Lamb Peperonata Italian Style
This Lamb Peperonata is a Southern Italian style dish emphasizing stewed bell peppers, onions and tomatoes. The directions include making the accompanying pasta–not as difficult as it may be assumed and adds a traditional touch, but is optional.
Evoo is an extra virgin olive oil produced from the first pressing of olives. This oil is best used to finish salads and cooked vegetables, pasta, or meat. Because regular olive oil has a higher smoke point, it is a good choice for sautéing, and frying preparation methods.
This recipe is by chef Ben Spangler. Hailing from Minnesota, Ben draws from his Midwestern roots to create dishes that are unpretentious and delicious. Ben has competed on national television for the Food Network and appeared on local Minneapolis food networks. He is currently executive chef at Mercy in Minneapolis.
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Lamb Peperonata Italian Style
Ingredients
Lamb Neck
- 1 Shepherd Song Farm Lamb Neck or other braising cuts such as Shoulder
- 1 white onion
- 1 rosemary sprig
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 olive oil
- 4 cups water
Sauce
- 4 Tablespoons butter
- 1 carrot dice
- ½ red onion small diced
- 5 bell peppers thin sliced
- 1 oz thyme or marjoram
- 1 oz flat leaf parsley chopped
- 4 to matoes
- 4 heirloom tomatoes
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 3 cups water
- Reserved cooking liquid from lamb neck
Fresh Pasta (optional)
- 8 oz flour
- 6 egg yolks
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon evoo or extra virgin olive oil
- Parmesan cheese to taste
Instructions
Cooking the Lamb Neck
- In Dutch oven sear lamb in evoo or olive oil, once seared on all sides move to one side and add onions
- Add rosemary bay leaves and water. Cover.
- Simmer on stove top for 3 hours or until tender. If water gets too low, add a little as needed. Alternative: braise in oven at 300 F for three hours.
- When the meat is done, remove meat from pan, allow to cool for a few minutes, then shred. Reserve the meat and pan juices separately.
Pepperonata Sauce
- Add 1 T of butter to the pan followed by carrots and onions. Allow to caramelize. Slowly add herbs thyme or marjoram, and paprika.
- Grate 4 large tomatoes into the pan and add thin sliced garlic over the top.
- Simmer. Add peppers and water. Allow to slow cook and stew. Once peppers are soft and tender and sauce has reduced add the lamb braising liquid and shredded lamb neck meat. Season to taste and keep warm.
- Dice remaining heirloom tomatoes and parsley. Reserve.
Fresh Pasta
- Shift flour into a bowl making a well in the middle.
- Add remaining ingredients and combine with a fork.
- Finish working mixture with your hands until it holds together.
- Once it becomes malleable start folding it onto itself. Repeat until there is a lot of resistance. Test by depressing with finger. The dough should return to it’s shape.
- Allow dough to rest for 30 min.
Finish and Serve
- Roll and shape the dough into manageable pieces.
- Flatten with a rolling pin before adding to the pasta machine.
- Start rolling on the largest number and decrease one step at a time until proper thickness. Cut noodles to desired length & dust with flour. Reserve the noodles.
- Boil salted water and add noodles. Time will fluctuate and will depend on how thick the noodles are and personal preference. Approximately 5-10 minutes.
- Strain and add to a bowl with Parmesan cheese, pepper and salt.
- Add sauce and garnish with cheese, black pepper, parsley and fresh diced heirloom tomatoes
