Pappardelle Al Ragù D'agnello Recipe

Prepare and brown the lamb

Pat the lamb pieces dry with paper towels and season lightly with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. In batches (to avoid overcrowding), add the lamb and brown on all sides — about 4–5 minutes per batch. Remove browned pieces to a plate and set aside.

Sauté the soffritto

Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the pot. Add diced onion, carrot, and celery with a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly golden, about 8–10 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook 1 minute until fragrant.

Deglaze and build flavor

Stir in the tomato paste and cook 2 minutes to caramelize slightly. Pour in the red wine and scrape up browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Let the wine reduce by about half, 4–6 minutes.

Add tomatoes, herbs, and stock

Return the browned lamb and any accumulated juices to the pot. Add the marinara/passata, lamb or beef stock, rosemary, thyme, bay leaf, remaining salt (adjust to taste), pepper, and sugar if using. Stir to combine. Bring to a gentle simmer.

Slow-cook the ragù

Lower heat to maintain a gentle simmer, partially cover the pot, and cook until the lamb is very tender and the sauce has reduced and thickened, 2 to 2.5 hours. Stir occasionally and skim any excess fat from the surface. If the sauce reduces too much, add up to 100 ml additional stock or lamb jus.

Finish the ragù

When lamb is fork-tender, remove the bay leaf. Using a slotted spoon, transfer larger pieces of lamb to a cutting board and shred with two forks; return shredded meat to the sauce. If you prefer a slightly smoother sauce, use an immersion blender to pulse a few times (avoid pureeing all meat — keep texture). Stir in 100 ml lamb jus or extra stock to loosen the sauce if needed. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

Cook the pasta

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and add the coarse salt. Cook the pappardelle according to package instructions until al dente (usually 7–9 minutes for dried). Reserve 1 to 1.5 cups (240–360 ml) of pasta cooking water before draining.

Finish the pasta with ragù

Rewarm the ragù over low heat. Add cooked pappardelle to the pot with the ragù or transfer ragù to a wide sauté pan and add pasta. Add 2 tablespoons unsalted butter and 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil. Toss gently, adding pasta cooking water a few tablespoons at a time as needed to create a glossy, clingy sauce that coats the noodles (use 1/4 to 1/2 cup / 60–120 ml as starting point). Heat together for 1–2 minutes so pasta absorbs sauce.

Plate and garnish

Divide the pasta among 4–6 warm plates. Sprinkle generously with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. Add a small knob of butter to each portion if desired and garnish with minced fresh rosemary and chopped parsley. Finish with a grind of black pepper.