OUR TRADITIONAL MENU DI SABATO SANTO (HOLY SATURDAY)

While fasting and abstinence are no longer required on Holy Saturday, for us fasting in the morning and eating dinner around 6 p.m. is a good way to observe this sacred day.  As mentioned in other posts, it's our tradition to buy a young, locally grown lamb at Easter time.

Now to the menu.

Lamb Scottadito (finger-blistering grilled lamb chops)

·     12 thickly cut lamb chops

·     leaves from sprig of fresh rosemary

·     2 cloves of garlic

·     1/4 pound cured lard or prosciutto fat 

·     Salt & pepper to taste 

Grind the lard, rosemary leaves, and garlic to make a smooth paste. Spread it on both sides of the chops and let them sit in a cool place for at least 8 hours or overnight.

Fire up your grill and when hot, lay down the lamb chops. Cook them briefly, flip them, and grill the other sides. Cooking time should be 5 to 10 minutes, depending upon your grill and your taste.  We like them medium rare.

Remove them and serve while they're hot enough to burn the fingers.

I like to serve the lamb chops with Spezzatino di Carciofi (Artichoke stew).

In the alternate, an abundance of Zucchini Fritters (Frittelle di Zucchine)