Italian Recipes

Capretto o Agnello al Forno

Italians celebrate Easter or La Pasqua with a popular lamb dish: Agnellino.To serve six you will need:

INGREDIENTS:

4.5 pounds (2kg) leg of lamb
2 ounces (50g) seasoned lard of the kind available in Italian delicatessens, or prosciutto fat
1/4 cup olive oil
1 clove garlic
2 8-inch (20cm) sprigs of rosemary
Salt & pepper to taste
About a dozen button onions, peeled (optional)
2 pounds (1kg) baby potatoes (optional, if they're small and thin-skinned they need not be peeled)

PREPARATION:

Wash and pat the meat dry; put it in a roasting pan with the garlic clove, dot it with bits of lard and sprinkle it with oil, lay a sprig or two of rosemary on it, season with salt and pepper, and roast it in a hot oven (400-420F or 200-210C) until the meat is browned. This will take from 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes.

If you would like roasted vegetables, add the onions, halved, and the potatoes after the meat has roasted for 15 minutes.

From the website www.italianfood.about.com