Zesty ragu

Lemon and parsley made all the difference to a predictable ragu

Almost all my  tomato based meat stew tend to look and taste alike, so I was in for a surprise when this stew had a refreshingly  new dimension to it.  The lemon and parsley gave it a delightful lightness  , removing the heaviness of meat and wine . Together with toothsome pasta, I had a difficult time deciding which component was my favorite, the stew or the pasta.

Serves 3.

Ingredients :

500g lamb , cubed

2 onions, cubed

2 carrots, cubed

3 sticks of celery, chopped

6 red tomatoes, cubed

2 bay leaves

Enough stock or red wine to cover the contents

230g pasta shells

1/2 cup grated parmesan

Zest of 1 lemon

4 springs of flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

Method :

In a deep pot, heat oil. Brown the lamb, followed by onion, medium heat.

Add chopped vegetables, bay leaves and wine.

Leave it to stew for about 2 hours or until the lamb is soft and liquid reduced.

Cook pasta according to instructions.

Drain pasta and transfer it to the stew.

Mix well.

Add parmesan cheese and lemon.

Stir to redistribute the cheese and lemon.

Serve with a generous heap of parsley.