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Fusilli con ragù d’agnello (fusilli with lamb ragù)

By: Emily Gussin
Food producer and sustainability lead, delicious.

Published: 29 Aug 24
Updated: 7 Oct 24

Fusilli con ragù d’agnello (fusilli with lamb ragù)

For such a small Italian region, Molise is the birthplace of many famous pasta shapes – including fusilli – and lamb is the meat of choice locally. There are dozens of ragù recipes in Molise (some with tomato, some without), but this one keeps things simple and allows the lamb to take centre stage, with rosemary, sage and celery adding a lovely herbaceous base note. This dish is typical of Molise’s cuisine, and will amaze you with its intense flavours.

For such a small area, Molise has dramatic scenery – mountains and coast, with much of the landscape unspoiled. The food is rustic, but what makes Molise stand out is its pasta-making heritage. There’s also a taste for offal, and chillies are used to flavour the local salumi and pampanella, a spicy street-food snack of roasted pork. Browse our full foodie guide to Molise, including its star ingredients and dishes.

Easy
September 2024

Test kitchen approved

Serves 4
Hands-on time 25 min. Simmering time 45 min

Dairy-free recipes

Nutrition: Per serving

Calories: 579kcals
Fat: 23g (9.2g saturated)
Protein: 27g
Carbohydrates: 55g (4.5g sugars)
Fibre: 4.2g
Salt: 1g

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Before you start

You can whizz the veg, garlic and herbs to a coarse paste in a food processor if you’d prefer not to chop everything finely by hand.

Before you start

You can whizz the veg, garlic and herbs to a coarse paste in a food processor if you’d prefer not to chop everything finely by hand.

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil
2 shallots, finely chopped
2 celery sticks, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 rosemary sprigs, finely chopped, plus extra to serve
8 sage leaves, finely chopped, plus extra to serve
400g boneless lamb shoulder or neck, finely chopped (see Know-how)
200ml dry white wine
500ml vegetable stock
300g dried fusilli pasta

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Method

Put the oil in a large saucepan or sauté pan over a medium heat. Once hot, add the shallots, celery, garlic, rosemary and sage, then cook for about 8 minutes, stirring regularly, until soft and lightly golden.
Add the lamb and cook, stirring regularly, for 5 minutes or until browned all over. Increase the heat to medium-high, then pour in the wine. Bubble for about 2 minutes until reduced a little, then add the stock. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for about 45 minutes or until the meat is very tender and the sauce has reduced and thickened to just coat the meat. Season to taste with salt and plenty of black pepper.
When the lamb is about 15 minutes away from being ready, bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Add the fusilli and cook until al dente (1 minute less than it says on the packet). Drain the pasta, reserving a mugful of the cooking water. Stir the pasta into the ragù, adding a good glug of the cooking water to help it mix into the sauce. Once all coated, serve the pasta with a scattering of herbs on top.

Recipe from September 2024 Issue

Nutrition

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 579kcals
Fat: 23g (9.2g saturated)
Protein: 27g
Carbohydrates: 55g (4.5g sugars)
Fibre: 4.2g
Salt: 1g

delicious. tips

Using finely chopped lamb instead of mince gives this dish a much more meaty, satisfying flavour and texture. Take the time to chop it properly, as larger pieces will take longer to become tender.