Roman Roast Lamb with Potatoes (Abbacchio al Forno)
Abbacchio al forno con patate Say it: ab-BAHK-kyoh ahl FOHR-noh kohn pah-TAH-teh
Abbacchio al forno con patate is Rome's Sunday and Easter roast: young lamb cooked with rosemary, garlic and potatoes in a single pan. The lamb stays tender and fragrant while the potatoes soak up the wine, olive oil and roasting juices, turning golden and crisp at the edges. It is a humble, generous dish of the Lazio countryside, built on a few good ingredients and long, slow heat rather than complicated technique. Serve it with bread to catch every drop of the pan sauce.
Roman Roast Lamb with Potatoes (Abbacchio al Forno)
Abbacchio al forno con patate
Pronounced ab-BAHK-kyoh ahl FOHR-noh kohn pah-TAH-teh
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 1 hr 20 min
- Total
- 1 hr 40 min
- Level
- Medium
Also nut-free and egg-free.
Allergens: none of the major allergens in the listed ingredients. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
Method
Heat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Pat the lamb dry, make shallow incisions all over the meat and push in the garlic slivers and small pinches of the chopped rosemary. Rub the lamb with 1 tbsp of the olive oil, 1 tsp of the salt and ½ tsp of the pepper.
Boil the potatoes in plenty of salted water for 5 minutes, then drain well and leave them in the colander for 2 minutes so the surface dries and roughens—this is what makes them crisp later.
Toss the potatoes with the remaining 2 tbsp olive oil, the rest of the chopped rosemary, the remaining ½ tsp salt and the remaining ½ tsp pepper, then spread them in a roasting pan wide enough to hold them in a single layer.
Sit the lamb among the potatoes, tuck in the rosemary sprigs and crushed garlic, and pour the white wine and water around the meat rather than over it.
Roast uncovered for 20 minutes, then lower the oven to 375°F (190°C). Baste the lamb with the pan juices and turn the potatoes over with a spatula.
Keep roasting for 45 to 55 minutes, basting and turning the potatoes every 20 minutes, until the lamb is deep golden and a thermometer in the thickest part reads 145°F (63°C) and the potatoes are crisp and browned at the edges. If they need more color, raise the heat to 425°F (220°C) for the last 8 to 10 minutes.
Move the lamb to a board, tent it loosely with foil and rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Carve it and serve with the potatoes, spooning the glossy pan juices over everything.
Regional variant: Roast Lamb with Artichokes (Abbacchio con i carciofi)
Replace the potatoes with 4 cleaned Roman artichokes, halved, rubbed with olive oil and lemon. Add 2 extra garlic cloves and a few mint leaves to the pan, nestle the artichokes around the lamb and roast as above, adding a little water if the pan dries out. They are ready when the hearts are tender and the tips are browned.
Cook's notes
- Ask the butcher for a compact roast and have the bone cracked—it gives the pan juices far more flavor.
- Keep the potatoes in one layer and turn them only occasionally, so they brown instead of steaming.
- If the pan looks dry during roasting, add a splash of water, never more wine, so the juices do not turn bitter.
Serve with
Crusty bread for the juices and a glass of Cesanese del Piglio or Frascati.
Make ahead and storage
Best straight from the oven; leftovers keep 3 days refrigerated and reheat covered at 350°F (175°C) with a splash of water.
