Pasta With Braised Lamb Shank Ragu

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 2 ounces diced pancetta
• 2 lamb shanks
• about 2 1/4 pounds
• 2 medium onions
• diced
• 2 cloves garlic
• sliced
• 2 branches fresh rosemary
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 pounds ripe plum tomatoes
• peeled and chopped
• Red pepper flakes to taste
• 1 pound spaghetti alla chitarra or penne
• Freshly grated pecorino cheese

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Heat oil in 4-quart ovenproof casserole.
3. Add pancetta, lightly brown and remove.
4. Add lamb shanks, brown on all sides and remove.
5. Lower heat; add onions, garlic and rosemary.
6. Saute until soft.
7. Add white wine.
8. Scrape pan, return pancetta and lamb to casserole, season with salt and pepper, then cover and bake 90 minutes, turning lamb once.
9. Remove lamb from casserole.
10. Cut meat from bones, trimming off fat and gristle.
11. Finely dice meat and add to casserole.
12. Add tomatoes and red pepper.
13. Simmer on top of stove one hour.
14. Check seasoning.
15. Boil pasta until al dente, drain, toss with sauce, and serve with pecorino for dusting.