Baked Penne With Lamb Ragu Food

BAKED RIGATONI WITH LAMB RAGù

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a medium (10- to 11-inch) heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, such as Le Creuset, over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots and fennel and sauté for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to brown. Add the lamb, garlic and fennel seeds and cook for 8 minutes, breaking up the lamb with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink. Stir in the tomato paste, tomatoes, 2 cups of the wine, the oregano, red pepper flakes, 1 tablespoon salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer, partly covered, for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. Off the heat, stir in the remaining 1/2 cup of red wine.
• Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add 2 tablespoons salt and the rigatoni and cook according to the directions on the package, until barely al dente. Drain.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and cream. Add the rigatoni and toss well. Grate half of the mozzarella on a box grater and add it to the rigatoni mixture. Add the lamb mixture, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper and toss well.
• Transfer to a 10-by-14-by-2-inch baking dish and sprinkle with the Parmesan. Slice the remaining mozzarella and arrange it on top. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the sauce is hot and bubbling and some of the pasta is crusty on top. Serve hot.

BRAISED LAMB RAGU WITH PENNE

Steps:

• Set oven to 325 degrees.
• Cook the penne in boiling water until JUST firm-tender, drain and transfer to a bowl (do not rinse with water) toss with 2-3 tablespoons oil and set aside, this can be done before, during or after you cook the lamb shanks).
• Heat oil in a Dutch oven over high heat.
• Rub oil lightly on the lamb shanks and then season them with salt and pepper.
• Add to the pot and brown evenly on all sides (this should take about 10-12 minutes).
• Transfer the lamb to a platter.
• Add in chopped onions, garlic, mushrooms, basil, rosemary and crushed red pepper flakes; saute until the veggies are tender (about 7-9 minutes).
• Return the lamb to the pot.
• Add in wine and bring to a boil; simmer for about 6-8 minutes.
• Add in beef broth, Worcestershire sauce and crushed tomatoes and return to a simmer.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Cover the pot and transfer to the oven.
• Cook for about 1-1/2 hours, or until meat is desired tenderness.
• At this point you can remove the meat from the bones and return the meat to the sauce, or just serve the bone with the meat on them with the sauce.
• Serve the sauce over cooked pasta, and sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese.
• Delicious!

PENNE WITH TURKEY RAGU

Steps:

• Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the leeks, garlic and turkey and cook, stirring, until the turkey browns slightly, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, 2 cups water and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Increase the heat to high, bring the sauce to a boil and cook 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium, add half of the basil and the parmesan rind and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 10 minutes.
• Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook as the label directs. Reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water, then drain the pasta. Stir the half-and-half, the remaining basil and 2 tablespoons cheese into the sauce. Add the pasta and toss to coat, adding some of the reserved pasta water to loosen, if needed. Remove the parmesan rind and season with salt and pepper.
• Divide the pasta among bowls. Top with the remaining 1 tablespoon cheese and more basil.

BAKED PENNE WITH LAMB RAGU

Steps:

• Place eggplant in colander, toss with 2 Tbs. salt. Top with plate and heavy can, drain for 40 min. Rinse and pat dry. Preheat oven to 400. Stir eggplant and 2 Tbs. olive oil, divide between 2 rimmed baking sheets. Roast until soft and golden, about 15 min. Sprinkle with salt, set aside. Leave oven on. In a large saucepan over medium heat, add 3 Tbs. olive oil, onion, garlic, rosemary, parsley and sauté until the onion is tender, about 5 min. Add lamb and sauté until still a little pink on the inside, about 12 min. Drain fat, return to medium heat. Add wine, simmer until evaporated. Add tomato paste, tomatoes, juices, season with salt/pepper. Simmer, uncovered, for 1 hour, adding broth to prevent from drying out. Remove from heat. Béchamel sauce: In a saucepan over medium heat, warm milk until small bubbles appear around pan edges, remove from heat. In a saucepan over low heat, melt butter. Add flour, stir vigorously with wooden spoon to remove lumps and cook, stirring continuously, until aromatic but not brown, about 2 min. Let cool for 3 to 4 min. Return to low heat and slowly drizzle in milk, whisking constantly. Increase heat to medium, boil, whisking constantly, making sure to reach bottom and sides of pan. Reduce heat to medium-low, add nutmeg and salt, simmer, whisking often, until the sauce coats the back of wooden spoon, about 5 min. Remove from heat and stir in all but 3 Tbs. cheese. Cover, set aside. Prepare pasta using package directions until half-cooked. Drain, rinse, return to pot. Add béchamel, stir, set aside. Oil 9x13 dish. Add 1/3 lamb sauce, layer with half of pasta and half of eggplant. Top with half of remaining sauce. Layer remaining pasta and eggplant, top with remaining sauce. Scatter reserved cheese on top. Cover dish with foil, bake for 20 min. Uncover and bake until the surface is browned and bubbling, about 5 min. Let stand for 10-15 min.

PASTA WITH BRAISED LAMB SHANK RAGù

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Heat oil in 4-quart ovenproof casserole. Add pancetta, lightly brown and remove. Add lamb shanks, brown on all sides and remove. Lower heat; add onions, garlic and rosemary. Sauté until soft. Add white wine. Scrape pan, return pancetta and lamb to casserole, season with salt and pepper, then cover and bake 90 minutes, turning lamb once.
• Remove lamb from casserole. Cut meat from bones, trimming off fat and gristle. Finely dice meat and add to casserole. Add tomatoes and red pepper. Simmer on top of stove one hour. Check seasoning.
• Boil pasta until al dente, drain, toss with sauce, and serve with pecorino for dusting.

PENNE IN COUNTRY RAGù

Steps:

• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add sausage, garlic, and crushed red pepper; sauté until brown, breaking up with fork, about 6 minutes. Add carrots, onion, and celery; sauté until beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Mix in tomatoes. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 1 cup broth and wine; simmer uncovered until liquid is slightly reduced, about 15 minutes. Add basil; cover and simmer until vegetables are very tender, adding more broth by 1/4 cupfuls if liquid evaporates too quickly and stirring occasionally, about 40 minutes. Simmer uncovered until ragù thickens to desired consistency, stirring often, about 10 minutes longer. Season lightly with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Refrigerate uncovered until cold, then cover and keep refrigerated. Rewarm over medium heat before using.)
• Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup cooking liquid. Return pasta to pot. Mix in ragù, 1/2 cup cheese, and 2 tablespoons oil. Add cooking liquid by 1/4 cupfuls to moisten, if desired. Season with salt and pepper.
• Divide pasta among plates. Serve, passing 1/2 cup cheese separately.