Pappardelle with slow-roasted lamb ragù, blackened vine tomatoes, Parmesan and basil. Photo: Dylan Swart
Ingredients
Lamb ragù
30ml (2 tbsp) olive oil + extra, to drizzle
5 lamb shanks
1 onion, peeled and diced
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
2 x 400g tins Italian whole cherry tomatoes/chopped tomatoes
Handful fresh rosemary leaves
Small handful fresh thyme leaves
125ml (½ cup) red wine
125ml (½ cup) lamb/beef stock
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
To serve
450g dried pappardelle/tagliatelle pasta, cooked according to packet instructions
Vine tomatoes, cooked until slightly charred in a hot pan
Parmesan, freshly grated
Fresh basil leaves
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 160°C. In a large stovetop-to-oven casserole dish, heat the olive oil over high heat and brown the lamb shanks in batches, if necessary, turning to ensure all sides brown evenly, about 2 minutes on each side. Remove the lamb shanks from the casserole dish and set aside.
2. Reduce the heat to low, add the onion and garlic to the casserole dish and fry until the onion is soft and translucent, 10 minutes. Increase the heat to medium, add the remaining ragù ingredients and simmer, 5 minutes.
3. Remove from heat and add the lamb shanks. Place the lid on the casserole dish, or cover it tightly with foil, and slow-roast in the oven until the meat falls off the bone, about 6 hours.
4. When the shanks are cooked, shred the meat off the bone using 2 forks, and combine with enough of the juices from the casserole dish to make a ragù consistency. Taste the shredded-lamb mixture and add extra seasoning, if necessary.
5. Serve the shredded lamb in bowls of pasta, topped with the charred vine tomatoes, grated Parmesan and basil leaves.
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