This is an Italian interpretation of a grilled lamb entrée you might see at a Lebanese restaurant. Scottadito means “burnt fingers” in Italian, and it refers to the fact that the lamb bones are meant to be picked up with your fingers while they’re searingly hot. We serve the lamb with a tabbouleh-like salad made of fregola sarda, a bread crumb–size pasta shape from Sardinia so small it acts like a grain in the kitchen, and Greek yogurt.

　　

Ingredients

serves 4

　　

for the lamb

Zested strips of 3 lemons

　　1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh mint leaves

　　1 tablespoon sugar

　　1 teaspoon kosher salt

　　1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

　　12 lamb rib chops (about 2 pounds)

　　

for the fregola sarda salad

Kosher salt

　　1/4 cup fregola sarda

　　Extra-virgin olive oil

　　1/2 cup halved Sweet 100 tomatoes, cut through the stem ends, or cherry tomatoes, quartered

　　1/2 cup finely diced red onion

　　1/4 cup finely diced peeled cucumber

　　2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh mint leaves

　　2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh Italian parsley leaves

　　1 teaspoon grated garlic

　　1 lemon, halved

　　1/2 cup Lemon Vinaigrette (page 29), plus more to taste

　　

for the yogurt sauce

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons strained whole-milk Greek yogurt

　　1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

　　

for serving the lamb

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

　　12 whole tiny fresh mint leaves

　　Finishing-quality extra-virgin olive oil

　　Smoked paprika

　　

Step 1

To prepare the lamb, chop two-thirds of the lemon zest strips, reserving the remaining third for garnish, and place them in a bowl large enough to hold the lamb or in a nonreactive baking dish. Stir in the mint, sugar, salt, and pepper to combine. Add the lamb chops and turn to coat the meat on all sides with the seasonings. (You can prepare the chops to this point up to several hours in advance. Cover the bowl or dish tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until you’re ready to grill them. Remove the lamb from the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before grilling.)

　　

Step 2

To prepare the fregola, fill a medium saucepan with water, bring it to a boil over high heat, and salt it to taste like the ocean, adding approximately 1 tablespoon of salt to each quart of water. Place a colander in the sink or have a wire strainer handy to lift the pasta out of the water. Add the fregola, stir to prevent it from sticking together, and cook, using the time indicated on the package as a guide, until al dente. Drain the fregola, and transfer it to a large bowl. Drizzle with a small amount of olive oil, toss to coat it with the oil, and set it aside to cool to room temperature.

　　

Step 3

Put the tomatoes in a small bowl and season them with salt. Add the onion, cucumber, mint, parsley, garlic, and the seasoned tomatoes to the bowl with the fregola. Squeeze the lemon and drizzle the vinaigrette over the salad. Toss to thoroughly combine the ingredients and coat them with the vinaigrette. Taste for seasoning and add more salt, if desired.

　　

Step 4

To prepare the yogurt sauce, stir the yogurt and olive oil together until combined.

　　

Step 5

To grill the lamb chops, prepare a hot fire in a gas or charcoal grill or preheat a grill pan or heavy-bottomed skillet over high heat.

　　

Step 6

Remove the lamb chops from the rub and season them with salt and pepper on both sides. Grill the lamb chops for about 2 minutes per side for medium rare, turning them only once. Remove the lamb chops to a plate.

　　

Step 7

Spoon 1 tablespoon of the yogurt sauce on each of four plates and spread it out to form a pool about 3 inches in diameter. Spoon the fregola on top of the yogurt, leaving a rim of the yogurt visible. Place three lamb chops on each plate, leaning one against the other like a fallen teepee. Top each serving with a tangle of reserved lemon zest and 3 of the mint leaves. Drizzle 1 teaspoon of the finishing-quality olive oil over and around each serving of lamb, sprinkle a pinch of paprika on each plate around the lamb, and serve.

　　

suggested wine pairing

Step 8

Cerasuolo di Vittoria (Sicily)

　　The Mozza Cookbook