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Scottadito means ‘burnt fingers’ in Italian, and that tells you exactly how this dish is meant to be eaten: straight off the grill, too hot to hold politely, with the bone as a handle.
This is a Roman Easter tradition built around abbacchio – milk-fed lamb no older than a few weeks. The chops are cut thin, pounded flatter, marinated briefly in rosemary, garlic, olive oil, and lemon, then grilled hard and fast over high heat.
The technique matters more than the marinade here. High heat, a short cook, and a hot grill grate are what give the edges that charred crust while keeping the center pink and tender.
Outside of Rome in spring, you can make a very good version with regular young lamb rib chops. The flavor shifts slightly, but the method and the spirit stay the same.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Ready in under 30 minutes with minimal prep work
- High heat grilling gives charred edges and pink center
- Simple rosemary-garlic marinade lets the lamb shine
- Authentic Roman recipe with just five core ingredients
Ingredient Notes
- Lamb rib chops (abbacchio): Traditional abbacchio is milk-fed Roman lamb, cut very thin (about 1.5 cm). Outside Italy, ask your butcher for young lamb rib chops and have them frenched. The thinner the chop, the faster and more evenly it chars.
- Fresh rosemary: Use fresh rosemary, not dried – dried burns bitter at the high temperatures this recipe needs. Strip the leaves and chop them finely so they stick to the meat.
- Garlic: Grate or mince the garlic fine so it distributes evenly in the marinade. Whole slices tend to slip off and burn on the grill.
- Lemon: Use both the zest and the juice. The zest carries more fragrance into the meat; the juice tenderizes slightly and brightens the fat.
- Extra-virgin olive oil: A medium-fruity olive oil works well here. You don’t need your best bottle – the heat will mute the nuances – but avoid light or refined olive oil, which has no flavor to contribute.
- Black pepper: Crack it coarsely. Fine-ground pepper disappears into the marinade; coarser pieces toast against the grill and add a sharper bite.
Abbacchio alla Scottadito (Roman Grilled Lamb Chops)
Ingredients
Method
- Place each lamb chop between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound lightly with a meat mallet to about 1 cm thickness, working from the meat outward toward the bone.
- In a shallow baking dish, mix together the olive oil, chopped rosemary, grated garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, cracked black pepper, and fine sea salt until combined.
- Add the chops to the dish and turn to coat on all sides. Leave to marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes - do not refrigerate at this stage.
- Preheat a charcoal grill or heavy cast-iron griddle pan over high heat for at least 5 minutes, until visibly smoking.
- Lift the chops from the marinade and pat lightly with paper towels to remove excess liquid - this prevents steaming and helps the crust form.
- Place the chops on the grill in a single layer without overlapping. You should hear an immediate, loud sizzle. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes without moving them, until the underside shows clear char marks and the edges turn from pink to pale brown.
- Flip the chops once and cook for a further 2 to 2.5 minutes on the second side, until the center registers 57 to 60 C / 135 to 140 F for medium-pink. The exterior should be charred at the thinnest edges near the bone.
- Transfer to a warm plate and rest for 2 minutes. Finish with flaky sea salt immediately before serving.
Notes
Tips for Success
- Pound each chop lightly with a meat mallet to about 1 cm thickness so the bone end and the meat cook at the same rate.
- Pat the chops dry before placing on the grill – excess marinade oil causes flare-ups that char the outside before the center is done.
- Preheat the grill or griddle pan for at least 5 minutes on high so the grate is genuinely smoking hot when the lamb hits it.
- Cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side only – pull the chops when they still show a blush of pink inside; carryover heat finishes them.
- Season with flaky salt immediately after grilling, not before – salting too early draws out moisture and slows the crust formation.
Variations
- Mint and anchovy version: swap rosemary for fresh mint and add two minced anchovy fillets to the marinade for a sharper, more savory edge.
- Spiced version: add half a teaspoon of ground cumin and a pinch of chili flakes to the marinade for a North African-influenced take.
- Pan-grilled indoor version: use a heavy cast-iron griddle pan at maximum heat and open a window – results are close to outdoor grilling with good grate marks.
Storage and Reheating
Cooked scottadito chops keep in the fridge for up to 2 days in an airtight container. The texture softens as they cool, which is normal for thin lamb cuts.
Reheat in a very hot griddle pan for 1 minute per side rather than the microwave, which turns the exterior rubbery. A quick pass under a hot broiler for 2 minutes also works well.
These don’t freeze well – the thin cut dries out significantly after freezing and thawing. Cook them fresh if possible.
Serving Suggestions
In Rome, scottadito is typically served with nothing more than a wedge of lemon and rough-cut bread to mop up the juices. That simplicity is worth respecting.
If you want a side, Roman-style braised chicory (cicoria ripassata) or roasted artichokes (carciofi alla romana) are the traditional companions. A simple dressed arugula salad with shaved Parmigiano also works well and takes almost no time to prepare.
For wine, a medium-bodied red with some grip cuts through the lamb fat cleanly. A young Cesanese del Piglio from Lazio is the local pairing; a Montepulciano d’Abruzzo is a practical alternative at a lower price.
FAQ
Why does my scottadito come out tough even though I didn’t overcook it?
The most common cause is chops cut too thick – they need to be no more than 1 to 1.5 cm so high heat can cook them through quickly without drying out the muscle fibers. Also check that your grill was fully preheated before the lamb went on.
Can I use regular lamb chops instead of milk-fed abbacchio for this recipe?
Yes – young lamb rib chops from a butcher are the practical substitute outside of Italy. The flavor is slightly stronger and less delicate than true abbacchio, but the recipe works well. Avoid older mutton chops, which are too thick and fatty for this fast-grill method.
Can I marinate the lamb chops overnight for abbacchio alla scottadito?
A 30-minute to 2-hour marinade is ideal. Longer than 4 hours and the lemon juice starts to break down the surface proteins, which gives the cooked chops a slightly mealy texture rather than a clean bite.
What is the difference between abbacchio alla scottadito and costolette d’agnello?
Abbacchio alla scottadito uses very young milk-fed lamb (abbacchio), cut thin and grilled fast so you eat them holding the bone. Costolette d’agnello is a broader term for lamb chops and can refer to thicker cuts, breaded preparations, or pan-fried versions using older lamb.
Is abbacchio alla scottadito gluten-free?
The base recipe is naturally gluten-free – it’s lamb, olive oil, rosemary, garlic, lemon, and salt. No flour or breadcrumbs are involved. Check that any store-bought seasoning blends you use don’t contain fillers with gluten.
How do I know when the lamb chops are done on the grill?
On a 1 cm thick chop over high heat, 2 to 2.5 minutes per side gives you a pink center with a charred crust – that’s the target. If you press the center and it feels soft with a little give, it’s still pink inside; firm and springy means it’s cooked through.