How to Cook American Lamb
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For the sauce:
● 1 pound ground American lamb
● 2 tablespoons olive oil
● 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
● 1 small carrot, finely diced
● 1 celery stalk, finely diced
● 2 cloves garlic, minced
● 2 tablespoons tomato paste
● 1⁄2 cup dry white wine
● 1 (14-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
● 1⁄2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
● 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
● 1 teaspoon black pepper
● 1 cup whole milk
For the pizzas:
● 24 oz pizza dough, room temperature (usually about 2 store-bought
dough balls)
● 8 ounces low-moisture mozzarella, shredded
● 2 tablespoons sliced Calabrian chiles or pickled hot peppers
● Hot honey, for drizzling
● Olive oil, for the pans
1. Make the American Lamb Bolognese:
Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the lamb and season with 1 teaspoon of the salt and the black pepper. Cook, breaking it into crumbles, until deeply browned and beginning to crisp, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onion, carrot, celery, and the remaining salt. Cook for 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly caramelized. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes.
Pour in the white wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Simmer for 2–3 minutes, until the wine has reduced by about half.
Return the lamb to the pot. Stir in the crushed tomatoes and red pepper flakes. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low and cook for about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Stir in the milk and simmer for another 15–20 minutes, until the sauce is thick enough to mound on a spoon. Let cool slightly before assembling.
2. Prepare dough:
Preheat the oven to 450°F. Lightly coat a 9 x 13-inch metal cake pans (or Detroit-style pizza pans) with about 1 tablespoon olive oil each.
Place the dough into the base of the pan and gently press and stretch the dough toward the corners of the pan to form one thick layer of dough. If the dough is springing back a lot, let rest for 15–30 minutes, then continue pressing until the dough fills the pan.
3. Build the Pizza:
Scatter about two-thirds of the mozzarella evenly over the dough, pressing some all the way to the edges of the pan so it caramelizes and crisps as the pizza bakes.
Spoon 11⁄2–2 cups of the Lamb Bolognese over the cheese. Reserve any remaining sauce for serving over pasta or freezing for another meal. Top with the remaining mozzarella and the sliced chiles.
4. Bake:
Bake for 18-25 minutes, until the cheese around the edges is dark golden and crisp and the bread is cooked fully to an internal temperature of 190°F. Run a thin spatula around the edge and transfer the pizza to a cutting board.
5. Finish:
Drizzle generously with hot honey. Let rest for 2 minutes before slicing and serving.
