Orecchiette with lamb ragout is pasta with lamb neck cutlets in a tomato and white wine sauce, ready in about 1 hour 30 minutes. It feeds 4, and the lamb doubles as a main course on the side.
Why This Recipe Works
Brown the lamb cutlets on both sides before anything else goes in the pan. The browned crust and the bits stuck to the bottom give the sauce its deep meaty taste, and plain simmering can’t do that.
Cook the onion until soft, then pour in the wine and let it bubble for 2 to 3 minutes. The heat takes the sharp edge off the alcohol and loosens the browned bits into the sauce.
A very gentle simmer for about 1 hour is what makes neck cutlets worth buying. The meat is tough at first, and slow, low heat turns it tender while it flavors the tomatoes.
Orecchiette with Lamb Ragout Ingredients
For the ragout
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 1/4 pounds neck cutlets of lamb
- 1 onion, peeled and finely sliced
- 2/3 cup dry white wine
- 2 (14-ounce) cartons or bottles passata or chopped tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For the pasta
- 14 ounces dried orecchiette baresi or conchiglie
- 3 ounces freshly grated pecorino cheese
How To Make Orecchiette with Lamb Ragout
Make the lamb ragout
- Brown the lamb: Heat the 2 tablespoons olive oil in a heavy-based pan. Fry the lamb cutlets on both sides until browned, which builds the flavor of the whole sauce.
- Soften the onion: Add the sliced onion to the pan and fry until soft. It cooks in the lamb fat and picks up the browned bits.
- Add the wine: Pour in the wine and keep cooking for 2 to 3 minutes, so the alcohol cooks off and the pan bits loosen.
- Simmer the sauce: Stir in the tomatoes and tomato paste, then cover the pan. Simmer very gently for about 1 hour and stir from time to time. If the sauce gets too dry, add a little water.
- Season: Taste the sauce and add salt and pepper as needed. Season at the end, since the sauce reduces as it cooks.
Cook the pasta and serve
- Cook the orecchiette: Cook the pasta for 12 to 14 minutes, until al dente, then drain it. Start it near the end of the simmer so it goes to the sauce hot.
- Toss and serve: Mix the drained pasta with the sauce. Serve each bowl with a little of the pecorino cheese on top.
Recipe Tips
- Pick neck cutlets: Neck cutlets have bone and connective tissue that melt into the sauce during the long simmer. Leaner cuts turn dry.
- Keep the heat low: A hard boil toughens the meat and scorches the tomatoes. You want only a bubble or two on the surface.
- Add water, not more tomato: If the sauce thickens too much, stir in a splash of water. It loosens the sauce without changing the flavor.
- Dry the lamb first: Pat the cutlets dry with paper towels before they hit the oil. Dry meat browns, while damp meat steams.
What To Serve With Orecchiette with Lamb Ragout
Serve the lamb cutlets alongside the pasta or after it as the main course, since the sauce flavors them well. A simple green salad or sautéed greens next to it keeps the table Italian and light.
How To Store
- Fridge: Keep leftover pasta and ragout in a covered container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: The ragout freezes well for 2 to 3 months. Freeze it without the pasta, since cooked orecchiette turns soft when thawed.
- Reheat: Thaw frozen sauce in the fridge, never on the counter. Reheat gently with a splash of water until hot all the way through.
FAQs
Can I use another cut of lamb?
Lamb shoulder or shank pieces work, since they also need slow cooking to turn tender. Skip lean cuts like loin, which dry out in a 1-hour simmer.
Can I use another pasta instead of orecchiette?
Yes. Conchiglie is the other shape in the recipe, and small shells hold the sauce the same way. Any short pasta with a hollow or cup shape will work.
Can I make the ragout ahead?
Yes, and it often tastes better the next day. Make it up to 3 days ahead, keep it in the fridge, and reheat it while the pasta boils.
Why is my sauce too thin or too dry?
A thin sauce needs the lid off for the last 10 minutes so it can reduce. A dry sauce needs a little water and a lower heat. Stir from time to time so it doesn’t stick.
Nutrition
Estimated per serving (1 of 4), worked out from the ingredients.
- Calories: about 760 kcal
- Total Fat: 26g
- Total Carbohydrate: 90g
- Dietary Fiber: 6g
- Protein: 40g
Orecchiette with Lamb Ragout
4
servings15
minutes1
hour15
minutes90
minutesOrecchiette tossed in a slow-simmered lamb and tomato sauce with white wine, finished with pecorino. A hearty pasta dinner for 4 that uses tender neck cutlets.
Ingredients
- For the ragout
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/4 pounds neck cutlets of lamb
1 onion, peeled and finely sliced
2/3 cup dry white wine
2 (14-ounce) cartons or bottles passata or chopped tomatoes
1 tablespoon tomato paste
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- For the pasta
14 ounces dried orecchiette baresi or conchiglie
3 ounces freshly grated pecorino cheese
Directions
- Brown the lamb: Heat the 2 tablespoons olive oil in a heavy-based pan. Fry the lamb cutlets on both sides until browned, which builds the flavor of the whole sauce.
- Soften the onion: Add the sliced onion to the pan and fry until soft. It cooks in the lamb fat and picks up the browned bits.
- Add the wine: Pour in the wine and keep cooking for 2 to 3 minutes, so the alcohol cooks off and the pan bits loosen.
- Simmer the sauce: Stir in the tomatoes and tomato paste, then cover the pan. Simmer very gently for about 1 hour and stir from time to time. If the sauce gets too dry, add a little water.
- Season: Taste the sauce and add salt and pepper as needed. Season at the end, since the sauce reduces as it cooks.
- Cook the orecchiette: Cook the pasta for 12 to 14 minutes, until al dente, then drain it. Start it near the end of the simmer so it goes to the sauce hot.
- Toss and serve: Mix the drained pasta with the sauce. Serve each bowl with a little of the pecorino cheese on top.
