Abbacchio

Abbacchio is an Italian preparation of lamb typical of Roman cuisine, eaten across central Italy as an Easter and Christmas dish. The name belongs to the Romanesco dialect, where it means the suckling or recently weaned offspring of the sheep, as distinct from agnello, the almost year-old lamb that has been shorn twice. Abbacchio carries the European Union protected geographical indication mark. Its etymology is disputed, with proposals from the Latin ovicula, from ad baculum meaning near the stick, and from the verb abbacchiare, to kill with a stick. Pastoralism made lamb a staple of Lazio, and around one hundred lamb recipes developed there. Well known preparations include abbacchio alla cacciatora, alla romana with garlic, ham and rosemary, a scottadito as ribs grilled over coals, alla brace, brodettato, con i carciofi with artichokes, and all etrusca with sheep cheese and mint. The town of Roiate holds an annual abbacchio festival.