-
1
Brown the Lamb
10 Mins
Medium-high heat, ~190°C (375°F)
Heat the olive oil in a large, deep pot. Fry the lamb cubes in batches until browned on all sides, about 8 minutes, then lift them out and set aside.
Brown in batches — crowded lamb steams instead of browning.
Done when: The lamb is browned and the pot has a dark, sticky base.
-
2
Build the Spicy Tomato Sauce
10 Mins
Medium heat, ~160°C (320°F)
In the same pot, fry the onion for 5 minutes until soft and golden. Stir in the garlic, turmeric, cumin, coriander, cayenne and paprika and fry for 1 minute. Add the tomato paste and fry for 2 minutes more until it darkens to brick red.
Frying the tomato paste until it darkens removes any tinny taste and deepens the colour.
Done when: The paste is dark red and the kitchen smells of warm spice.
-
3
Simmer the Lamb and Potato
25 Mins
Gentle simmer, ~95°C (203°F)
Return the lamb to the pot, add the potato, chickpeas and 1.5 litres of water, and season with salt. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook for 20 minutes until the lamb is nearly tender and the potato is soft.
The sauce should be quite thin at this stage — the pasta will drink up a lot of liquid.
Done when: The lamb is nearly tender and the potato is soft.
-
4
Cook the Pasta in the Sauce
15 Mins
Gentle simmer, ~95°C (203°F)
Stir in the ditalini and cook uncovered for 12–15 minutes, stirring every few minutes so the pasta does not stick to the bottom, until the pasta is tender and the sauce has thickened around it. Add a splash of hot water if it gets too thick before the pasta is done.
Stirring often is essential — pasta cooked in sauce sticks and burns far more easily than pasta in water.
Done when: The pasta is tender, the sauce clings to it, and the dish looks like a stew, not a soup.
-
5
Rest and Serve
5 Mins
Serve hot, ~70°C (158°F)
Take the pot off the heat, stir in the parsley, and rest for 5 minutes so the pasta finishes absorbing the sauce. Serve in deep bowls with a lemon wedge and a fried green chilli on top.
Resting is what turns it from pasta in sauce into mbakbaka — the last of the liquid disappears into the pasta.
Done when: The bowls are steaming, the sauce is thick, and the pasta is glossy.
auto_awesome Finishing Touches & Plating
Take the pot off the heat and let it rest for 5 minutes — the pasta keeps drinking up the sauce and the dish thickens into a stew. Serve in deep bowls with a lemon wedge and a fried green chilli on top, and put crusty bread on the table for mopping up the sauce.
Libya
2h 10m
France
Vietnam