Name: Lamb Ragu Pappardelle
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 2 h 35 min
Total time: 3 h
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1.2 kg lamb shoulder, bone in; 1 tsp salt; 2 tbsp olive oil; 1 onion, about 150 g, chopped; 1 carrot, about 100 g, chopped; 2 sticks celery, about 100 g, chopped; 3 cloves garlic, crushed; 2 tbsp tomato purée; 200 ml red wine; 400 g tinned chopped tomatoes; 300 ml lamb stock; 2 sprigs rosemary, about 4 g; 400 g pappardelle; 40 g parmesan, grated

Lamb Ragu Pappardelle

Lamb shoulder cooked slowly in red wine and tomatoes with rosemary until it shreds, tossed through wide ribbons of pappardelle.

3 hr total Serves 6 servings Medium

What Makes Lamb Ragu Pappardelle Work

Most home versions come out greasy, and the fix is to skim the fat before the pasta goes in. Lamb shoulder is a fatty cut, and it flavours the sauce generously, but too much of it leaves the pasta slick.

Brown the lamb pieces well in a heavy pot, then soften the onion, carrot and celery. Add the garlic and tomato purée, pour in the wine and boil it down by half. Add the tomatoes, stock and rosemary and return the lamb. Cover and cook at a low simmer for 2 hours. The lamb should be soft enough to crush with a spoon.

Lift out the lamb, shred it with two forks and discard the bones and gristle. Skim the fat off the sauce with a spoon, return the meat and simmer for 10 minutes to thicken.

Boil the pappardelle for 9 minutes, drain, toss with the ragu and a splash of pasta water, and serve with parmesan.

Making Lamb Ragu Pappardelle

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Season the lamb with the salt and brown it in the oil on all sides for 12 minutes. Set aside.
Soften the onion, carrot and celery in the same pot for 8 minutes, then add the garlic and tomato purée for 2 minutes.
Pour in the wine and boil until halved. Add the tomatoes, stock and rosemary and return the lamb. Cover and simmer for 2 hours.
Lift out the lamb, shred the meat and discard the bones. Skim the fat from the sauce, return the meat and simmer for 10 minutes.
While the ragu simmers, boil the pappardelle for 9 minutes, then drain, toss with the ragu and serve with the parmesan.

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Tips for Making Lamb Ragu Pappardelle

Brown the lamb thoroughly.
Skim the fat before serving.
Keep the simmer low.
Loosen with a splash of pasta water.

Swaps and Variations

An eighth of a teaspoon of garlic powder per clove is the stand-in usually given when you are out of fresh garlic; it will not brown the same way, and it burns easily, so add it with the liquid.

What to Serve with Lamb Ragu Pappardelle

Green salad
Crusty bread
Roasted fennel
Red wine

Sides from the same cuisine on this site: Creamy Parmesan Polenta, Ciabatta, Citrus Fennel Salad.

Storing & Reheating Lamb Ragu Pappardelle

Keeps in the fridge for 4 days. Reheat gently and boil fresh pasta.