Australian Lamb Bolognese

Ingredients

¼ cup olive oil
1 1/2 pounds ground lamb
½ cup finely diced carrot
½ cup finely diced onion
½ cup finely diced celery
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 1/2 cups red wine
1 (28 ounce) can San Marzano tomatoes
2 bay leaves
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon ground fennel seeds
¼ teaspoon chili flakes
1 sprig fresh rosemary salt and pepper to taste

Directions

In a large pot over high heat, warm the olive oil. Brown the lamb, crumbling it apart and stirring it to avoid burning. Remove the meat from the pot with a slotted spoon, reserving the lamb fat.

Add the carrots, celery, and onion to the pot and reduce the heat to medium; cook for about 5 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Stir in the tomato paste. Add the wine and let it reduce by half, then add the meat back to the pot.

Stir in the canned tomatoes, 3 cups water, the bay leaves, cumin, coriander, fennel, chili flakes, and rosemary. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to maintain a slow and steady simmer for 1-2 hours, until the vegetables are tender and the sauce has thickened. Adjust the seasoning as needed with salt and pepper.

Serve the lamb Bolognese with your choice of pasta, such as a broad fresh noodle like tagliatelle, or a firm dry shape like rigatoni or penne rigate.