Penne with roasted lamb and spinach

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 500 g spinach
• 500 g lamb fillet(s)
• 8 sprigs of thyme
• 1 lemon(s)
• 2 cloves garlic
• 100 g shallot(s)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• salt and pepper
• 80 g butter
• nutmeg
• 100 ml Lamb stock
• 100 g ricotta (ricotta slata) SUBSTITUTE:
• 100 g cheese, young Pecorino
• 300g penne

Instructions

Working time approx. 50 minutes; Total time approx. 50 minutes

Trim and wash the spinach, drain, and spin dry. If necessary, remove any skin and tendons from the fillets. Pluck the thyme leaves from 3 sprigs and roughly chop. Finely grate the lemon zest. Peel and press the garlic. Peel and finely dice the shallots. Heat the oil in a pan and fry the lamb fillets for 4-5 minutes over medium heat, season with salt and pepper. Add the garlic and remaining thyme, fry for another 30 seconds, and set aside. Melt the butter in a large saucepan and sauté the shallots over medium heat until browned. Add the spinach, season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg, and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Pour in the lamb stock and cook for a further 1-2 minutes. Cover and set aside. Coarsely grate the ricotta. Cook the pasta in salted water according to the package instructions. (Reserve 50 ml of the pasta water.) Cut the lamb fillets diagonally into pieces and heat briefly with the pasta, pasta water, 2/3 of the lemon zest, chopped thyme, and spinach. Fold in the remaining lemon zest and half of the ricotta. Serve on warmed plates with the remaining ricotta on the side.