Italian Dinner - Roman Lamb with Roasted Vegetables

Hi All
Time to get really serious.
Roman Spring Lamb comes from Silver Spoon, remember The Bible of Authentic Italian Cooking, which transformed G, who is cooking, what has become his signature dish.
Traditionally there would be Prima Piatti - soup, pasta, risotto pizza, or bread. G insists that we don't need pasta and since he is cooking the lamb, I am going along with this. One of the downsides of having a husband in the kitchen is that he becomes extraordinarily bossy. If I was serving pasta it would be Bella's Walnut Pesto Pasta - another day.
Secondi Piatti: - Roman Spring Lamb
Contorni: - Roasted Vegetables with Pesto Dressing
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ABBACCHIO ALLA ROMANA
Serves 4
1kg / 2 1/4lb, leg of lamb
plain flour, for dusting
3tbsp Olive Oil
3 fresh rosemary sprigs
4 fresh sage leaves, chopped
i garlic clove, crushed
175ml/6 fl oz white wine
5 tbsp white wine vinegar
4 potatoes (opt)
Salt and Pepper




Chop the leg into pieces. Preheat oven to 180C/350F. Dust lamb with flour, heat oil in lrg roasting pan, seal lamb over high heat (10 mins). Season with S & P, add herbs and garlic. Add wine and vinegar and cook until liquid has almost evaporated. Add 150ml/1/4 pint boiling water, add potatoes, cover and roast in oven for 30 mins or until tender.
For an even tastier alternative, omit the potatoes, and when lamb is almost ready, transfer 2-3 tbsp of the gravy to a small pan, add three boned and chopped anchovies and cook over low heat, mashing the anchovies with a wooden spoon. Pour sauce over meat and roast for a few minutes before serving. Garnish with Rosemary sprigs.
ps - G goes for the tasty alternative without the potatoes which will be served separately.



ROASTED VEGETABLE WITH PESTO Serves 4
440 g parsnip, peeled and quartered
600g sweet potato (kumera) peeled and quartered
800g fennel, quartered
800g potatoes, peeled and quartered
2tbsp olive oil
16 sprigs thyme
sea salt and black pepper
500g cherry tomatoes
220g green olives
baby spinach leaves, to serve


Preheat oven 200C / 390F. Toss veges (except for tomatoes and spinach) in oil and seasoning, and roast for 35 mins then add tomatoes for a further 5 minutes. Serve with spinach and pesto.
Pesto Dressing
4 tbsp choppped mint leaves
4 tbsp chopped basil leaves
1/2 cup finely grated parmasan
4 tbsp olive oil
Combine ingredients



Salad Refresher I can never quite get used to the way pasta is served first as the Prima Piatti before Secondi Piatti or salads served after. This one comes from the book 'Irresistible Italy' by Bill and Patsy Rowe, who we were lucky enough to meet when we were in Tuscany. The book features Bella's and Umbi's farming estate, Podernuovo, near the medieval village of Casteldelpiano. (They are my SIL and BIL who are coming to dinner and this is Bella's recipe! Hope I do it right)


FENNEL AND ORANGE SALAD Serves 6 (probably enough for 8 as a refresher)
1 bunch curly endive (or rocket)
1 small fennel bulb, cut into thin strips
3 oranges, peeled and segmented
1 red onion, sliced
20 black olives

Orange Dressing
3 1/2 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tbsp fresh fennel leaves, chopped
1/2 tsp sugar
Freshly ground pepper to taste.

Dessert, Dolci, tomorrow - Have to go and get a life!
Cheers Clara