Sophie Grigson's Straccetti Di Agnello Con Cicerchie E Ceci Neri

Cicerchie e Ceci Neri Al Pomodoro:  

1. Drain the cicerchie and ceci neri.       
2. Cook in separate saucepans, covered plentifully with water and with a few pinches of salt. Skim off any scum that rises to the surface, then reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Cook until tender. Cooking times vary depending on the size and age of the beans, so start checking them after around 25 minutes, but be prepared for them to take anything up to an hour and a half to soften.       
3. Once they’re cooked, drain and run under the cold tap.      
4. Meanwhile, put olive oil, onion, garlic and chilli into a saucepan and set over a gentle heat. Fry slowly until the onion is golden and soft. Add the fennel seeds and cook for a couple more minutes, before tipping in the red wine.        
5. Boil down for a couple of minutes, then add the tomatoes, tomato puree, and around half the basil leaves. Add 200 ml water, too. Simmer for 20-30 minutes until thick and fragrant.        
6. Taste and adjust seasonings, adding a little sugar if it is too tart. Stir in the cicerchie and ceci neri and simmer everything together for 3 or 4 minutes more, to heat through. Stir in the last of the basil leaves.        
7. Serve hot or warm, garnished with a few more basil leaves.

Stracetti di Agnello  

1. Slice the lamb thinly (1/2 cm thick or so) and cut into rough pieces, the rags of the title. We’re talking around 2.5 cms across and a little longer, but don’t get too precise about it. Pile into a bowl and drizzle over a tablespoon of olive oil. Season with a little salt and a good grind or two of pepper. Toss the lamb with the oil so that each piece is coated.       
2. Whizz the bread with the parmesan or pecorino, the garlic and the parsley, to make fine breadcrumbs. Tip over the meat and then mix the whole lot together so that the rags of lamb are more or less coated. You won’t get a perfect coating, but get the crumbs fairly evenly distributed.        
3. Take a wide frying pan, add the remaining oil and heat up over a high flame.  When the oil is good and hot, toss in the roughly coated meat and all its crumbs.         
4. Saute briskly, scraping up loose the crumbs and until the crumbs are golden brown.  Just a matter of 4 or 5 minutes. By now the meat will be just cooked through. Sprinkle over a little roughly chopped parsley and serve at once with lemon wedges to squeeze over it.  
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