Stinging nettle tagliatelle with braised goat & thyme sauce

(Tagliatelle di ortiche con sugo di capretto alla calabrese)

Serves 6

2½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 small brown onion, diced

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

500 g (1 lb 2 oz) goat shoulder, cut into 2 cm (¾ inch) dice

fine sea salt, to taste

finely ground black pepper, to taste

700 ml (24 fl oz) good-quality tomato passata (tomato purée)

3 thyme sprigs

1 small bay leaf

water or beef broth, if needed during braise

600 g (1 lb 5 oz) stinging nettle fresh egg pasta dough, cut into tagliatelle

freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano or pecorino cheese, to serve

fresh crusty bread, to serve

Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat and add the diced onion, garlic and goat meat. Season with the sea salt and black pepper and sauté until all are nicely browned. Add the tomato passata, thyme and bay leaf and bring to the boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 2–3 hours or until the goat meat has become ‘fall-apart’ tender. Add a little water or beef broth to the sauce throughout the cooking process if the sauce looks like it is becoming too reduced. Once cooked, simply set aside.

Bring abundant salted water to the boil and cook the pasta. With fresh egg pasta, the eating experience is different from dried pasta and the texture is much softer and not really al dente. Strain the pasta and stir through the sauce. Serve with lots of freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano or pecorino cheese and fresh crusty bread.