Bargain Barbera

[Innkeeper]

In addition to the above, we've been doing a lot of good peasant Italian food lately. Had the Super Bowl meatballs one more time. Then loverlady came home with two huge meaty lamb shanks and a bag of beautiful peppers. So we had two meals of Tuscan Stuffed Peppers and three meals of Lamb Shanks and Pasta. Went through just about all of the remaining bottles of this barbera, which is just about at its peak. Wonderful.

LAMB SHANKS AND PASTA:

2-3 Lamb shanks (depending on size)
1 Large sweet onion chopped
1 Red pepper chopped
!/4 C Olive oil
1 lb 12 oz Can Glen Muir tomato sauce
1 tsp Dry oregano
1 tsp Lawry salt
1/2 tsp Black pepper
1/4 tsp Chile powder
Crock pot
1 lb Pasta
Italian grating cheese

Saute onion and pepper in oil until slightly soft. Transfer to crock pot. Brown shanks in oil. Add to crock pot with tomato sauce and seasonings. Cook 8-10 hours on low. Remove all traces of shanks from pot. Separate meat from bones, fat, and gristle. Return meat to pot, stir and warm through. Serve over pasta (or shredded iceberg lettuce for lo-carb folks), and sprinkle with grated cheese. Serves four to six. For fewer servings, freeze half the sauce and use a half pound of pasta.