Saffron Orecchiette With Two Lambs

Total Time: 1 hr 35 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 15 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 4 ounces pancetta, chopped
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 4 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 lb ground lean lamb
• 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes in puree
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried sage
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 1/2-2 cups grated romano cheese
• 12 ounces orecchiette (little ears if unavailable, shells are a good substitute)
• 1/2 teaspoon saffron

Recipe

• 1 in a large saucepan, brown pancetta until fat is rendered.
• 2 at this point, i like to remove it from the pan and trim and discard fat off of the meatier pieces.
• 3 return the meaty pieces to the saucepan and add onions and parsley, sauteeing until onion is translucent, about 10 minutes.
• 4 add ground lamb and brown thoroughly.
• 5 pour in crushed tomatoes, then add bay leaves, sage and garlic.
• 6 simmer together for about 45 minutes, stirring in half of the romano cheese about ten minutes before done.
• 7 in the meantime, bring to boil a large pan of salted water; add saffron, then add orecchiette.
• 8 cook according to package directions (mine cooked in about 20 minutes).
• 9 drain, but don't rinse, pasta.
• 10 return to sauce: remove the bay leaves, then combine pasta and sauce in a serving bowl.
• 11 top with remaining romano cheese to serve.