Italian Lamb Ragù with Lemon and Rosemary

By Culiora

An aromatic Italian ragù bianco where rich ground lamb simmers gently with white wine, garlic, and fresh rosemary. Finely grated lemon zest and juice cut through the lamb's richness, yielding a bright, balanced sauce that clings perfectly to fresh pasta.

• Servings: 4
• Prep time: 15 min
• Cook time: 60 min
• Total time: 75 min

Ingredients

• 500 g ground lamb
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 pcs yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1 pcs carrot, finely chopped
• 1 pcs celery stalk, finely chopped
• 3 clove garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1.5 tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
• 1.5 dl dry white wine
• 3 dl chicken stock or mild lamb stock
• 1 pcs lemon (finely grated zest and 1 tbsp juice)
• 400 g pasta, preferably pappardelle or tagliatelle
• 1 tsp flaky sea salt
• 2 pinch black pepper, freshly ground
• 50 g Pecorino Romano or Parmesan, finely grated for serving

Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery (soffritto). Cook, stirring occasionally, for 6–8 minutes until the vegetables soften without taking on too much color.
2. Add the garlic and finely chopped rosemary to the pan. Sauté, stirring constantly, for about 1 minute until fragrant.
3. Increase the heat to high. Add the ground lamb and brown for 5–7 minutes, breaking up clumps with a spoon, until the meat loses its raw pink color and begins to brown lightly. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
4. Pour in the white wine and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Let the wine simmer for 3–4 minutes until almost completely reduced and the alcohol has evaporated.
5. Add the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover with the lid slightly ajar, and let the ragù simmer gently for 35–40 minutes until the meat is very tender and the sauce has thickened.
6. Cook the pasta in a large pot of generously salted water according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve about 1 dl of the starchy pasta water before draining.
7. Stir the finely grated lemon zest and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice into the meat sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed.
8. Toss the freshly cooked pasta directly into the ragù along with a couple tablespoons of the reserved pasta water. Stir vigorously over low heat for 1 minute so the sauce emulsifies and coats the pasta evenly.
9. Divide the pasta among shallow bowls and top generously with freshly grated Pecorino Romano and an extra turn of freshly ground black pepper, if desired.