La Casseruola Di Agnello E Fagiolo Italian Lamb Casserole Recipes

RAGù DI AGNELLO (LAMB)

Steps:

• Mince finely together the onion, carrot, celery, marjoram, sage, and rosemary needles (in the food processor if desired) and put in a medium saucepan with the oil. Cook over low heat until the vegetables just turn pale gold, about 8 minutes.
• Add the meat and brown gently, stirring.
• Raise the heat and add the wine. Let it bubble until you can no longer smell any alcohol, about 2 minutes.
• Add the drained tomatoes, the chile, and 1 level teaspoon salt. Lower the heat and cook, covered, for about an hour, stirring occasionally. You'll know the sauce is done when it has visibly thickened and the fat has separated and bubbles on the surface.
• Make-ahead note: The sauce may be made ahead up to this point and refrigerated until the next day. After some hours of chilling, the fat will come to the surface and can be removed very easily.
• Bring 5 quarts (5 liters) of water to a boil in an 8-quart (8-liter) pot over high heat. Add 3 tablespoons kosher salt, then add the pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente.
• Warm a serving bowl or platter in a low oven. If the oven is not practical, warm the bowl just before use with hot water, even a ladleful of the pasta cooking water.
• Drain and transfer the pasta to the heated serving bowl. Toss the pasta first with the cheese and then with the sauce. Finish with a sprinkling of parsley and serve immediately.

ITALIAN LAMB CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Turn a large oval slow cooker to HIGH (for 4 hours cooking) or LOW (for 8 hours cooking).
• Peel and cut the onions into 15mm cubes.
• Peel and chop the garlic finely, then put with the onion in a large non-stick fry pan with just enough olive oil to stop them from sticking and brown over medium heat until evenly coloured.
• Tip the onion and garlic mixture into the slow cooker.
• Peel then cut potatoes in quarters. Put the potatoes cut side down, on the onion and garlic mixture in the pan.
• Spoon the chopped tomatoes and juice from 1 can evenly over the potato layer. Sprinkle with the dried oregano, and the thyme if using, and half the salt and sugar.
• Either cook the lamb chops as they are or cut them in half, or cut into small pieces.
• Put the flour on a shallow plate. Turn a few pieces of meat at a time in the flour, then brown on each side in a little more olive oil in a hot frypan. Put the browned lamb on top of the potatoes.
• Spoon the tomatoes and liquid from the second can over the lamb, then sprinkle with the remaining salt and sugar and some pepper to taste.
• Cover and cook on HIGH (for 4 hours) or LOW (for 8 hours). Just before serving, chop the fresh herbs and stir them through the mixture. If the chops are whole or in large pieces it is easier to remove them with tongs so you can stir through the herbs.
• To serve, spoon the tomato mixture over the meat and potatoes. Serve with a green vegetable.

AGNELLO CACIO E UOVA (NEAPOLITAN FRICASSEE OF SPRING LAMB)

Steps:

• Rinse the lamb pieces and then dry them well. Place the oil in a casserole over medium-high heat and brown the lamb pieces, setting them aside when they are done. Add a little more oil to the pan and turn the heat to low. Add the onions and stir into the oil and meat juices. Cover the onions and cook, occasionally removing the cover to stir, until the onions are very soft and almost melted into the oil. This will take about an hour. A drop or two of water can be added from time to time, if necessary, to keep the onions from browning.
• Add the browned lamb pieces to the onions with about half the wine. Continue cooking at medium-low, uncovered, for 30 minutes, or until the wine is mostly evaporated. Add the remaining wine, 1/2 cup of water and the peas. Cover and cook over medium-low heat an additional 30 minutes.
• Remove the lamb, onions and peas from the casserole and set aside on a warm platter in a warm place while you make the sauce. Keep the casserole on low heat, so that the juices are barely simmering. Beat the eggs well and mix in the parmigiano. Add a ladleful of the meat juices to the eggs, beating well as you drizzle it in. Continue beating in the meat juices until the egg mixture is warm. Then carefully beat the egg mixture into the juices in the casserole. Continue beating over very low heat until the sauce is thick enough to coat a spoon. Do not let the sauce come to a boil because that will scramble the eggs. If the sauce appears to be at the boiling point, remove from the heat immediately, beating to cool it down as rapidly as possible.
• Remove the sauce from the heat and beat in the parsley and lemon juice. Taste and add salt and pepper if desired. Spoon the sauce over the warm lamb and peas, garnish with pieces of lemon and serve immediately.