Pasta with Lamb Ragù

Soffritto is simply a combination of onions, celery, and carrots in a 2:1:1 ratio, sauteed together to provide a flavor base for other ingredients to build upon. It is called mirepoix in France. These vegetables are cooked for about 5 minutes until they soften and become “dorata” or golden in color, at which time other ingredients are added such as rice, meat, broth, tomatoes etc. Soffritto is the Italian word for “under-fried” or “fried slowly” and perfectly describes the process of gently cooking the vegetables in oil to soften them and release their flavor.

Lamb ragù is a hearty and simple pasta sauce recipe that is built on soffritto. It is wonderful served over pasta or rice. Top with feta and slivered fresh basil or mint.

Ingredients

Lamb - 1 lb, chopped. or use grounded lamb

Onion - chopped, 1 cup

Celery - chopped, 1/2 cup

Carrot - chopped, 1/2 cup

Tomato - 1 large, diced

Red pepper - 1 large, diced (optional)

Tomato paste - 1.5 TBSP

Red wine - 1/2 cup

Bay leaf - 2 pieces

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Steps

1. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, celery, carrot. Cook and stir until onion is translucent.

2. Add lamb; cook and stir until almost cooked through. Add wine and increase heat to medium-high. Let cook, stirring occasionally until wine has nearly evaporated. Add tomatoes, stirring them into mixture and breaking them into smaller pieces. Bring to boil.

4. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until ragù is thick and flavors have fully melded, 1 hour or more. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

5. Serve lamb ragù over hot cooked pasta or rice. If desired, top with crumbled feta and fine slivers of fresh basil or mint.