Parsnip noodles with spicy lamb meatball ragu

SERVES 4 PREP + COOK TIME 35 MINUTES

¼ cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil

600g lamb sausages

400g shallots (French shallots), chopped finely

2 cloves garlic, chopped finely

2 teaspoons smoked paprika

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon fennel seeds

2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 tablespoon harissa paste

2 cups (500ml) chicken stock

400g can diced tomatoes

6 large (2kg) parsnips, trimmed

25g butter

¼ cup (20g) finely grated pecorino cheese

¼ cup loosely packed fresh oregano

1 Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large deep frying pan over medium heat. Squeeze sausage meat from casings, separating into small meatballs; cook meatballs, shaking pan occasionally, for 4 minutes or until browned all over. Remove from pan.

2 Heat another 1 tablespoon of the oil in same pan over medium heat. Cook shallots and garlic, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until softened.

3 Add spices and fennel seeds; cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add thyme and pastes; cook, stirring, for a further 2 minutes or until fragrant. Stir in stock and tomatoes; bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer for 10 minutes or until reduced by half. Stir meatballs into sauce. Season to taste. Keep sauce over low heat.

4 Using a spiraliser (see tips), cut parsnips into thick noodles. Heat butter and remaining oil in a separate large deep frying pan with a lid, over medium heat. Add parsnip; cook, covered, for 5 minutes or until just tender. Season to taste.

5 Serve parsnip with meatballs and sauce, topped with cheese and oregano. Sauce suitable to freeze. Parsnip suitable to microwave.

Parsnip noodles with spicy lamb meatball ragu Parsnip replaces traditional spaghetti. We used a spiraliser that cuts vegetables to resemble noodles. You can also use a julienne peeler or V-slicer.