Abbacchio alla Romana - Rome's Easter Lamb
An Italian Easter lamb dish from Rome cooked with garlic, rosemary, vinegar, and anchovies and served with roast potatoes.
Equipment
- Chef Knife
- Cast Iron Pan with lid
- Blender
Ingredients
- 800 grams lamb pieces on the bone
- extra virgin olive oil
- 2 sprigs rosemary leaves picked
- 5 large sages leaves
- salt
- pepper
- 4 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 3 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 4 anchovy filets rinsed of excess salt
- 100 grams plain flour or enough to dust the lamb pieces
- 125 ml white wine
- 125 ml lamb stock or enough to cover the lamb pieces by half
Instructions
- Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a pan and fry the lamb pieces for a few minutes, turning frequently until browned all over. Then remove the lamb pieces and dredge in flour.
- Add the sage, half the rosemary, salt, pepper and 2 cloves of garlic to the pan and sauté for a few minutes then return the floured lamb to the pan.
- Add the white wine, and continue to cook until the wine has almost reduced. Add enough lamb stock so that the lamb pieces are covered by half.
- Reduce the heat to a very low heat and cover. Simmer the lamb for 2.5 hours or until the lamb is tender.
- To make the sauce, put the anchovies, the remaining rosemary, 2 cloves of garlic and the white wine vinegar into a small blender and blend until very finely chopped. When the lamb has finished cooking, add the remaining cooking juices to the sauce for extra flavour.
- Serve immediately with roast potatoes.