Absolutely the best dish I had on our trips to Italy!! I ate this probably every time I saw it on a menu, that's how much I loved it. We all loved it. As I have said before, my whole family loves lamb so when my son and daughter ate this in Italy, they insisted I recreate it at home. It is simply a Bolognese sauce or meat sauce using Lamb with a lighter cream sauce instead of a heavy tomato sauce. If you like Lamb...you must try it!
LAMB RAGU
2 LBS GROUND LAMB 1/2 CUP GRATED CARROTS 3 SHALLOTS SLICED THIN 4 CLOVES OF GARLIC CHOPPED 4 TBLSP BUTTER 4 TBLSP OLIVE OIL 1 CUP WHITE WINE 3 CUPS CHICKEN STOCK 2/3 CUP HEAVY CREAM SALT & PEPPER HANDFUL OF FRESH PARSLEY CORNSTARCH
PASTA OF YOUR CHOICE (TAGLIATELLE WORKS PERFECTLY)
Prepare your shallots and carrots.....
Get them all into a large saute pan with the oil and butter already heating up. Add the chopped garlic. Cook these until sooooo soft. It's all about the flavor here. You want these to end up in bits and pieces. Season all well with salt & pepper.
Next, add in the ground lamb and continue to cook until browned breaking up the meat as it cooks.
Next, kick up the heat for a bit while you add the 1 cup of white wine. Let it come to a simmer and cook until reduced about 10 minutes. Then add the chicken broth.
And finally the heavy cream....now just let it slow cook over a medium/low flame for abut an hour.
After about an hour you can decide to add a small amount of cornstarch/water mixture to thicken the sauce up a bit more. Just mix about 3 Tblsp of cornstarch with a teaspoon of water. Add slowly...it will thicken quickly. Top it all with a handful of the fresh chopped parsley.
Now boil and cook your pasta of choice. I used a beautiful almost ruffled like Tagliatelle. I like a nice thick and wide pasta to stand up to the meat sauce.... It is actually called Mafaldine.
Now put it all together!! Top it with some fresh grated cheese. Grab a great bottle of Italian wine, sit back and pretend you are sitting on the streets of Rome, Italy, eating this beautiful plate of Lamb Ragu!!!