Us Greeks eat lamb (and goat) and we also eat year’ round. We eat lots of lamb (or goat) on Easter Sunday and there may be some leftover lamb. I often get asked for ideas on what to do with leftover lamb – there are many.

One of the most comforting, satisfying meals has to be a bowl of pasta. It only gets better when lamb meat is involved. Here, I build up a sauce with onions, celery, carrots, garlic and aromatics by way of bay leaves, allspice and thyme. Red wine, a good stock, a little patience and the cooked lamb with be resurrected into a new dish. No one will know this was leftovers, the meat will be juicy, slide down your throat with a delicious red from Kir Yanni (Boutari).

If you live near a Greek specialty market, go buy some Kyknos tomato paste – a Greek product and one I am convinced will heighten this dish and any other requiring use of tomato paste.

Resurrection Lamb Pasta

(serves 4)

1 lb. cooked lamb meat, cut into bite sized pieces or hand-torn

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup diced onions

3 cloves garlic, minces

1/2 cup finely diced carrots

1/2 finely diced celery

2-3 bay leaves

5-6 allspice berries

7-8 sprigs of fresh thyme

3 Tbsp. Kyknos tomato paste

1/4 cup dry red wine

2 1/2 cups hot lamb/beef/chicken stock

salt and pepper to taste

500 gr. of dry pasta (I like thick pasta from fettucine to tagliatelle)

extra-virgin olive oil for finishing

shaved Kefalotyri cheese (or Romano)

1. Take your lamb out of the fridge and allow to come to room temperature. In a large skillet over medium heat, add your olive oil, onions, garlic, carrot, celery, bay leaves, allspice and thyme and sweat for 6-7 minutes.
2. Now add the tomato paste, stir in and cook for a couple of minutes. Add the lamb meat, wine, stir in and cook for 2 minutes or until almost cooked down. Now add the hot stock and bring up to a simmer. Add salt and pepper, cover with a lid and simmer for 30 minutes.
3. Uncover, adjust seasoning with salt and pepper and simmer uncovered until sauce has thickened. Remove bay leaves, thyme springs and keep warm.
4. Place a large pot of water on your stove-top, bring to a boil and season well with salt. Add your past and cook according to instructions. Strain, add pasta to lamb sauce and toss well. Add some olive oil, divide and plate.
5. Top each serving with a shaved Kefalotyri cheese and serve with Kir Yanni Paranga.