Lamb Ragu With Potato Gnocchi Pasticcio Di Agnello Con Gnocchi Di Patate 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.

PASTICCIO

Steps:

• For the meat sauce: In a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. Add the ground beef and sear without disturbing until brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Break it up into smaller pieces with a wooden spoon. Season with salt and pepper and cook until deeply browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the onion and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the Aleppo and cinnamon and stir to combine. Tie the thyme sprigs together with butcher's twine and add to the meat sauce. Deglaze with the wine, reduce by half, then stir in the crushed tomatoes and 1 cup water. Reduce to a simmer and cook until the tomatoes have begun to break down, about 30 minutes.
• For the béchamel sauce: In a large saucepan over medium heat, add the butter and allow to melt. Whisk in the flour and allow to toast for 1 minute. Add the nutmeg and about a quarter of the milk and whisk as the mixture cooks and bubbles. Add another quarter of the milk and cook, whisking. Once the milk is incorporated, add the rest of the milk and whisk again. This will ensure a smooth bechamel sauce. Season with salt and pepper and continue to cook, whisking, until the mixture has thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the kefalotyri cheese until melted. Whisk in the eggs and set aside.
• For the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the pasta. Do not stir as you will disturb it. In order to have even layers, the pasta needs to be cooked undisturbed, with all the noodles facing the same way. Cook the pasta for 4 minutes less than the package instructions.
• Set up your grill for indirect heat. If using a charcoal grill, build the coals on one side only. If using a gas grill, heat one side only.
• To assemble: Brush a 9-by-13-inch casserole dish with olive oil and set aside. Using tongs, remove the pasta from the pot and line the pasta evenly in the bottom of the prepared casserole dish. All the noodles should be facing the same direction. Add the melted butter and kefalotyri cheese and season with black pepper. Remove the bundle of thyme from the meat sauce and pour the meat sauce on top of the pasta. Using a rubber spatula, spread into an even layer without pressing down. Pour the béchamel over the meat sauce. Place the casserole dish onto the offset heat part of the grill, close the grill and bake until the top is golden brown and puffy, 40 to 45 minutes. Remove from the grill and allow to cool for at least 30 minutes before cutting into slices and serving.
• Oven method: Bake uncovered at 400 degrees F for 40 to 45 minutes.

POTATO GNOCCHI WITH LAMB RAGù

Steps:

• 1 Prepare the gnocchi (see below). Then, in a large skillet, cook the olive oil, onion, bell pepper, and red pepper until the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more. 2 Stir in the lamb and cook 15 minutes, stirring frequently to break up any lumps, until it is no longer pink. Stir in the tomatoes. Add the tomato paste, bay leaf, and salt. 3 Bring the sauce to a simmer and reduce the heat to low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thickened, about 11/2 hours. 4 Bring at least 4 quarts of water to a boil. Lower the heat so that the water boils gently. Drop the gnocchi into the water a few pieces at a time. Cook 30 seconds after the gnocchi rise to the surface. 5 Meanwhile, remove the bay leaf from the sauce. Spoon a thin layer into a large heated serving bowl. Skim the gnocchi from the pot with a slotted spoon, draining the pieces well. Add them to the bowl. Repeat with remaining gnocchi. Top with the remaining sauce and cheese. Serve hot. PREPARE THE GNOCCHI1 Place the potatoes in a large pot with cold water to cover. Cover the pot and bring to a simmer. Cook until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife, about 20 minutes. Dust two large baking sheets with flour. 2 While the potatoes are still warm, peel them and cut them into chunks. Mash the potatoes, using the smallest holes of a ricer or food mill, or by hand with a potato masher. Add the egg yolk and 2 teaspoons of salt. Stir in one cup of the flour just until blended. The dough will be stiff. 3 Scrape the potatoes onto a floured surface. Knead briefly, adding only enough flour so that the gnocchi will hold their shape when cooked but not so much that they become heavy. The dough should be slightly sticky. 4 Set the dough aside. Scrape the board to remove any dough scraps. Wash and dry your hands, then dust them with flour. Set out one or two large baking pans and dust them with flour. 5 Cut the dough into 8 pieces. Keeping the remaining dough covered, roll one piece into a long rope about 3/4 inch thick. Cut the rope into 1/2 inch-long nuggets. 6 To shape the dough, hold a fork in one hand with the tines pointed down. With the thumb of the other hand, roll each piece of dough over the back of the tines, pressing lightly to make ridges on one side and an indentation from your finger on the other. Let the gnocchi drop onto the prepared pans. The pieces should not touch. Repeat with the remaining dough. 7 Refrigerate the gnocchi until ready to cook. (Gnocchi can also be frozen. Place the baking sheets in the freezer for one hour or until firm. Put the gnocchi in a large heavy-duty plastic bag. Freeze up to one month. Do not thaw before cooking.)From "1,000 Italian Recipes." Copyright 2004 by Michele Scicolone. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.