Lamb and Tomato Sauce for Pasta

I think this last recipe for leftover lamb is a bit unusual. How often have you seen lamb with pasta? I don’t think I ever have before. But I know that lamb can go with tomatoes, because I’ve seen shoulders braised with tomatoes, so I thought ‘Why not?’ This recipe is very simple, and really quite good!

Serves 2

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon	Vegetable oil (I use olive oil)
1	Small clove garlic
1	Small onion
1 400g tin (or a pint canned)	Plum tomatoes (or about a pound fresh)
1	Bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon	Parsley
1 sprig	Rosemary, chopped
	Salt and pepper, as desired
2-4 ounces	Leftover lamb, cut in strips
3-4 ounces	Dry pasta shapes PER PERSON
Up to 2 ounces	Sharp cheese, grated

Directions:

1. Heat oil in medium pan.
2. Chop garlic and onion; fry in oil to soften a bit.
3. Add tomatoes and herbs and spices. As always, I go light on extra tastes when using leftover meat, since it was seasoned the first time around. If using fresh tomatoes, cook until they are falling apart.
4. Stir in lamb; simmer for about 20 minutes to allow all the flavours to marry.
5. Meanwhile, boil pasta according to package instructions.*
6. Drain pasta and return to cooking pan. Pour in sauce, removing bay leaf. Stir well.
7. Portion out into individual warm bowls. Top generously with cheese. I’ve used a vintage cheddar here.

*Alternatively, turn this into a pasta bake: Boil pasta for only 1/2 the usual time. Do step 6. Transfer all to a lightly oiled casserole, top with cheese and bake 1/2 hour in a moderate oven (350F/180C/gas mark 4), or until all sauce is absorbed and top is golden.

About Julia Davis-Coombs

I'm an American living in the UK, combining rural Mid-west ideas about food with a suburban coastal British reality. It's fun!

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Tagged with: Cheese, Lamb, Meat as a condiment, Pasta, Tomatoes
Posted in Leftovers, Recipes