Beshbarmak

Ingredients

• 1.4 kg bone-in lamb shoulder and ribs, in large pieces
• 3 litres cold water
• 2 onions, halved, for the broth
• 2 carrots, halved, for the broth
• 3 bay leaves
• 8 black peppercorns
• 6 allspice berries
• 2 tsp salt, plus more to taste
• 500 g plain flour
• 2 large eggs
• 180 ml water, for the dough
• 1 tsp salt, for the dough
• 3 onions, sliced into thin rings, for the tuzdyk
• 1 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
• 3 tbsp chopped parsley or dill, to serve

Before you cook

• Rinse the lamb pieces under cold water.
• Mound the flour on the worktop, make a well, and add the eggs, 180 ml of water and 1 teaspoon of salt.
• Knead the dough for 10 minutes until it is firm and smooth, then wrap it and rest it for 40 minutes.
• Slice the three tuzdyk onions into thin rings and put them in a heatproof bowl.

Steps

1. Put the lamb in a large stockpot and cover it with the 3 litres of cold water.
2. Bring the pot slowly to the boil over medium heat, which takes about 20 minutes.
3. Skim off every bit of grey foam as it rises, until the surface stays clear.
4. Add the halved onions and carrots, the bay leaves, peppercorns, allspice and 2 teaspoons of salt.
5. Lower the heat and simmer very gently, uncovered, for 2 hours, until the meat pulls away from the bone.
6. Lift the lamb out onto a board and cover it loosely with foil.
7. Strain the broth through a fine sieve into a clean pot and discard the vegetables and spices.
8. Skim about 4 tablespoons of the clear fat off the top of the broth and pour it over the sliced onion rings in the bowl.
9. Ladle 200 ml of the hot broth over the onions, add the coarse black pepper, and leave them to steep and soften.
10. Cut the rested dough into four pieces and roll each one out until it is 1 mm thick.
11. Cut the sheets into rough squares about 8 cm across and lay them out on a floured tray without overlapping.
12. Bring the strained broth back to a rolling boil and taste it for salt.
13. Drop the pasta squares into the broth a few at a time, stirring so they do not stick together.
14. Boil the pasta for 4 minutes, until it is tender and floating.
15. Lift the pasta out with a slotted spoon and spread it over a large warm platter.
16. Pull the lamb off the bones in generous pieces and pile it over the pasta.
17. Spoon the steeped onions and all their liquid over the top.
18. Scatter with parsley and serve, with the remaining hot broth ladled into small bowls to drink alongside.