Rigatoni with a Sauce of Lamb & Pine Nuts
Submitted by arkendale
Rigatoni with ground lamb, pine nuts, feta, and fresh mint in a light tomato-broth sauce. A Mediterranean pasta dish with bold Greek-inspired flavors ready in 45 minutes.
YIELD
2 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
25 minREADY
45 minGround lamb brings a richness to pasta that beef and pork can’t match. Cooked fast over high heat with oregano, then simmered in a light sauce of tomato paste and chicken broth, it builds a savory base that’s intense without being heavy.
The finishing touches make this dish sing. Crumbled feta melts slightly into the hot rigatoni, fresh mint cuts through the lamb’s richness with a cool brightness, and toasted pine nuts add buttery crunch in every other bite.
Rigatoni is the right shape here. Those big tubes trap the crumbly lamb sauce inside, so you get a burst of flavor with every forkful.
Pro Tips
- Break the lamb up aggressively while browning. You want fine crumbles, not big chunks, so the meat distributes evenly through the pasta.
- Cook the sauce with the lid slightly ajar. This lets steam escape and concentrates the broth into a clingy, not soupy, sauce.
- Toast the pine nuts in a dry skillet until golden before adding them. Raw pine nuts are soft and bland; toasted ones are completely different.
- Toss the pasta with the sauce while everything is piping hot. The heat helps the feta soften and the flavors meld.
Variations
- Swap mint for fresh basil if you want an Italian lean instead of Greek.
- Use penne or ziti if you can’t find rigatoni; any tube shape catches the sauce well.
- Add a handful of kalamata olives for a briny punch that pairs naturally with the lamb and feta.
Ingredients
Directions
In a heavy saucepan, sauté the onion in the 3 tablespoons oil over low heat for 3 to 4 minutes.
Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for less than a minute; then add the lamb and oregano.
Cook the lamb over high heat, stirring frequently to break up the lumps, until it has just lost its raw color.
Stir in the parsley, tomato paste and chicken broth.
Season with salt and pepper.
Bring to a simmer, place cover on slightly askew and cook over low heat for 15 minutes.
While the sauce is cooking, bring a large kettle of water to a boil.
When the water is boiling furiously, add 1 tablespoon salt; add the rigatoni and stir once or twice.
Boil the pasta for 8 to 10 minutes, or until tender-firm to the bite.
Turn the pasta into a colander, drain well, then transfer to a large warmed bowl.
Pour over the sauce, add the mint, feta cheese, pine nuts, and optional 1½ tablespoon of olive oil.
Toss again and serve piping hot.
Comments
