Ground lamb is now very widely available, and it makes a nice change from the usual beef ragù once in a while. This is thick enough to serve in shallow bowls over rice or simply with some nice bread, but you could also increase the amount of marinara sauce to four cups and serve it over pasta.

　　

Ingredients

4 to 6 servings

　　2 tablespoons olive oil

　　2 shallots, chopped

　　1 garlic clove, minced

　　1 1/2 pounds ground lamb

　　1/2 teaspoon salt

　　1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

　　1 cup red wine

　　2 cups Marinara Sauce (recipe follows, or jarred)

　　1/2 cup torn fresh mint leaves

　　1/2 cup ricotta cheese

　　

Marinara Sauce

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

　　2 small onions, finely chopped

　　2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

　　2 celery stalks, finely chopped

　　2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped

　　1/2 teaspoon sea salt

　　1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

　　2 (32-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes

　　2 dried bay leaves

　　(makes about 2 quarts)

　　

Step 1

Warm the olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the shallots and garlic and cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Add the ground lamb, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring and breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until the lamb has browned and the juices have evaporated.

　　

Step 2

Add the wine, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Simmer until the wine has reduced by half. Add the marinara sauce and simmer over low heat until the flavors have blended, about 10 minutes.

　　

Step 3

Add the mint and ricotta and stir until mixed. Serve in shallow bowls.

　　

Marinara Sauce

Step 4

In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and garlic and sauté until the onions are translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the celery, carrots, and salt and pepper. Sauté until all the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes and bay leaves, and simmer uncovered over low heat until the sauce thickens, about 1 hour. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Season the sauce with more salt and pepper to taste.

　　Reprinted with permission from Giada's Kitchen: New Italian Favorites by Giada De Laurentiis. Copyright © 2008 by Giada De Laurentiis. Published by Crown Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved.Giada De Laurentiis is the star of Food Network's Everyday Italian and Behind the Bash. She attended the Cordon Bleu in Paris, and then worked in a variety of Los Angeles restaurants, including Wolfgang Puck's Spago, before starting her own catering and private-chef company, GDL Foods. The granddaughter of movie producer Dino De Laurentiis, Giada was born in Rome and grew up in Los Angeles, where she now lives.