Stove-top simmered lamb bolognese is a comforting and cozy meal with a wonderfully flavorful variation of using lamb instead of the traditional beef. Serve with your favorite pasta for the ultimate Sunday dinner!
splash of any kind of milk or creamoptional but adds a nice decadence
1poundtagliatelleor other desired pasta noodle, GF is necessary
grated pecorino romanofor serving
Instructions
Add the olive oil to a large Dutch oven or other large pot over medium heat.
Place the onion, carrots, celery and garlic in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Alternatively, you can chop everything by hand to a mince.
Transfer the finely chopped vegetables to the hot pot and sauté until softened, stirring frequently, about 8-10 minutes.
Add the ground lamb and cook with the vegetables until browned, breaking up with a spatula as it cooks.
Next, add the tomato paste, anchovy paste if using along with a generous amount of salt and pepper. Stir until incorporated.
Pour in the wine and deglaze any browned up bits on the bottom of the pan by scraping with a wooden spatula.
Add the crushed tomatoes, water, sugar, bay leaf, rosemary and oregano and stir until everything is well combined.
Lower the heat to a simmer and cook with a lid on but slightly askew for 30-45 minutes, stirring often. Sauce will thicken and reduce a bit by the end.
Season to taste with additional salt and pepper towards the end of the cooking time as well as the splash of milk or cream. Turn off the heat and cover to keep warm.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente (about 1 minute less than package directions).
Using a hand-held strainer, transfer the cooked pasta to the pot with the bolognese. It's ok if a bit of pasta water transfers along with the pasta as it helps loosen the bolognese sauce.
Toss to combine the pasta with the bolognese, transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with fresh herbs and grated pecorino romano.
Notes
*Anchovy paste and the milk/cream are optional but both provide an added element of decadence and depth of flavor to the recipe.