Ingredients
- 3 lamb breasts, bones and skin removed
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1½ Tbsp dried oregano, plus a pinch for later
- 1½ Tbsp dried chile flakes, plus a pinch for later
- 2 lemons zest
- Two 3-ounce jars anchovies, drained
- Olive oil
- 1 onion, peeled and sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
- 1 Tbsp capers
- ¾ cup pitted black olives, such as Kalamata, drained
- One 750-ml bottle dry white wine
- One 14-ounce can whole peeled plum tomatoes
How to Make It
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Open out the lamb breasts and place them on a cutting board. Season each one on both sides with salt and pepper. Scatter the oregano, chile flakes, and three-quarters of the lemon zest evenly over the fleshy side of the meat. Arrange the anchovies equally over each breast.
- Starting at the smaller end of the meat, roll each breast into a tight sausage shape and tie at intervals with string.
- Cook the rolled breasts in a large hot, oiled casserole dish for about 3 minutes until lightly browned all over. Remove the lamb and set aside, then add the onion and garlic to the pan. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes until soft and colored. Add the pinches of chile flakes and oregano, the remaining lemon zest, then the capers and olives.
- Add the wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up any bits from the bottom. Boil for 5 minutes, then add the tomatoes and gently bring back to a boil. Return the lamb breasts to the pan, basting them in the sauce.
- Cover the pan with a lid and cook in the preheated oven for 2–2½ hours until the meat is tender. Baste and turn the meat often.
- Remove the meat from the oven and let it rest for a couple of minutes before slicing thickly. Skim any excess fat from the pan, then spoon the sauce over the lamb.
