Levantine cuisine · Dough, Pasta & Rice

Itriyeh bi Lahme

Short pasta with seasoned ground meat under a warm yogurt sauce with garlic and mint butter.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 400 g short pasta
• 400 g ground lamb
• 1 onion
• 500 g yogurt
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 2 tsp baharat (seven-spice blend)
• 40 g butter
• 1 tbsp dried mint
• 2 tbsp pine nuts
• Salt, pepper

Instructions

1. Finely dice the onion, crush the garlic with a pinch of salt into a paste, and cook the pasta in plenty of salted water according to package instructions until al dente.
2. Fry the ground meat in a pan without fat for 8 min. over high heat until the liquid has evaporated, then fry the onion with it for 4 min. and season with baharat, salt and pepper.
3. Whisk the yogurt smooth with the cornstarch mixed in 3 tbsp water and the garlic paste, warm it in a pot while stirring constantly, and let it thicken gently over low heat for 3 min. without letting it boil.
4. Add the drained pasta to the warm yogurt sauce and toss gently until each piece is coated.
5. Melt the butter in a small pan, toast the pine nuts golden for 2 min. and let the dried mint infuse for only 20 sec. so it doesn't burn.
6. Arrange the pasta on a platter, spoon the ground meat over the top and serve immediately drizzled with the fragrant mint butter.