Tagliatelle is the most commonly served pastas in all of Italy, but you don’t see it that much in the USA.   We love this noodle in our family because it is so robust and holds a sauce so well.  Here we pair it with a substancial ragu  (meat sauce) of lamb and mushrooms.  Don’t forget the final step of annointing your pasta with parmesan cheese and good olive oil.  We serve this dish with a simple Montepulciano d’ Abbruzzo. 

Tagliatelle with lamb and mushroom ragu

Ragu ingredients                                                                            

1 ½ – 2  cups lamb (cut into 1/2 “ pieces                                

¾ cup red onion diced                                       

2 cups mixed mushrooms (medium chop)                  

½ – ¾  cup red wine                                          

2 toes chopped fresh garlic

½ cup flour

2 TBS tomato paste

1 cup brodo (chicken/mushroom stock)                                            

2 thick slices pancetta (cubed)

2 TBS oyster sauce (sssshhh, don’t tell anyone)

¼ cup parmesan cheese (to finish)                                                   

2 tbs olive oil plus oil to finish

1 cup chopped parsley

Pasta Ingredients

½ lb egg  pasta ,  Lots of boiling salted water

1. Add olive oil to hot pan, add pancetta, cook until not quite crispy
2. Dust lamb with flour, add lamb and brown, Remove lamb from pan    
3. Add some oil, onion & garlic, cook 5 minutes till translucent,  
4. Add tomato paste, roast paste, add oyster sauce.
5. Deglaze with wine, add brodo , add lamb back in     
6. Stir until you have a rich ragu, add ½ the parsley, 
7. Cover pan and place in 275 oven for about ½ – 1 hour
8. Drain pasta (save a little water) toss pasta with ragu 
9. Pour into platter, sprinkle with parmesan, anoint with oil, & parsley.
10.  Serve with wilted spinach.

Buon appetito