GREEN TOMATO AND LAMB PASTA SAUCE

GREEN TOMATO AND LAMB PASTA SAUCE image

Yield 6-8 people

Number Of Ingredients 14

3 tbs olive oil
1 1/2 - 2 onion, chopped
2 med/lg garlic clove, well diced
8 medium green tomatoes, well diced
1/2 tsp rosemary leaf, chopped very fine
1 tsp marjoram leaf
4-5 finely chopped lemon-mint leaves - extra for garnish (or dried mint and lemon juice to taste)
1 to 1 1/2 tsp salt
pepper to taste
about 3 1/2 oz sliced or diced ripe olives
1 6 oz can tomato paste
1/2 lb (or more, see below) ground lean lamb
1 16 oz pkg tri-color pasta (penne or bowtie are good choices but any would do)
1 c. crumbled feta

Steps:

1. In a dutch oven or large heavy saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and saute until soft. 2. Stir in the green tomatoes and heat until they also soften. 3. Stir in the seasonings and olives and allow them time to blend with the mixture. 4. Add tomato paste and reduce heat to medium low. Stir occasionally and add water as necessary to keep the sauce at desired thickness. 5. Heat lamb in a small frypan until thoroughly cooked. Drain off all excess fat and add lamb to sauce. (You may choose to use more lamb than prescribed above but do not use so much that it ovepowers the other flavors of the sauce.) Stir in the lamb but not so vigorously that the tomatoes lose their identity. 6. Cover and simmer until you are ready to serve. (The sauce may be made in advance and can be frozen) 7. In a large pot of boiling, salted water cook pasta according to its instructions until al dente. 8. Ladle sauce on pasta and top with feta. A nice touch is to garnish each plate with one or two mint leaves.