Suckling lamb pomodoro
Prep 20 mins
Cook 2 hrs
Serves 6
Difficulty 3
“This dish is one of those ones that screams comfort,” says Carlo Grossi. “It’s bowl food, the kind you can tuck into with some soft polenta or crusty bread to mop up the sauce. It will make you feel good, both cooking it and consuming it.”
1.2 kg piece boneless suckling lamb shoulder
¾ tsp whole cloves
¾ tsp toasted fennel seeds
1 tsp black peppercorns
1 tsp salt
500g Dutch cream potatoes, peeled and cut into wedges
1 onion, finely chopped
⅓ cup oregano, chopped
2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
50ml olive oil
150ml white wine
350ml passata
350ml chicken stock
30g packaged breadcrumbs
50g (½ cup) finely grated Grana Padano parmesan
1. Preheat the oven to 170°C (fan-forced). Cut the lamb into roughly 4-cm pieces and place in an earthenware dish or roasting tin. Grind the cloves, fennel seeds and peppercorns into a powder with a mortar and pestle, then mix in the salt. Rub the mixture into the lamb.
2. Add the potato, onion, oregano, parsley, garlic, olive oil and white wine to the lamb. Pour in the passata and stock and mix to combine. Cover the top with the breadcrumbs and cheese and, using your fingers, push some of the crumbs and cheese into the liquid, not disturbing the top of the lamb which will form a crust as it cooks. Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes or until the meat is tender.
INGREDIENTS
METHOD
This is an edited extract from Ombra: Recipes from the Salumi Bar by Carlo Grossi, published by Lantern, RRP $39.99, on Tuesday 30 March 2021.
