Fusilli with lamb ragù
SERVES 4-6 // PREP TIME 10 MINS // COOK TIME 2 HRS 10 MINS
“In Abruzzo we eat a lot of lamb and mutton; it turns up roasted, stewed and simmered in sauces,” says Cicolini. “This dish riffs on this classic Abruzzese pasta accompaniment by adding a little lemon rind for fragrance and flavour, and the thyme evokes the wild herbs that the sheep encounter as they graze through the mountains.” Pictured p130.
100 ml extra-virgin olive oil 2 onions, diced
2 carrots, diced
2 garlic cloves, crushed 1 bay leaf
450 gm coarsely minced lamb or mutton (see note)
250 ml dry white wine, such as fiano
500 gm dried fusilli
75 gm Parmigiano-Reggiano (see note), finely grated Finely grated rind of 1 lemon
1 Heat oil in a large saucepan over low-medium heat. When oil begins to shimmer, add onion, carrot, garlic, bay leaf and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened
(15 minutes). Increase heat to medium-high, add lamb and fry, stirring occasionally, until almost cooked (5 minutes). Add wine and simmer until evaporated (5 minutes).
Add 250ml warm water, then reduce heat to low, cover with a lid, and simmer, stirring occasionally and adding water as needed to keep the pan from drying out, until lamb is browned and flavours are infused (1-11/2 hours).
2 Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large saucepan of salted boiling water according to packet instructions until al dente. Drain, reserving 1 litre pasta water. Add pasta and half a ladle of pasta water to the ragù, and stir to coat, adding a little more pasta water to loosen the sauce if needed. Season to taste and serve immediately topped with ParmigianoReggiano and lemon rind. Note Mutton gives this ragù a stronger flavour than lamb; it’s available to order from select butchers. Cicolini uses 60-month aged or 36-month aged Parmigiano-Reggiano. If it’s unavailable, substitute with Parmigiano-Reggiano made from the milk of vacche rosse (red cows), which is available from cheese shops such as Formaggi Ocello.
Wine suggestion Rich red Montepulciano.