Lamb Mince Pasta

Hozzávalók

1 quart stock of your choice

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 onions, finely chopped

1.5 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon thyme

1 teaspoon aleppo pepper

1 tablespoon tomato paste

500g minced lamb

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

300g garavolli (conchiglie) pasta

2 bay leaves

100g (3½ oz) halloumi, finely grated

1 teaspoon dried mint

For garlic yogurt:

1 large clove of garlic, finely grated

150g strained yogurt

½ teaspoon salt

For pepper oil:

45g (1½ oz) unsalted butter

1 tablespoon heavy olive oil

1 tablespoon sweet pepper paste

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes or aleppo

1 teaspoon dried mint

Útmutatók

Mix together the garlic yoghurt ingredients in a small bowl, cover and refrigerate until later.

Combine the finely grated halloumi and dried mint in a small bowl.

Heat the olive oil in a pan over a medium heat and add the onions. Sprinkle in half of the salt, stir, and soften the onions for 10–12 minutes until they turn a lovely light golden-brown colour. Add the spices and tomato paste to the softened onions, stir well so that the spices release their aromatics.

Add the minced lamb to the pan, and stir constantly so all the flavours and ingredients integrate. Break up the lamb and cook until it's browned and cooked through, about 8-10 minutes. Season with the remaining salt and black pepper. Continue cooking until the lamb is well-browned and any excess liquid has evaporated.

Add the pasta to the pan, stirring gently so that the sauce starts to mix through the hard pasta shells.

Gently pour in the stock, stir, add the bay leaves, bring to the boil, then reduce to a medium simmer for 10–12 minutes. Stir a couple of times as it cooks, being careful not to break apart the pasta shells. Once the pasta is cooked through (but still al dente) and the liquid has mostly reduced but is still "saucy", remove the pan from the heat and give it a gentle stir.

While the pasta cooks, prepare the chilli butter. Melt the butter in a frying pan over a medium heat, then add the olive oil. When it starts to sizzle, stir through the sweet red pepper paste, red pepper flakes, and dried mint. Let it just start to bubble, then remove from the heat.

Serve the pasta on plates with a sprinkling of the halloumi and mint mixture, a dollop of the garlic yoghurt, and a drizzling of the chilli butter.

Optional additions to enhance flavor: pomegranate molasses, balsamic vinegar (1tsp of either), can also add lemon to yogurt