Lamb with Cheese and Egg

Ingredients

• 800 g Boneless lamb
• 4 tbsp Extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves Garlic
• 2 sprigs Rosemary
• 150 ml White wine
• 4 Eggs
• 80 g Pecorino cheese
• 1 Lemon
• 1 tsp Salt
• 0.5 tsp Black pepper

Steps

1. Debone the lamb leg or shoulder, trim away excess fat and cut the meat into bite-sized chunks of about 4 cm.
2. Heat the olive oil in a heavy pan with the whole garlic cloves and the rosemary sprigs, warming gently for a few seconds to perfume the oil.
3. Add the lamb and brown over high heat on all sides until deeply coloured.
4. Pour in the white wine and let it bubble until the alcohol evaporates.
5. Season with salt and pepper, cover, lower the heat and simmer gently for about 40 minutes, adding a splash of hot water if the pan runs dry, until the lamb is fork-tender.
6. Meanwhile, beat the eggs in a bowl with the grated pecorino, the lemon zest, the lemon juice and a pinch of pepper until smooth and creamy.
7. Discard the garlic cloves and rosemary sprigs from the pan.
8. Turn the heat to very low and pour in the egg-and-cheese mixture.
9. Stir constantly for a minute or two until the eggs just thicken into a creamy sauce that coats the meat, never letting them scramble firm.
10. Serve at once.

Tips

• Use a young pecorino abruzzese if you can find it; an aged pecorino romano works but is much saltier, so reduce the added salt.
• Keep the heat at its lowest when adding the eggs — if the pan is too hot they will scramble instead of forming a glossy cream.
• A dish traditionally served at Easter; bring the meat to the table straight from the pan, as the egg sauce stiffens as it cools.