I have been making this sauce almost weekly since the tomatoes came into season at the farmers market and I plan to keep up the habit as soon as the preserved jars hit the stands. This is just so simple and yet satisfyingly savory it’s hard to resist whipping this up on a lazy Sunday afternoon. The key to driving this addiction is definitely the addition of anchovies (trust me, it’s the umami secret ingredient) and the use of lamb which imparts a rich, gamey depth in no time to what is otherwise a quick sauce to whip up. I always make sure to grab a pound of lamb from Liberty Delight farms on Saturday mornings, so I know I’ve got something local to cook-up for Sunday dinner. I personally love oregano with lamb, so that is my herb of choice, but you can totally sub in or add rosemary, basil, sage, marjoram, or honestly a little thyme to add complexity to your taste. As for the pasta, I love anything Open Hand Pasta makes and I’ve served this with just about every shape of pasta imaginable and always douse it with plentiful pecorino romano. If using preserved or canned tomatoes, skip the confit part, and get right to cooking.

INGREDIENTS

2 Pints fresh heirloom tomatoes - cherry, campari, grape, or even large types are fine, just make sure they are totally ripe
- You can also substitute with ~28 oz canned diced tomatoes, if so, skip the confit section.
6 Sprigs fresh oregano
1 lb Ground lamb
½ cup + 2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
12 oz. Strained tomatoes (passata)
2 oz or 1 can of flat anchovy fillets in oil
1 Medium yellow onion, roughly chopped
1 Large carrot, roughly chopped
6 + 6 Garlic cloves, divided
1 tsp. Dried oregano
1 tsp. Ground white pepper
1 Tbsp. Ground black pepper
1 tsp. Crushed red pepper (optional)
1 lb. dried pasta or fresh pasta of your liking
Pecorino Romano & fresh herbs for serving

RECIPE PREPARATION

Tomato Confit

Preheat oven to 350°F
Line a shallot baking sheet or cake pan with foil. You want to use a pan small enough that it keeps the tomatoes together so they can be partially submerged in oil.
Place oregano and 6 garlic cloves on foil and cover with whole tomatoes.
Drizzle ½ cup olive oil over tomatoes, adding more until just the lower ¼ of the tomatoes are in oil.
Roast for 1 hour then turn the heat to 450°F and continue roasting until the skins begin to brown, about ~10 minutes depending on your oven.
Remove from oven and allow to cool before carefully removing oregano sprigs.

Sauce

In a small food processor, combine onion, carrot, 6 garlic cloves, anchovies with their oil, dried oregano, pepper, and the remaining 2 Tbsp. olive oil. Pulse until finely minced and well combined.
Place in a large pan over medium heat and cook until fragrant and onions are translucent, taking care not to burn - about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the lamb and be sure to break up large pieces with a spoon or spatula. Cook for another 8 minutes or until browned.
Add strained tomatoes and cook until simmering. Taste and add salt as needed.
Using a slotted spoon, add tomato confit and roasted garlic cloves and incorporate gently so as not to burst all the whole tomatoes. Reduce heat to low and cover to keep warm.
Cook pasta, removing just a minute or two before it finishes cooking to your preferred doneness, and add to warm sauce to absorb as much flavor as possible.
Serve immediately with pecorino romano and garnish with fresh herbs.