Roast lamb is not just a recipe. In the Gargano it is a ritual, a moment, a promise to be together. It is made for celebrations, for Easter, for special Sundays. It is made when you love someone.
The Memory
As a child, when we went to the countryside, my father had an arrangement with the neighbour who kept animals. They would barter -- a lamb in exchange for rabbits, chickens, sometimes even wild ducks. It was an economy of trust, of neighbourliness, of mutual respect that had lasted for generations. When the lamb arrived, it was cooked. And when something special was cooked, anyone nearby was invited. There were no formal guest lists -- you arrived, you brought something, you ate together. Sometimes we were twenty people, sometimes twenty-five. Long wooden tables, improvised benches, white tablecloths that flew in the wind. Only home cooking, love and good company. Those moments do not come back -- but their smell remains in every dish I cook.
Ingredients
Serves 6
- 1.5 kg lamb pieces (leg, shoulder, chops)
- 800g yellow-flesh potatoes, peeled and cut into wedges
- 4 whole cloves of garlic
- 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary
- A few fresh sage leaves
- 1 glass of dry white wine
- 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- Generous salt and black pepper
- Juice of half a lemon
Method
Marinate the lamb
The evening before, put the lamb pieces in a large bowl. Add the crushed garlic, rosemary, sage, lemon juice, half the olive oil, generous salt and black pepper. Mix well, cover with cling film and leave to marinate in the fridge overnight. This step makes all the difference.
Prepare the potatoes
Cut the potatoes into generous wedges -- not too small, they need to hold up through the long cooking. Season with the remaining oil, salt, pepper and a few rosemary leaves. Set aside.
Build the tray
In a large deep roasting tray, arrange the potatoes on the bottom. Lay the marinated lamb on top of the potatoes with all the marinade juices. Pour the white wine into the tray. The lamb should be in a single layer.
Roast
Preheat the oven to 190 degrees. Cover the tray with foil and roast for 1 hour. Then remove the foil, raise the temperature to 210 degrees and continue for another 30-40 minutes until the lamb is well browned and the potatoes are crispy. Baste the meat with the cooking juices occasionally.
Rest and serve
Leave the tray to rest outside the oven for 10 minutes before serving. Bring to the table in the roasting tray -- with crusty bread to mop up the cooking juices. Just as they used to do outdoors in the countryside.
My tips
- The overnight marinade is essential -- do not skip this step.
- Gargano lamb is small and tender -- if you can find local or mountain lamb, use it.
- The cooking juices are the treasure of this recipe -- never discard them, use them to baste the meat.
- For crispier potatoes, remove them from the tray in the last 15 minutes and put them directly on the oven rack.
- Pair with a Pugliese red wine -- a Primitivo di Manduria is perfect.
Leave a comment
Did you try this recipe? Do you have a memory, a variation or a question? Write to me — I read everything and reply personally.