· recipe ·
Gnocchi with Slow-Braised Lamb Ragu
Lamb shoulder becomes tender through a slow braise, and its cooking juices give the sauce body. Fresh mint adds a lighter finish to the rich meat.
Time and servings
- Prep
- 50 min
- Cook
- 165 min
- Total
- 215 min
- Servings
- 6
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- about 700
- Protein
- 36 g
- Fat
- 37 g
- Carbs
- 49 g
Brown the lamb
Cut the lamb into large pieces and season with black pepper. Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven and brown the lamb on several sides, then transfer it to a plate.
Build the aromatic base
Finely dice the onion and carrot and cook them in the same pot until soft. Thinly slice the garlic, add it, and cook for 1 minute.
Reduce the wine
Add the red wine, scrape the browned layer from the pot, and simmer until the wine has reduced by about half.
Braise until tender
Crush the tomatoes into the pot, add the rosemary, and return the lamb. Cover and maintain the gentlest simmer for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, until the meat pulls apart easily. During the last 90 minutes, make and shape the gnocchi below.
Choose boiling or baking
Choose boiling or baking. Boiled potatoes make a softer, moister dough; baked potatoes make a drier dough that usually needs less flour. To boil, put the whole unpeeled potatoes in cold water, bring to a simmer, and cook for 25 to 35 minutes, until a thin knife slides easily into the center; then drain. To bake instead, pierce them and bake at 425°F220°C for 45 to 60 minutes, until tender.
Mash the potatoes
Peel the potatoes while they are warm. Pass them through a potato ricer, or mash them with a potato masher until no lumps remain. Spread the potato out briefly to let the steam escape.
Mix the dough
Mix the warm potato with the egg yolk, 1/2 tsp3 g of the salt, and 1 cup120 g of the flour. Fold gently until no dry flour remains. If the dough is too sticky to roll, add more of the listed flour a spoonful at a time. Stop when it is soft and slightly tacky; you may not need all the flour.
Roll and cut the dough
Divide the dough and roll each portion into a rope about 3/4 inch2 cm thick on a lightly floured surface. Cut the ropes into 3/4 inch2 cm pieces.
Carpentry Dynasty gnocchi boards15% off with code WOFG15Shop on Amazon →Add the ridges
Roll each piece over a gnocchi board to create beautiful, well-defined ridges that help the sauce cling. A fork can make simple grooves.
Rest, shred, and reduce
Lift out the lamb and let it rest for 5 minutes. Discard the rosemary stems, pull the meat into coarse shreds, and simmer the sauce uncovered until glossy before returning the meat.
Heat the cooking water
During the last 10 minutes of reducing the lamb sauce, bring 3 quarts3 liters of water with 1 1/2 tsp9 g of the salt to a gentle boil.
Poach the gnocchi
Lower the gnocchi into the gently boiling water and stir once. Lift them as they float and transfer them directly to the hot ragù.
Finish with mint and Pecorino
Fold the gnocchi through the ragù over low heat for 1 minute. Chop the mint and finely grate the Pecorino Romano, then add both at the table.
