Italian Stewed Lamb
For Dinner ( Lamb, Casseroles, Italian )
Published on 17/12/11
15 minutes to prepare and 60 minutes to cook
Serves 4
Description
As the name suggests, this very simple recipe, based on an authentic Italian one, is basically lamb stewed in tomatoes and white wine with yellow peppers.
It is delicious served with tagliatelle and fresh bread of your own choice.
Ingredients
1lb. of cubed lamb (I use shoulder as it is quite cheap and has lots of flavour - it's my favourite cut).Tin of chopped tomatoes.
Glass of medium white wine.
3 - 4 bay leaves
4 - 5 cloves of garlic (crushed)
Crushed dried chillies - about a level teaspoon but some people like a bit more heat - trial & error.
3 - 4 'yellow' peppers (deseeded) and cut into strips about 1/4 inch thick.
3 - 4 tablespoons of olive oil
Instructions
In a good quality casserole (I use Le Cruiset) heat the oil and add the bay leaves, crushed chillies and garlic and cook just enough to soften them. Turn up the heat, add the meat and cook briskly to brown. Season with salt and black pepper to your own taste.Add the wine and bring to the boil. cook for a couple of minutes then tip in the tomatoes, juice and all.
Finally the yellow peppers, bring to the boil then turn down the heat to minimum, cover and simmer for about an hour.
Serve with tagliatelle, or your favourite pasta. It great with most pastas.
Notes
This recipe is so simple you might think your missing something, but it really IS that simple. Everything is approximate so don't try to be too precise. Depending on the tomatoes, add a little tomato puree for colour and extra tomato flavour. You'll know when it's cooked as the whole thing takes on a certain look and thickening.
There should be enough juice but if you want more, add a bit more wine.
Traditionally the meat is trimmed of all fat but I find that a little left on gives a wonderful flavour.
I've been making this regularly for thirty years or more and it never fails to please.
If there is any left over (and I mean if) it can be frozen or reheated. You could also blitz it and toss some other type of pasta with it as snack.
Other peppers can be used if you don't have yellow one. A mix of yellow and green is quite good, or even red.