Wash and carefully dry the lamb leg. Peel and chop the onion.

Arrange the lamb leg in a baking dish. Rub with olive oil and season with salt, pepper and chili pepper powder, to your liking. Bake in a 400°F (200°C) oven for about an hour, turning the meat from time to time.

Once the meat is done cooking, drizzle with a couple drops of lemon juice and cover with the pecorino.

Chef's tips

Cover the baking pan with aluminum foil so that the lamb doesn’t dry out or brown excessively. Also be careful not to overcook the meat.

Food History

Lamb has been commonly consumed in the Mediterranean area since the ancient Greek, Etruscan and Roman cultures. In fact, in Homer’s famous Iliad, the Greek hero, Achilles, was described often cooking bite-sized pieces of lamb.
In the Italian tradition, lamb was cooked especially in the south, expect during the Easter season when it was eaten throughout the country.
Elsewhere, lamb is the symbol of both the Jewish and Christian Easter. According to the Old Testament, the Jewish population sacrificed lambs for the God of Israel before leaving Egypt. In the second tradition, an innocent lamb is a symbol of Christ’s death. In the New Testament, Jesus Christ died on a cross to save humanity, forever changing the idea of sacrifice in the name of God.

Other suggested recipes

• Lamb with Artichokes 
• Easter lamb 
• Leg of lamb with chestnuts