An Abruzzo Easter Springtime Tradition – Agnello Cacio e Ovo

One of Abruzzo’s tastiest traditions, agnello cacio e ovo (lamb in a lemon, egg & cheese sauce), arrives with end of Lent and the Easter celebrations.

I am not sure how much Lent fasting really features anymore in modern Italia, we’ve just been out and bought secret stashes of meat for our neighbour on her request, much to our amusement and the surprise of her family who couldn’t believe that she was breaking (even secretly) her normal self-imposed yearly abstinence. Oh to be old enough to break the habits of a lifetime!

You’ll often find agnello cacio e ovo served throughout the year in Abruzzo agriturismi as an antipasti dish which is great, as beyond its tastiness, it’s incredibly rich so works brilliantly as a little taster.

Historically the lemon-egg based sauce which features in kind throughout Southern Med countries from Israel upwards is not just to give a taste of the sun, but the lemon aids digestion on delicate stomachs that have been upholding religious traditions and plain style eating. The eggs of course symbolise resurrection and continuity for Christians; lamb was traditionally eaten not just for its seasonality but it used to be believed that the devil couldn’t appear in its shape. Why go to all that trouble of fasting and cleansing if he arrived on your plate, what terrible indigestion!

The best thing about this dish for lazy cooks like me is that it’s so easy to make, you can go off to do something else at the same time and it only involves one saucepan so hardly any washing up!

Thanks to Rita from Villa Valsi in Santo Stefano for contributing her family’s take on this traditional Easter Abruzzo recipe.

agnello cacio ovo

An Abruzzo Easter Springtime Tradition - Agnello Cacio e Ovo

Rita Visioni
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • 700 g shoulder of lamb cut into chunky bite-sized pieces and trimmed of all fat
  • Olive Oil
  • 1 Garlic clove smashed
  • 3 Sprigs of Rosemary adjust according to your personal taste
  • Salt and Pepper to taste
  • 1 glass of Trebbiano d'Abruzzo
  • 3 Eggs
  • Juice from 1 Lemon
  • 100 g of Grated Pecorino Cheese

Instructions
 

  • In a pan large enough to contain all the ingredients, add the olive oil and fry the garlic clove, add the rosemary and immediately afterward add the lamb and brown. (I cut out all pieces of bones left by the butcher as I just hate sucking on them and dissecting the meat, but I did retain them and added to the pan to cook with the pieces of meat for their flavour.
  • Pour in the wine and let it evaporate slowly on the lowest heat as it cooks and moistens the meat. Stir occasionally for almost an hour until the meat is super tender. Do make sure that it doesn’t cook dry, replacing with a little bit more wine as needed to keep it moist. The end result should leave you with the lamb being lightly coated in a wine gravy like juice.
  • Whilst the meat is cooking beat the eggs in a bowl adding the lemon juice and pecorino cheese.
  • When the meat is done, remove the pan from the heat, remove the garlic (and bones if you're like me) and add the beaten eggs. Stir gently until the eggs thicken to a creamy consistency (just like when you make a carbonara sauce) Put it back on the heat for a few minutes only if the "cream" is too liquid. Season with salt & pepper (with both the lemon juice & Pecorino cheese for our tastes we didn’t feel it needed additional salt).
  • Serve with roast potatoes and a large mixed green salad.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Sam Dunham
Author: Sam Dunham

Sam is a very lucky midlife 'mamma' to A who is 12 and juggles her work as a self-employed freelance SEO food and travel copywriter and EFL teacher. She is the founder of the Life In Abruzzo Cultural Association, co-founder of Let's Blog Abruzzo. she is the founder of the 'English in the Woods' initiative, teaching English outdoors in a forest style school.


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Angie Fuller.
Angie Fuller.
16 April 2011 14:11

Thanks for recipe, will def’ give it a go as sounds very ‘Moorish’.

Marie D'Amicantonio Stemple
18 April 2017 05:15

I buy the Easter Bread from the Italian Bakery, I get the big one shaped like a wreath with the colored eggs baked in it with an egg wash and colored sprinkles. We have been cooking our leg of lamb ( 10 lb) on the grill after priming it with an herbal rub/past we make of rosemary, lemon rind, minced garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, etc.. That has to stay on the lamb for several hours, wrapping the lamb in saran wrap so the flavors sink in. Then we cook it on the grill (Phil browns it on all sides first in a dutch oven). I buy fresh lasagna pasta sheets on 9th St at the Italian Market in S. Philly and make several large lasagnas. No soup this year, I usaully make a Lemon Cheese Soup but didn’t want to transport to Long Island. This year I made the Coconut Lamb Cake, I alternate & sometimes make a rabbit cake or Easter Egg Cake. Lots of appetizers & desserts in addition to the cake including Merry’s cookies, cupcakes, Junior’s N.Y. Cheescake and Madelaines, one of my favories.and lots of Easter Candy!

Helen Free
15 April 2017 21:44

Lovely to see this recipe from Rita. Santo Stefano on my mind. Thanks LIA

Life in Abruzzo
15 April 2017 22:05
Reply to  Helen Free

It’s always lovely to get a nudge & reshare of an old post, esp in this case when it is such a good recipe

Life in Abruzzo
15 April 2017 21:57

It’s a gem isn’t it, Happy Easter too Laurie! x

Laurie del Biondo
16 April 2017 01:24

Infatti!!! Grazie amica xxx. Tanti abbracci!

Life in Abruzzo
16 April 2017 08:00

Spianata is so good as are the lamb cutlets

Dan
Dan
31 March 2023 04:16

This is my favorite meal of all time. I have fond memories of my grandmother making this every Easter. It was the first course, and what I looked forward to all year, since she died, in 2001, I haven’t had anything close.

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