Fast lamb and rosemary ragout

prep + cook time 40 minutes | serves 6
Rich and meaty, this full-flavoured ragout is the ultimate comfort food. Here we’ve stirred through orecchiette, but you could also serve it topped on any pasta of your choice for a hearty meal that’s worth hurrying home for.
2 tbsp olive oil
500g lamb leg steaks or backstraps (eye of loin), cut into 1.5cm pieces
1 medium onion (150g), finely chopped
1 small carrot (70g), coarsely grated
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
4 anchovy fillets, finely chopped (see tip )
1 tbsp finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 ⁄ 4 cup (60ml) balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 x 400g can chopped tomatoes
2 tsp brown sugar
salt and freshly ground black pepper
250g frozen broad beans, thawed, peeled
500g cooked orecchiette pasta
1 ⁄ 2 cup (40g) finely grated parmesan 1 ⁄ 4 cup (5g) fresh basil leaves
1 Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large heavy-based saucepan over a high heat; cook the lamb, in batches, for 5 minutes or until browned. Transfer to a bowl; cover to keep warm.
2 Heat another tablespoon of the olive oil in the same pan. Add the onion, carrot, garlic, anchovy, and rosemary; cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until the onion and carrot soften. Add the vinegar; cook, stirring, for 30 seconds or until evaporated. Add the tomato paste; cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until fragrant.
3 Return the lamb to the pan with the tomatoes and sugar, season with salt and pepper; bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to low; cook, covered, for 10 minutes. Add the broad beans for the last 5 minutes of cooking time.
4 Add the pasta to the lamb ragout; add a splash of water if required and stir over a medium heat until combined. Season with salt and pepper. Serve topped with the parmesan and basil leaves.
tip
You can omit the anchovies, if preferred, but they do dissolve and bring a savoury complexity to dishes such as this, and are not in any way overpowering.