In Puglia, lamb is a popular dish served on Easter as a celebratory food. However, due to its simplicity and delicious flavor, it can be an excellent addition to any festive dinner. Here is how to make the perfect Lamb with Green Peas and Parmesan Sauce.
Serves 4-6
Prep time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 2 hours
Ingredients
2 ounces pancetta, diced
1/2 cup parsley, minced
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 Spanish onion, thinly sliced
2 pounds boneless lamb shoulder, cut into chunks
1 cup dry white wine
2 lbs. fresh green peas
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
3 large eggs
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmigiano–Reggiano
Procedure
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Using a heavy-bottom Dutch oven, sauté the pancetta in one tablespoon of olive oil until brown. Add in the onion and cook until soft. Raise heat to medium-high and add the remaining oil and lamb chunks. Brown lamb on all sides – this should take about 12 minutes.
Add the wine and reduce it by half until all the alcohol evaporates. Cover and place pot in the oven for about one hour, or until lamb is fork tender. Note: if too much liquid evaporates, add boiling water to keep meat from drying out.
Remove the pot from the oven and stir in the peas and half the parsley. Add salt and black pepper to taste and cook over low heat on the stove until the peas are tender, again adding boiling water if necessary. This should take about 20 minutes.
Before serving the dish, beat the eggs and cheese in a bowl with the remaining parsley. Stir in a couple of tablespoons of the hot liquid from the lamb pot to warm the mixture. Remove the lamb from the heat and pour the egg mixture over the meat and vegetables, stirring well to coat. There will be enough heat left in the pot to cook the eggs, just enough to make a creamy sauce. Transfer to a bowl and serve immediately.
