BEET FETTUCCINE WITH LAMB SAUCE

BEET FETTUCCINE WITH LAMB SAUCE image

Yield 4 - 6 people

Number Of Ingredients 24

Ingredients

2 cups durum flour* or all-purpose flour
3 large eggs
2 ounces red beet, roasted for 30 minutes, cooled, peeled, pureed, and squeezed in cheesecloth to remove as much moisture as possible
½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
¾ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Pecorino Romano
semolina flour for dusting a sheet pan
approximately 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
½ cup chopped shallot
¼ cup chopped carrot
¼ cup chopped celery
2 cups boneless lamb from the shoulder or leg, cut into ½-inch dice
fine sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 cup red wine
1 cup veal or chicken stock
1 herb sachet: 2 garlic cloves, 1 bay leaf, 4 crushed juniper berries, and 5 peppercorns tied in a cheesecloth bundle
1 cup peeled frozen chestnuts or chestnuts in natural juice
2 cups peeled butternut squash in ½-inch dice
1 fresh rosemary sprig
1 fresh thyme sprig
1 garlic clove
2 teaspoons light brown sugar
*The term durum flour means "hard flour." Also know as "00" flour, this Italian favorite is available from Italian grocers and specialty shops.

Steps:

Place the flour on a smooth, clean surface and make a well in the middle. Place the eggs, beet puree, nutmeg, and ½ cup Parmigiano in the well and mix them into the flour a little at a time with the help of a fork. Knead until the dough has a smooth and even consistency. Roll the dough through a pasta machine to make thin sheets about ? inch thick. Dust a rimmed cookie sheet with semolina flour, then pass the dough sheets through the pasta machine attachment for fettuccine and spread them out on the pan. Pour enough of the olive oil into a flameproof casserole to cover the bottom and warm it over medium heat. Add the shallot, carrot, and celery and lower the heat to low. Sauté until the shallot is translucent, about 5 minutes. In the meantime, pour enough of the remaining olive oil into a wide deep skillet to cover the bottom and set over medium-high heat. Add the lamb and sear it while seasoning with salt and pepper, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the meat to the vegetables and mix well. Cook for 5 minutes, then deglaze first with the vinegar, then with the wine. Let evaporate, then add the veal stock and the herb sachet, stirring well. Season with salt and pepper and simmer until the meat is soft and the sauce reduced, 30 to 40 minutes; after 20 minutes, add the chestnuts and let them simmer as well. If the sauce dries up, add a little bit of water. In the meantime, place the squash in a mixing bowl and add the rosemary, thyme, garlic, brown sugar, and 1 tablespoon of the remaining olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, then place on a baking sheet and roast in the preheated oven from about 25 minutes, until soft but still firm. Add the squash mixture to the sauce and cook together for 5 minutes. Set a large pot of salted water over high heat and bring to a boil. Add the fettuccine and cook until al dente, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the pasta to the sauce and mix thoroughly. Serve with remaining Parmigiano sprinkled on top.