Easter lunch is an extraordinary occasion to get together with friends and relatives to taste the traditional Italian dishes of this festive day: casatiello, torta pasqualina, crescia umbra, impanata ragusana and of course spiced baked lamb, a specialty shared by all the Italian regions.
Europrodotti explains how to prepare a traditional baked lamb, a recipe that will fully satisfy even the taste of the most demanding gourmets. Or how to offer an alternative and completely vegetarian version, a dish that for its originality will certainly be appreciated by all your guests as well as vegetarians.
Roast lamb with spices: the king of the Easter table
Easter lamb with spices is a typical dish of Italian cuisine with deep and ancient religious meanings. In fact for both Christians and Jews the sacrifice of the lamb is an act that leads to redemption, salvation and liberation from sin. Bringing this specialty to the table thus perpetuates a thousand-year-old tradition rich in values.
The typical recipe for Easter lamb baked with spices
Ingredients for six people
- 2 kilos of lamb. We recommend choosing the lamb legs, a particularly lean and tender cut that also contains the right amount of fat, useful for softening the meat during cooking and developing an even richer and more flavorful taste. The lamb shoulder is a cheaper alternative even if it tends to have a more fibrous consistency than the leg.
- 4-5 sprigs of rosemary
- 4-5 branchlets of sage
- 4-5 bay leaves
- 3-4 crushed garlic cloves
- A glass of dry white wine
- 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons of white vinegar
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- The juice of a lemon
- A teaspoon of paprika, optional but which adds a pleasant spicy touch
Preparation
- To cook roast lamb properly wash the meat under cold water the night before. Then dry it well by dabbing it with kitchen paper or a cloth.
- Prick it in several places with a knife.
- Prepare the marinade with wine, oil, vinegar, lemon juice, salt, pepper, rosemary, sage, bay leaves, garlic and, in case, paprika.
- Place the lamb in a glass container with the marinade and cover with cling film. Leave to rest overnight in the refrigerator.
- On Easter morning preheat the oven to 180°, if fan-assisted, or to 200° in a static oven.
- Drain the lamb from the marinade, place it in an oiled baking dish and bake for an hour and a half.
- To check if the meat is ready prick it with a knife. If it goes in easily the cooking is finished.
- Before serving let the roast rest for a few minutes. This will make it easier to cut the meat.
- The ideal accompaniment for the spiced roast lamb is a side dish of baked potatoes with rosemary or pan-fried peas with onion.
Seitan "lamb" with Mediterranean herbs and spices: an original vegetarian alternative
Easter is one of those rare yet precious occasions to get together at the table. How wonderful it is to see friends and family after a long time and spend a happy and cheerful day with them! But sometimes we don't all share the same tastes when it comes to food. No problem. The kitchen offers many original and creative solutions to meet the preferences of those who have perhaps chosen a vegetarian diet, such as the seitan "lamb" glazed with Mediterranean herbs and spices.
Seitan is a plant-based food of Japanese origin that is obtained by extracting gluten and eliminating starch from wheat, Kamut or spelt flour. This ingredient offers a high protein content and little fat. It comes in the form of a soft, consistent and elastic dough that is very similar to meat. In fact, you can also find it in the form of roasts, steaks, stews or sausages. The flavor of seitan is particularly intense and delicious and will please both those who have given up meat and those who continue to eat it but are looking for new sensory experiences.
The typical recipe of seitan lamb glazed with Mediterranean herbs and spices
Seitan "lamb" with Mediterranean herbs and spices is an original and appetizing variation of lamb meat. Warm spices such as cinnamon and cumin and aromatic herbs recall the aromas of roast lamb, while the sweet and sour glaze recreates the caramelized crust typical of oven cooking. Seitan offers the advantage of a firm and at the same time soft consistency, perfect for slicing.
Ingredients for six people
- 300 grams of seitan mix
- 250 milliliters of vegetable broth
- 2 tablespoons of soy sauce
- One finely chopped red onion
- 4 cloves of crushed garlic
- 3 tablespoons of tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons of chopped fresh rosemary
- One teaspoon of dried thyme
- One teaspoon of smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon of cinnamon
- One teaspoon of ground cumin
- The zest of one lemon
- Salt and black pepper to taste
For the icing:
- 2 tablespoons of honey
- A tablespoon of balsamic vinegar
- A teaspoon of mustard
- A clove of finely chopped garlic
Preparation:
- Blend the seitan mix with spices, onion, garlic and tomato paste.
- Gradually add the vegetable stock and knead until the mixture becomes elastic. Then form a "roll" similar to a roast.
- Wrap the roast in heat-resistant film and steam for 40 minutes.
- Remove the film and transfer the roast to an oiled baking tray.
- Prepare the glaze by mixing honey, vinegar, mustard and garlic and brush it generously on the seitan.
- Preheat the oven to 180°, if fan-assisted, or to 200° in a static oven.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes until a golden crust forms.
- Serve the roast in thick slices with the side dishes of potatoes or peas.
Europrodotti offers the best assortments of aromatic herbs and spices to season and enhance the flavors and aromas of your Easter recipes, whether they are meat, fish or vegetarian.