Abbacchio alla
Romana
Roman lamb with rosemary & vinegar
Lamb braises with garlic, rosemary and white wine, then takes on a savory, lightly sharp sauce from anchovies and vinegar.
Lamb with potatoes & broccoli alongsideRosemary, garlic,
a sharp savory finish.
Abbacchio is the young lamb associated with Roman cooking. In this braised preparation, rosemary and garlic season the meat, while anchovies and wine vinegar deepen the sauce. The anchovies dissolve into the liquid, lending savoriness without leaving obvious pieces of fish.
You may see related preparations called abbacchio alla cacciatora on Lazio menus. Cuts and cooking methods vary, so the name does not promise one exact sauce. This home version uses readily available lamb shoulder and a slow simmer to make it tender; it is a braise rather than grilled lamb chops.
Explore by food: Meat
Let’s make abbacchio alla romana.
A shoulder-lamb adaptation with a measured braising liquid.
Four main-course portions; vegetables in the photo are separate sides.
What you’ll need
- 800 gboneless lamb shoulder, cut into 4 cm pieces
- 3 tbspolive oil
- 3garlic cloves, 2 halved and 1 finely chopped
- 1 tbspplain flour
- 100 mldry white wine
- 250 mlwater, plus up to 150 ml if needed
- 2oil-packed anchovy fillets, drained
- 1 tbspfinely chopped rosemary leaves
- 2 tbspwhite wine vinegar
- ½ tspfine salt, or to taste
- ¼ tspblack pepper
Lamb shoulder varies in tenderness; allow more simmering if needed. The anchovy-vinegar finish goes in late so its aroma stays clear.
How to make it
- 01
Brown the lamb
Season lamb with salt and pepper. Warm oil and the halved garlic in a heavy casserole for 2 minutes, then remove the garlic. Brown the lamb in two batches over medium-high heat, about 12 minutes in all.
- 02
Add the braising liquid
Return all the lamb to the pan. Stir in flour for 1 minute, add wine and scrape the base. Simmer for 2 minutes, then add 250 ml water. Cover and simmer very gently for 75–90 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fork-tender. Add the measured extra water a little at a time if the base dries.
- 03
Season the sauce
Mash anchovies with chopped garlic and rosemary, then stir in vinegar. Add this mixture to the tender lamb and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes, until the sauce coats the meat.
- 04
Rest briefly
Taste the sauce and adjust salt if needed. Rest off the heat for 5 minutes before serving.
While you’re in Lazio…
PrimiAgnolotti del Plin
Small pinched pasta parcels hold a fine filling of braised veal, pork and spinach, dressed simply with butter and sage.
AntipastiAntipasto Misto
Cured meats, cheeses, olives and preserved vegetables make a shared Italian starter, with bread for assembling small bites.
SecondiArrosticini
Small cubes of sheep meat and fat pack slender skewers, grilled until browned and served hot with a simple seasoning of salt.