Spring Lamb Pasta with Mint & Pistachio Pesto & Goat’s Cheese
Ingredients
Serves 4
Olive oil
500g lamb mince
1 tbsp butter
2 banana shallots, finely diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp fennel seeds
100g asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2–3 cm pieces
160g peas (fresh or frozen)
300g conchigliette
Large handful mint leaves, roughly torn
Salt and black pepper
For the mint & pistachio pesto:
60g pistachios
15g mint leaves
15g parsley
40g parmesan or pecorino
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
75ml olive oil
Salt
To serve:
150 g soft goat’s cheese
Extra pistachios, roughly chopped
Olive oil
Extra lemon zest
Method
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Cook the pasta in a large pan of well-salted boiling water until al dente, reserving a mug of the cooking water before draining.
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To make the pesto, blitz the pistachios, mint, parsley, parmesan, lemon zest and juice with the olive oil and a pinch of salt until you have a loose, spoonable consistency. Add a splash of water if needed to loosen.
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Heat a generous drizzle of olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the lamb mince with a good pinch of salt and cook for 6–8 minutes, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned and slightly crispy. Remove the lamb from the pan and set aside.
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Reduce the heat slightly, add the butter and a little more olive oil if needed, then add the shallots and cook for a few minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic and fennel seeds and cook for another minute until fragrant.
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Add the asparagus and peas and cook for 3–4 minutes until just tender but still bright green. Return the lamb to the pan along with the drained pasta and a generous splash of pasta water and mix well.
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Remove from the heat and fold through the pesto so it stays fresh and vibrant.
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Transfer to a large serving bowl or platter and crumble over the goat’s cheese so it softens slightly into the pasta. Finish with extra pistachios, a drizzle of olive oil and a little lemon zest to serve.
