Lamb & Mushroom Ragu on Tagliatelle

by John Audsley

We love a hearty meat sauce for topping our tagliatelle. Lamb changes things up a bit and is even more tender than beef. This ragù is perfect for making a big batch on Sunday night and freezing any leftovers for when your pasta craving hits—which I'm sure will be soon!

Serves: 4

Peperation Time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: Approximately 1 Hour

Ingredients

  • 1Kg Lamb Mince
  • 50g Butter
  • 30 Fresh Sage Leaves (keep the 12 best-looking ones seperate)
  • 1 large red onion, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
  • 1 tsp ginger, peeled and finely chopped
  • 1 tsp fennel or cumin seeds
  • 150g portobello mushrooms, wiped and sliced
  • 1 large carrot, peeled and coarsely grated
  • 2 x 400g chopped tomatoes
  • 3 tbsp brown sauce
  • half a tsp of fine salt, salt and pepper to season
  • 100g pitted green olives left whole
  • 500g tagliatelle
  • 80g fresh Parmesan cheese
  • 2 spring onions, trimmed and thinly sliced

 

Method

  1. Put a heavy-based medium saucepan on a medium heat and add half the butter. Once metled, add the 12 selected sage leaves and cook until crisp, stirring the whole time to make sure they don't burn. Remove from the pan and set them on a plane.
  2. Add the remianing butter, onion, garlic, ginger, fennel or cumin seeds and remaining sage and cook over a medium heat until the onion is caramelised, stirring frequently.
  3. Add the lamb and cook, stirring well to break it up and avoid lumps. Once it is browned, add the mushrooms and carrot and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, then rinse each of the cans out with half a can of water and add this to the pan as well. Mix in the brown sauce and half tsp of salt.
  4. Bring to the boil, then put a lid on the pan, reduce the heat to low and cook for 45 minutes, stirring several times to prevent it sticking.
  5. Take the lid off and continue cooking on a medium to high heat until the excess liquid has evaporated - around 10 minutes
  6. Meanwhile, cook the pasta as per the packet instructions and drain. Return to the pan you cooked it in, then mix in a thid of the ragu and half the Parmesan.
  7. Divide amoung 4 warmed bowls, spoon the rest of the ragu on top, scatter with spring onions and sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan. Top with the fried sage leaves and serve.
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