Serves 4 Ingredients: 250 gm lamb fillets (stripped) 400 gm rigatoni or penne pasta 1 large onion (halved, sliced) 4 garlic cloves (sliced) 2 green chile pods (seeded, finely chopped) 400 gm canned or jarred chopped tomatoes 2 tsp balsamic vinegar 1/2 cup small basil leaves (finely torn) 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 tsp butter Salt + pepper + dried rosemary + grated nutmeg
Method: Heat a large skillet on high. Add half the amount of oil and lower heat to medium. Add lamb strips. Stir-fry to brown and sear. Remove with a slotted spatula and leave aside. Add remaining oil to skillet. Add onion, garlic and chile. Stir until onion is translucent. Add seasoning and stir until fragrant. Return browned strips to skillet and continue stirring for a minute. Add balsamic vinegar and stir until bubbly. Pour tomato with its sauce. Stir and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until lamb is tender. Meanwhile, bring a very large pan of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until just tender. Retain half a cup of its waters. Add to the lamb sauce, stirring it in to combine. Drain pasta and toss in butter to melt in its heat, then add to the sauce and mix. Stir in basil and remove from heat. Serve immediately with grated Parmesan aside, not on top. N.B.: Arrabbiata in Italian means 'angry' .. in the sense of 'hot' .. and the word has nothing to do with food of 'Arabs'. You can add any extra hot condiment to your sauce, in order to reach the level of 'anger' you need !!
