History

Abbacchio is the milk-fed Lazio lamb of the Roman Easter tradition, slaughtered at around 30 days old and weighing 8 to 10 kilos. The scottadito (burns-the-fingers) preparation is the cutlets, dipped briefly in olive oil with rosemary, salt and pepper, then grilled hot on a wood fire and eaten with the hands as the lamb is too hot for cutlery. The dish is the staple of Roman Easter lunch and runs on bistro menus from March through May. Felice a Testaccio, Armando al Pantheon and the city's trattoria canon all serve canonical versions; the lamb-bone gravy on the plate is part of the dish.

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Make it at home

Yield 2Hands-on 15 minTotal 25 minDifficulty Easy

Ingredients

  • 8 small lamb cutlets (preferably milk-fed Lazio or grass-fed spring lamb)
  • 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 4 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves only
  • 3 cloves garlic, crushed
  • Coarse sea salt, freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 lemon, cut in wedges

Method

  1. Lay the lamb cutlets in a shallow dish. Crush the rosemary and garlic into the olive oil. Pour over the lamb and rub to coat both sides. Leave 30 minutes at room temperature.
  2. Heat a heavy ridged grill pan or charcoal grill until very hot (smoking).
  3. Wipe excess marinade off the cutlets. Season generously with coarse salt.
  4. Grill the cutlets for 60 to 90 seconds per side for milk-fed lamb (longer for larger spring lamb). The exterior should be charred and the interior pink.
  5. Transfer to warm plates immediately. Squeeze lemon over and serve with the lemon wedges. Eat with the hands.

Tip from the editors. The grill must be smoking-hot; cold pan steams the lamb. Eat the cutlets immediately and with the hands; this is the canonical Roman ritual.

Where to eat abbacchio scottadito

Abbacchio scottadito in Rome

Felice a Testaccio ★ 4.6

€€ Roman TrattoriaTestaccio

Felice a Testaccio in Rome has served the Testaccio working-quarter cucina since 1936. Kitchen leans roman trattoria. At Via Mastro Giorgio 29.

OrderThe tonnarelli cacio e pepe tossed at the table, then saltimbocca alla romana and tiramisu.

TipBook a fortnight ahead on the website. Lunch is calmer; the 21:00 dinner sitting is the longest wait.

Directions Book

Armando al Pantheon ★ 4.8

€€ Roman TrattoriaCentro Storico

Armando al Pantheon in Rome has cooked the four Roman pastas and the quinto quarto canon since 1961, a few steps from the Pantheon. Located in Centro Storico.

OrderCacio e pepe, coda alla vaccinara, and the abbacchio when it's on the carte.

TipBookings open exactly two months ahead on the website. Walk-up tables exist but only for lone diners and only at 12:30.

Directions Book

Trattoria Pennestri ★ 4.6

€€ ItalianOstiense

Trattoria Pennestri is a italian room in Ostiense. Closed Monday all day, Sunday dinner. Lunch is the calmer service. Book ten days ahead for dinner.

Why locals goHidden in the south Ostiense industrial edge, Tommaso Pennestri's modern trattoria runs the rigatoni alla gricia and pajata under most tourist radars.

TipClosed Monday all day, Sunday dinner. Lunch is the calmer service. Book ten days ahead for dinner.

Directions Book a table

Perilli ★ 4.1

€€ Roman TrattoriaTestaccio

Perilli in Rome's Testaccio has cooked the rigatoni con la pajata and the bucatini all'amatriciana since 1911. Kitchen leans roman trattoria.

OrderRigatoni con la pajata (the dish of the house), bucatini all'amatriciana and a glass of Frascati.

TipClosed Wednesday all day. Cash and card; cover charge is €2 per head.

Directions

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