Nickey's Pasta and Lamb Casserole |
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Prep Time: 20 Minutes Cook Time: 35 Minutes |
Ready In: 55 Minutes Servings: 6 |
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This is a recipe from the Food&Wine magazine with a few of our preferences added. Serve with French bread (my sister's recipe is at the bottom) and a nice glass of wine. Ingredients:
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil |
1 1/2 lbs lean ground lamb |
1 maui onion, chopped |
1 teaspoon dried oregano |
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon |
1 pinch ground cloves |
sea salt |
fresh ground pepper |
3 cups marinara sauce |
1 lb penne pasta (or ziti) |
1 1/2 lbs fresh ricotta (3 cups) |
4 large egg yolks |
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg |
3/4 cup parmigiano-reggiano cheese (freshly grated) |
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook pasta until barely al dente (see pasta packaging for timing). Then drain and return to the pot.
3. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil until shimmering in a large saucepan. Add the lamb, onion, oregano, cinnamon, cloves and a pinch of salt and pepper. Stirring frequently, cook until lamb is no longer pink and liquid is gone.
4. Add the marinara sauce and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occassionally for about 5 minutes.
5. In blender, combine 2 cups of ricotta with the egg yolks, nutmeg and 1/2 cup of Parmigiano-Reggiano until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Pulse as you add the remaining ricotta.
6. Add the lamb mixture to the pasta; stir to thoroughly combine ingredients. Transfer to a 9x13 casserole.
7. Cover the pasta with the ricotta mixture, then top with the remaining Parmigiano-Reggiano.
8. Bake for 20 minutes until heated through; then turn on the broiler until the top is golden brown. Let stand for 5-10 minutes before serving.
9. FRENCH BREAD: This is how my sister taught me to prepare a delicious crusty French bread - Place whole (unsliced) french bread loaf in oven at 325 degrees F for 5-10 minutes; remove and slice. Serve with butter or garlic butter on the side).
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