Serves

Four

Prep Time

20 Mins

Cook Time

2 Hrs

Difficulty

Moderate

  • Ingredients

  • 4 lamb shanks

  • 2 1/2 cups tomato passata (pureed tomato)

  • 1 small brown onion, sliced

  • 3 cloves garlic, chopped

  • 1/2 cup green olives, pitted and quartered

  • 1 long red chilli, seeded and finely sliced

  • 1/2 cup water

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

  • few sprigs fresh thyme

  • 2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped

  • Grated zest of 1 lemon

  • 20g (3/4 oz) unsalted butter

  • 2 tablespoons fresh grated Parmesan cheese

  • Extra grated Parmesan, to serve

  • 250g (8 oz) lasagna sheets, broken into pieces

Comments

The tomato based sauce reduces to a rich gravy and the lamb is melt in your mouth tender.

Pairs well with …..

Garlic bread and green salad

Hints and tips:

Add 1/2 cup red wine for more intense flavour and swap the pasta for couscous.

Preheat oven to 150C (300F).

Heat a large flameproof casserole dish to high heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil.

Season the lamb shanks with salt and pepper and add to the casserole dish two at a time to brown. Remove and set aside.

Drain the fat from the pan and add the other tablespoon of olive oil. Add the onion, garlic, chilli and thyme, saute for a few minutes until the onion is soft.

Add the tomato passata and lamb shanks, ensuring the lamb is sitting in the sauce. Bring to the boil, cover and place in the oven.

Turn the lamb after 1 hour and cook for a further 1 hour.

Check the lamb, it should fall off the bone with a fork. If not, return to the oven for a further half hour.

Once the lamb is ready, remove from the casserole dish and allow to cool slightly before removing meat from the bones. Set aside.

Cook lasagne sheets as per packet instructions.

Place the casserole dish with the sauce back onto the stove, on low heat, add the olives, half cup of water, salt and pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes and add the lamb back to the sauce.

Once pasta is ready, transfer using tongs from the boiling water to the pasta sauce. Add the the butter and parmesan cheese and combine gently.

If the sauce is a little dry, add some boiling pasta water.

Combine the parsley and lemon zest in a small bowl.

Serve sprinkled with parsley, lemon zest and extra grated parmesan cheese.