Slow-cooked lamb, caper and olive ragu
Serves: 8
Prep time: 55 minsTotal time: 
Recipe photograph by Gareth Morgans
Slow-cooked lamb, caper and olive ragu
This slow-cooked lamb ragu is full of rich and comforting Italian flavours. It also freezes well, making it great for batch-cooking
Serves: 8
Prep time: 55 minsTotal time: 
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Nutritional information (per serving)
Calories
384Kcal
Fat
19gr
Saturates
6gr
Carbs
11gr
Sugars
10gr
Fibre
4gr
Protein
33gr
Salt
1gr
Abigail Spooner
Abi is our former Junior Food Editor. An obsessive foodie with a sweet tooth, she is happiest when baking and is a firm believer that there is always room for dessert (preferably following a big bowl of pasta)
See more of Abigail Spooner’s recipes
Abigail Spooner
Abi is our former Junior Food Editor. An obsessive foodie with a sweet tooth, she is happiest when baking and is a firm believer that there is always room for dessert (preferably following a big bowl of pasta)
See more of Abigail Spooner’s recipes
Ingredients
- 1.5kg-1.7kg boneless lamb shoulder, excess fat trimmed, cut into 4cm chunks
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 large onions, chopped
- 2 large carrots, finely chopped
- 2 celery sticks, finely chopped
- 5 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 tbsp tomato purée
- 3 bay leaves
- 4 sprigs rosemary, leaves picked and chopped
- 250ml red wine
- 2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
- 400ml lamb or chicken stock* (made with 1 stock pot or cube)
- 50g capers, drained
- 100g pitted black olives, drained
- ½ tbsp caster sugar
To serve
- cooked gnocchi or pappardelle*
- grated Parmesan (optional)*
Step by step
- Preheat the oven to 160°C, fan 140°C, gas 3. Season the lamb and heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large lidded ovenproof frying pan or flameproof casserole. Fry the lamb in batches over a high heat until browned all over. Transfer to a plate with a slotted spoon.
- Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the pan or casserole, reduce the heat to medium and fry the onions, carrots and celery for 10-12 minutes until softened and lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring. Stir in the tomato purée, bay leaves and rosemary and cook for a further minute.
- Pour in the wine and bubble to reduce by half. Add the tomatoes and the stock with some seasoning, then return the lamb to the pan. Stir, bring up to a simmer, cover with a lid and transfer the pan or casserole to the oven. Cook for 3 hours or until the meat is tender and falling apart. Scoop the lamb chunks into a dish using a slotted spoon, and discard the bay leaves.
- Stir the capers, olives and sugar into the sauce in the casserole. Pull the meat apart with 2 forks and stir back through the sauce. Season to taste.
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Serve the ragu over cooked gnocchi or toss through some pappardelle and top with Parmesan if you like.
*Use gluten-free stock; pasta or gnocchi to serve and omit Parmesan, if required.
Chef quote
Cool and store in the fridge for up to 4 days, or freeze in portions. Defrost and reheat with a splash of water until piping hot.
