Lamb Ragout Ravioli Supreme

This is a most extraordinary taste experience because of the intensity of the lamb and the wonderful reduction of flavors that happens when the tough shoulder cut is slow cooked for hours. We used Meadow Book lamb that was boneless. Bone-in will work, but the cooking will take longer.

serves 6-8

Ingredients

Ragout:

2.5 lb. boneless lamb shoulder, cubed to abt. 1 in.

1 L onion, chopped

1 head garlic, rough cut

1/2 c. red wine (I used a Merlot.)

4 sprigs fresh rosemary prepared in 2 sachets

2 T olive oil

salt

Pasta
3 c. white flour

4 eggs

2-4 T heavy cream

Garnish

2T salted butter

1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese

3T finely chopped fresh mint

Directions
Ragout:

1. Heat oil in heavy pot to hot. Add lamb cubes and brown for 5-10 min. Remove from pot.


2. Add onion and garlic to oil. Cook onions until soft, reduce and cook for 10-15 min.


3. Return lamb to pot. Add wine and 1 rosemary sachet. Bring to boil. Reduce to simmer.


4. Let braise for at least 3 hours. Add liquid as needed to keep it from sticking. The idea is to have only a small amount of liquid but to keep it cooking on low.


5. After an hour and again in another half hour, shred the cubes of meat by using two forks to rip each piece in two.


6. About halfway through, take out the first rosemary sachet and put in the second one.


7. At then end, adjust with salt.

Pasta:
Make in two batches

1. Take 1 1/2 c. flour and heap in a pile on work surface.


2. Make a well in the middle.


3. Crack and add one egg to the middle of the well.


4. Use a fork to very slowly incorporate egg into flour.


5. Make another well, add the second egg, and do the same thing.


6. Add abt. 2 T heavy cream to flour.


7. Knead with your hands for a long time--7-10 min.--until the dough is elastic and bouncy in all directions.


8. Cover with plastic.


9. Repeat above for the second half.


10. Wrap both dough balls in plastic and refrigerate for an hour.

Assembling the Ravioli

1. Put on a large pot of salted water to boil.


2. Take one dough ball and roll out to thickness of about 1/16-1/8 in. To do this, roll, lightly flour dough surface, then flip at least 8-10 times.


3. Using a pizza cutter or knife, cut a strip of dough about 2 1/2 in.


4. Place 1T of lamb ragout every 3 or so inches down the strip.


5. Cut another 2 /12 in. strip slightly longer. Place it on top, pressing down between the mounds of ragout to seal the dough.


6. Cut into square individual raviolis.


7. Crimp edges with a fork dipped in water.


8. Place on a plate sprinkled with corn meal and layer with corn meal between each layer to prevent sticking.


9. Immerse ravioli in boiling water. Let boil for at least 1:45. Test for tenderness

Service

1. Barely melt 2T butter.


2. Place ravioli in one large layer or two if needed on a large platter.


3. Drizzle melted butter over, then sprinkle on Parmesan followed by mint.