Abruzzi Lamb Ragu over Ziti with Montepulciano d' Abruzzo

Abruzzi Lamb Ragu

Italian Food (Cibo Italiano)

1 cup homemade beef stock (always use bones & scraps, add one quart water, boil with 2 onions, 2 carrots, 6 stalks celery, salt & pepper, boil then simmer until reduced to half, let cool, remove & discard beef bones & scraps, celery, and onion, then use blend stick to puree stock and carrots, then transfer transfer to freezable plastic containers, seal then freeze).

1 teaspoon saffron threads

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 pound lean boneless lamb shoulder, cut into bite size cubes

1 medium white onion (chopped)

1 clove garlic (finely chopped, do not buy Chinese garlic, it has a different taste and texture)

1 cup dry Italian white wine (Pinot Grigio)

3 sage leafs (rough cut)

2 or three small dried red chili pepper

1 pound homemade ziti (see our easy, delicious, recipe)

Pecorino Romano (freshly grated)

Sea salt

Fresh ground pepper

In a small sauce pan heat 1 quart of beef stock and saffron.

Meanwhile heat a large Dutch oven to medium-high heat, add 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, when oil is hot but not burning, add lamb and sear about 2 minutes on each side. Then add garlic and onion, and allow them to slightly golden; then add Pinot Grigio Italian white wine and let cook 2 minutes.

Add (heated) saffron infused beef stock, sage, fresh black pepper (about three turns of your pepper mill) and the dried red chili, reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 30 minutes, taste test; then add sea salt to taste.

While lamb is simmering, bring a pasta pot filled with cool, clean, slated water to a boil, add fresh hamemade pasta/ziti let cook 5-10 minutes or until al dente. (water should take about 20 minutes to boil and ziti takes about 5-10 minutes so this allows perfect timing).

Strain ziti; pour some of the liquid from Dutch oven over the ziti, and add 1 table spoon olive oil. Plate ziti and ladle some of the lamb ragu over the ziti finish with freshly ground Pecorino Romano cheese and serve immediately.

Italian Wine (Vino Italiano)

Montepulciano d’ Abruzzo, by Cataldi Madonna, 2002. Abruzzi Italy. Dry Italian red wine from the Abruzziregion. Varietal-Montepulciano

Hints of black cherry and forest, with leather and tobacco, a fresh clean taste with light tannins. We suggest decanting for ½ hour before pairing with this lamb dish to allow wine to breathe and reach its potential and depth.

Recipe by Maria T Nappi of Altomontes Italian market