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Pappardelle and Port-Braised Lamb Ragu with Shallots & Rosemary

Posted By Alexandra Laham On In | Comments Disabled

Adapted from PASTA EVERY DAY by Meryl Feinstein. Copyright © 2023 by Meryl Feinstein. Photographs by Nico Schinco. Used with permission of Voracious, an imprint of Little, Brown and Company. New York, NY. All rights reserved.

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Pappardelle

Ingredients:

350 grams (2 ¼ cup) 00 or all-purpose flour

50 grams (5 tablespoons) semola rimacinata or semolina flour

100 grams (about 2 large) eggs

135 grams (about 8 large) egg yolks

15 ml (1 tablespoon) water, plus more as needed

Method:

  1. Weigh and combine the flours in a wide mixing or serving bowl. Weigh the liquids and whisk them together until smooth.
  2. Keep the flour in the bowl (this prevents runaway liquids) or turn it out onto a work surface. Make a wide “well” in the center with your fist, forming a wall of flour tall enough on all sides to contain the liquid. Pour the liquid into the well.
  3. Using a fork, gradually incorporate a portion of the flour, a couple of teaspoons or so at a time, from the inner rim of the well into the liquid in a circular motion (à la scrambled eggs) until a thick, custardy batter forms. You’ll use only about a quarter of the flour at this point; the majority will remain loose.
  4. Incorporate the remaining flour into the thickened liquid, either by 1) pulling, folding, and pressing the flour into the center with your hands until becomes a shaggy ball; 2) vigorously whisking the liquid and loose flour together with the fork until all the liquid is evenly distributed (and it looks like little flaky pebbles); or 3) if you’re working on a flat surface, cutting the flour into the liquid with the help of a bench scraper. If it looks like a total mess–sticky her, flaky there– you’re doing it right.
  5. If you’ve been using a bowl, transfer the mixture to a flat surface, along with any large flaky pieces. It’s also totally normal to have some flour left behind.
  6. Knead the dough vigorously however works best for you (don’t be shy; you can’t overwork it). I like to push it forward with the heel of my hand, then fold it over on itself about halfway. Do this a few times in one direction, then rotate the dough 90 degrees and repeat, shifting 90 degrees every few strokes. Once the dough starts to come together, brush away any remaining flaky pieces. Always give it time before adding flour or water–- more often than not, it will sort itself out after a few minutes. Then, if the dough still feels dry, add a small amount of water with your fingers to the dry areas and knead until smooth, repeating as necessary; if it feels very soft and sticky, work in more flour until it firms up.
  7. After about 5 minutes, cover the dough tightly and completely in plastic wrap or under an overturned bowl (you can also clean a shower cap or snug Tupperware container). Let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes—have a cup of coffee, a snack, a glass of wine—then uncover and knead the dough until it’s smooth and firm, pliable but not soft, 3 to 5 minutes more. (This two-part knead makes the dough smoother; if preferred, skip the first rest period and knead the dough for about 10 minutes.)
  8. When it bounces back from a light touch to the surface, cover the dough tightly and completely once more. Let it rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
  9. Set up your workspace: Dust a sheet pan with semolina or line it with a dishcloth. Gather your tools and set up your pasta machine.
  10. Cut off a quarter of the dough and keep the rest covered. Keep extra 00 or all-purpose flour nearby.
  11. Set your pasta machine to its widest setting. For a Marcato Atlas 150, that’s setting 0; for most KitchenAid attachments, that’s setting 1.
  12. Flatten the dough with your palm into a rough oval—smush it between your fingers if you need to, or use a rolling pin to roll it into an oval that’s about ¼ inch (6mm) thick. Position one of the dough’s tapered ends in the center of your pasta machine and roll it through once. (If you’re using the KitchenAid attachment, don’t run the motor too fast; I usually prefer speed 2.) You should now have a longer oval-ish shape.
  13. Rotate the dough 90 degrees, so the tapered ends run horizontally. Fold the ends toward the center like an envelope so that the width of the dough is similar to the width of the machine’s roller (about 6 inches/15 cm; hold it up to the machine to check.) The ends might overlap in the center, or there might be a wide gap between them—it doesn’t matter.
  14. Flatten the dough again and, with the folded ends on either side, roll it through the widest setting once more.
  15. Continue rolling the pasta through the machine in the same orientation, once on each progressive setting. Roll the dough to the setting 6 (both machines). Feed the dough straight down into the roller instead of letting it hang off the back of the machine so it doesn’t pull or tear.
  16. If the dough is sticky or the surface starts to tear— this happens often with a KitchenAid, especially after setting 5—dust both sides with 00 or all-purpose flour, spreading it around evenly and removing any excess.
  17. Lay the sheet on your work surface; if using a countertop, dust the bottom with 00 or all-purpose flour.
  18. Dry the sheet (a little): Let the sheet dry for about 10 minutes per side, or until the surface feels leathery and doesn’t stick to your hands, work surface, or itself when folded over and pressed (but is still pliable). In the meantime, roll out another sheet if you have the space.
  19. Cut the pasta: Dust both sides of the sheet with 00 or all-purpose flour, spreading it around and removing any excess.
  20. Position the pasta sheet horizontally along your work surface. Fold the ends towards the center like an envelope so they meet in the middle. Then continue to fold up each side, carpet-style, once or twice more until they, too, meet in the middle and you have a little packet that looks like flat scrolls.
  21. Rotate the dough 90 degrees, so the center line runs horizontally. Use a knife to trim the ends so you have straight edges, then cut strips 1 inch (2.5 cm) wide across the dough.
  22. Slide the blade of the knife under the pasta so its spine is directly under the centerline and lift – the strands should unfurl like Rapunzel’s hair.
  23. Gently shake out the strands to separate them, then lay them across the prepared sheet pan. Dust the pasta with semolina flour and spread the strands out a little if using right away, or form them into nests if storing for future use. Repeat with the remaining dough.
  24. Cook the pasta until tender but still with some bite, 2 to 3 minutes, depending on the thickness and drying time.

Port-Braised Lamb Ragu with Shallots & Rosemary

Ingredients:

Method:

  1. The night before, prepare the lamb: Pat the lamb dry with paper towels, then season it generously all over with salt and pepper. Use a sharp knife to score the fat side in crisscross pattern. Plate the meat, fat side up, in a deep container or baking dish and scatter half of the rosemary, half of the thyme, and all the garlic on top and bottom. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
  2. Let the lamb stand at room temperature for 1 hour, then wipe away the herbs and garlic (remove as much as you can so they don’t burn when browning the meat). Tie the remaining rosemary and thyme sprigs together with butcher’s twine if you have some. Heat the oven to 325 F/ 160 C.
  3. Coat the bottom of a large Dutch oven with a little oil and turn the heat to medium-high. Carefully add the lamb, fat side down, and sear until browned and a crust forms, about 6 minutes. Flip the meat and cook until golden, 3 to 5 minutes more, reducing the heat as needed to prevent scorching. Transfer to a plate. Turn off the heat and move the pot to the side to cool for a moment.
  4. Add the shallots to the pot, season with salt and pepper, and return the heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring often and scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot, until very tender and jammy, about 15 minutes.
  5. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, until caramelized, about 2 minutes. Increase the heat to medium-high. Pour in the port and simmer until slightly reduced, about 5 minutes, again scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
  6. Stir in the stock and tomato purée, then return the meat to the pot, fat side up. Nestle the tied herbs and bay leaves around the lamb. Bring to a simmer then turn off the heat and cover.
  7. Roast the lamb in the oven, checking on it and basting the top every hour or so, until very tender, about 3 hours (for smaller roasts, check around 2 hours 45 minutes). If the pot looks dry, add more stock.
  8. When it’s done, remove the herbs and bay leaves and transfer the meat to a cutting board. Allow to rest, tented with foil, for 15 minutes. Pull the meat from the bone (remove the fat) and shred it with two forks. Add it back to the pot and mix everything together. Season to taste—you might not need any salt.
  9. Note: Depending on the cut of meat, this recipe can make a lot of sauce, so scoop some out and reserve for another use if needed.
  10. To serve: Cook your pasta of choice to your liking. Warm the sauce over medium heat, transfer the pasta directly to the ragù (or drain it first and reserve 1 cup (240 ml) pasta cooking water), and toss to combine. Continue to cook the pasta in the sauce until well coated, 1 to 2 minutes, using cooking water to loosen as needed. Divide the pasta among bowls and serve.