Can I Make The Slow-Cooker Lamb And Pasta Without A Slow Cooker?

Our answer

Nigella's Slow-Cooker Lamb And Pasta is a dish that requires very little input from the cook. The sauce is left to cook for 6 hours in a slow cooker and then the pasta is added 20 minutes before the end.

We suspect it is possible to cook the dish more conventionally, but is probably better cooked on the top of the stove in a heavy-based casserole dish or Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid. We would suggest reducing the water to 250ml/1 cup as the sauce will not cook for as long as in the slow cooker and so the evaporation may be less. Once you have stirred in the redcurrant jelly and Worcestershire sauce, bring the meat sauce up to the boil, lower the heat so that the sauce is simmering gently, clamp on the lid and cook for 1 hour. Stir from time to time and make sure that the pan is not drying out. Once the hour is up, uncover the pan and stir in the pasta. The meat sauce should be quite liquid at this point as you need enough liquid for the pasta to absorb as it cooks. You may need to add a little more water, it will depend on how tightly the lid fits on your casserole dish. Raise the heat to a brisk simmer, cover again and cook for 15-20 minutes, until the pasta has cooked to your liking. However, please note that as we have not tried this ourselves, we are unable to guarantee the results. You may also like to try Nigella's Beef And Beans With Pasta.