Serves 4

1 tbsp olive oil

3 large lamb shanks

1 brown onion, halved lengthways, thinly sliced

1 cup beef stock

1 cup white wine

6 thyme sprigs or 1 tsp dried thyme leaves

650g piece pumpkin, deseeded, skin removed, cut into 2cm cubes

½ cup caster sugar

8 garlic cloves

400g pappardelle pasta

125g buffalo mozzarella, torn into pieces

freshly ground black pepper

1 Heat oil in a large heatproof casserole dish over a medium heat. When hot, add shanks and cook for 10 minutes or until browned on all sides. Transfer to a plate.

2 Add onion and cook until soft. Add stock, wine and thyme to pan and bring to the boil. Return shanks to pan. Cover and cook over a medium-low heat for 2 hours or until lamb is very tender and falling off the bone.

3 Preheat oven to 200˚C. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Place pumpkin onto tray and roast for 25 minutes.

4 Place sugar into a small non-stick pan over a medium-low heat. Roll around pan until dissolved. Add garlic cloves and roll around in sugar syrup until sugar caramelises. Remove from heat. Transfer garlic to a sheet of baking paper.  

5 Cook pasta in a large saucepan of boiling salted water until just tender. Drain and return to pan.

6 Meanwhile, remove lamb meat and shred. Discard bones and thyme stalks. Return lamb to pan with cooking juices. Add pumpkin and combine. Season with salt and pepper.

7 Add lamb mixture to pasta and toss until well combined. Spoon onto plates and top with garlic, cheese and freshly ground black pepper. Serve.