olive oil if needed. Add the onion, carrot and garlic, then sauté for about 2 minutes, stirring so the garlic doesn’t catch. The vegetables will finish softening during the long oven cook.1 carrot, 1 medium onion, 3 cloves garlic
- The Fond!Add the passata carefully, as it may splutter. Scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon or suitable spatula as the liquid loosens the browned bits. Keep stirring and scraping until that caramelised goodness is mixed into the tomato.700 g passatta
- Build the sauce.Return the lamb, bones and any juices from the bowl to the pot. Add the red wine, herb bunch and crumbled stock cube. Pour in enough water to just cover the lamb, stir and bring to a gentle simmer.1/2 cup red wine, small bunch of wood herbs, 1 stock cube (beef, chicken or vegetable)
- Let the oven take over.Fit the lid and transfer the pot to the oven for approximately 3½ hours. Check halfway through: the liquid should still reach at least two-thirds of the way up the meat. Add a little hot water if it has dropped below that level, then replace the lid and continue cooking. The lamb is ready when it pulls apart easily with a fork. If it’s still firm, give it longer with the lid on and check again.
- Reduce the sauce.Once the lamb is tender, remove the lid and return the pot to the oven for another 20–30 minutes to thicken the sauce slightly. Check as it reduces; if it’s already thick enough, you can shorten or skip this step.
- Remove the bones and shred the lamb.Lift out the herb bunch and lamb bones. Use a pair of tongs and shred the lamb by simply squeezing it with the tongs. It should be soft enough to do so now. If the sauce is too thick, stir in a little water.
- Cook the pasta.Cook your pasta according to the packet instructions. Before draining, save a mug of the cooking water. Toss the pasta with enough ragu to coat it generously, adding a splash of pasta water if needed so the sauce clings to every piece. If your pot is too full, combine them in a large pan or in batches.pasta
- Pile it onto a platter and bring everyone to the table.Transfer the saucy pasta to a large, deep serving platter, spooning a little extra lamb ragu over the top. Dress the leafy salad just before serving and bring it out in a separate bowl. Set both in the middle of the table with serving spoons and let everyone help themselves, helping younger children with the hot pasta. This is a family meal, and we’ve been smelling it for hours. Get comfortable and dig in!
Video
Nutrition
Calories: 270kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 67mg | Sodium: 114mg | Potassium: 906mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 2294IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 46mg | Iron: 4mg