| Level: | Intermediate |
| Total: | 1 hr 45 min |
| Active: | 1 hr 15 min |
| Yield: | 4 servings |
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cup semolina flour, plus more for sprinkling
- 1 pound ground lamb
- 3 garlic cloves, grated
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest, plus more for garnish
- 3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup white wine, such as Pinot Grigio
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
- Mint Pea Pesto, recipe follows
- Torn mint, for garnish
- Finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano, for garnish
- Toasted pine nuts, for garnish
- 2 cups frozen peas, thawed
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves
- 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
- 1/4 cup finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Stir together the semolina and 1/2 cup warm water in a small bowl until a dough starts to form. Knead the dough on a lightly floured flat surface until it is firm and elastic, adding water as needed, 7 to 8 minutes. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes.
- Divide the dough into 2 pieces and roll each portion into a long log about 1/2 inch thick. Slice each log into 1/3-inch-long pieces. Using a butter knife, push each piece of dough down and toward yourself, it should curl up slightly. Using your thumb, push the curl in the opposite direction to form a concave shape, and transfer to a rimmed baking sheet lightly sprinkled with semolina flour. Repeat the cutting and shaping process with the remaining pasta dough. Set aside while you cook the lamb.
- In a large bowl, mix the ground lamb with the garlic, lemon zest and crushed red pepper; season with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Set aside.
- Put a large pot of salted water over high heat and begin to bring it to a boil.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 3 minutes. Push the onions to one side of the pan. Add the ground meat mixture; make sure to break the meat up with a wooden spoon and cook until it is nicely browned and no longer pink.
- Deglaze with the wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly reduced, about 1 minute. Set aside while you cook the pasta.
- Cook the pasta in boiling water until al dente, about 2 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking liquid. Drain the pasta.
- Add the cooked pasta, 1/4 cup reserved pasta water and the butter to the lamb mixture, tossing until the butter is fully emulsified and the sauce coats the pasta. Gradually stir in the remaining 1/4 cup of pasta water to the desired consistency. Stir in the peas. Divide the pasta among 4 bowls, top with Mint Pea Pesto, torn mint, cheese and toasted pine nuts.
- Add the peas, parsley, mint, garlic, pine nuts, cheese and a generous pinch of salt. Pulse until a chunky paste forms. With the machine running, drizzle in the oil. Continue pulsing until well combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 4 servings |
| Calories | 927 |
| Total Fat | 59 g |
| Saturated Fat | 20 g |
| Carbohydrates | 59 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 9 g |
| Sugar | 6 g |
| Protein | 36 g |
| Cholesterol | 104 mg |
| Sodium | 869 mg |
Reviews
While a delicious meal, it was very very time consuming to make. From start to finish, it was over 2 hours. The instructions to form the pasta was a little vague. It is very tasty, but set aside a long stretch of time.