Slow-cooked lamb pappardelle with green olives and almonds

Pappardelle can be a gateway to new tastes and experiences. Credit: Chris Chen

• serves

  4

• prep

  20 minutes

• cook

  3:50 hours

• difficulty

  Mid

Ingredients

• 1.5 kg lamb shoulder, on the bone
• 125 ml (½ cup) extra virgin olive oil
• 3 lemons, halved, juiced, plus 1 lemon extra, zested, juiced
• 1½ tbsp fennel seeds, toasted, lightly crushed
• 1 garlic bulb, halved, plus 1 garlic clove extra, crushed
• 120 g (1 cup) large green pitted olives, chopped
• 2 tbsp capers in brine, rinsed, drained
• 2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley, plus extra sprigs, to serve
• 250 g pappardelle
• 50 g butter
• 50 g (⅓ cup) roasted almonds, chopped
• shaved parmesan, to serve

Marinating time overnight

Instructions

Place lamb in a large, non-reactive container and pour over 2 tbsp olive oil and juice of 3 lemons. Add fennel seeds and, using your hands, coat lamb all over. Add lemon halves and garlic bulb, cover and marinate overnight.

Preheat oven to 160°C. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large non-stick frying pan over high heat. Remove lamb from marinade, reserving marinade, and place in frying pan. Season with salt and cook, turning, for 8 minutes or until browned all over. Transfer lamb to a deep roasting pan and pour over reserved marinade. Season with salt and pepper, then roast for 3½ hours or until meat is meltingly tender and falls off the bone. Shred meat, discarding bone, and keep warm.

Meanwhile, combine olives, capers, parsley, extra lemon juice and zest, extra garlic clove and remaining 65 ml olive oil in a bowl. Season and set aside.

Cook pasta in a large saucepan of boiling salted water until al dente. Meanwhile, place butter in a frying pan over medium–high heat. Cook for 3 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from heat. Drain pasta and toss in butter. Divide pasta among bowls, then serve with shredded lamb, olive mixture, almonds and extra parsley and parmesan.

Photography Chris Chen

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Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.