Name: Abbacchio a scottadito
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 58 min
Cuisine: Italian, Lazio
Ingredients: 20 small lamb rib chops, about 1.2 kg total; 120 ml dry white wine; 30 ml extra-virgin olive oil; 1 garlic clove, lightly crushed; 5 g fresh rosemary; 2 g fresh thyme leaves; 8 g fine sea salt; 2 g freshly ground black pepper; 1 lemon, cut into wedges, optional at the table

Abbacchio a scottadito: wide hero view of the finished traditional dish

Prep15 minutes

Cook10 minutes

Total58 minutes

Yield4 servings

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The dish

About Abbacchio a scottadito

VisitLazio gives a traditional formula for four people using 20 abbacchio chops, white wine, garlic, thyme, rosemary, extra-virgin olive oil, salt and pepper.

The regional method marinates the chops for at least 30 minutes, then explicitly dries the meat before cooking.

The chops cook about five minutes per side and are served immediately, emphasizing the direct hot-grill character rather than a long braise or sauce.

For reproducible food safety, this home version also checks the thickest chop for at least 63°C followed by the required three-minute rest for whole lamb cuts.

Technique

Three things that matter

Keep the marinade short. Thirty minutes seasons the thin chops without turning their exterior wet and soft.
Dry before the grill. A dry surface browns quickly instead of steaming.
Serve very hot. Scottadito is defined by immediate service from intense heat.

Cook the dish

Ingredients

Everything needed to prepare the dish, arranged for fast scanning before cooking.

Lamb chops

20 smalllamb rib chopsabout 1.2 kg total
120 mldry white wine
30 mlextra-virgin olive oil
1garlic clovelightly crushed
5 gfresh rosemary
2 gfresh thyme leaves
8 gfine sea salt
2 gfreshly ground black pepper

To serve

1lemoncut into wedges, optional at the table

Step by step

Method

Marinate briefly

Arrange the chops. Lay the small rib chops in a shallow dish in as close to one layer as possible.
Chops should be evenly exposed to the seasoning rather than stacked densely.
Add wine, oil and herbs. Combine white wine, olive oil, garlic, rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper and coat the chops.
Every surface should be lightly wetted but the meat need not swim in liquid.
Rest 30 minutes chilled. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
The herbs should perfume the surface while the meat remains firm.

Prepare for intense heat

Preheat the grill fully. Bring a charcoal or gas grill to strong direct heat before the meat leaves the marinade.
The grate should be hot enough to give an immediate loud sizzle.
Dry the chops. Lift chops from marinade and pat both sides thoroughly dry; discard used marinade.
The exterior should look matte rather than glossy-wet.
Arrange with space. Set chops over direct heat without crowding and keep a cooler area available for flare-ups.
Air gaps should allow clean browning around each chop.

Grill, rest and serve

Grill the first side. Cook about 4–5 minutes over high heat, moving temporarily away from any sustained fat flames.
The first side should develop deep brown grill marks without black soot.
Turn and finish. Flip and grill another 4–5 minutes, checking the thickest chop for at least 63°C.
The exterior should be browned while the centre remains juicy.
Rest three minutes and serve. Transfer to a clean platter, rest 3 minutes and serve immediately with lemon wedges if desired.
The chops should reach the table piping hot, with juices retained after the short rest.

Practical guidance

Serving

VisitLazio suggests accompaniments such as Roman-style artichokes, grilled vegetables or puntarelle; keep side dishes simple enough not to mask the grilled lamb.

Flare-ups

If dripping fat ignites, move chops briefly to the cooler zone rather than letting flames lick the meat continuously.

Marinade

Do not reuse raw-meat marinade as a sauce unless it is boiled safely; this recipe discards it.

Troubleshooting

Chops are grey rather than browned. The grill was not hot enough or the chops were not dried after marinating.
Outside burns before centre is ready. Move to a slightly cooler part of the grill and finish to temperature.
Meat is dry. The thin chops were cooked too long; use an instant-read thermometer instead of extending time by habit.

Nutrition per serving

Serving size: 5 small chops
Calories: approximately 535 kcal
Carbohydrates: 3 g
Protein: 47 g
Fat: 36 g
Fibre: 1 g
Sodium: 690 mg

Approximate values vary with chop size and rendered fat.

Allergens and food safety

Handle raw lamb and used marinade as contaminated until cleaned.

Whole lamb chops should reach at least 63°C and rest 3 minutes.

Cool leftovers within 2 hours and reheat to 74°C.

FAQ

What does scottadito mean?

The name evokes chops served so hot from the grill that they can almost “burn the fingers.”

How long should the chops marinate?

The VisitLazio method specifies at least 30 minutes; a much longer marinade is unnecessary for thin chops.

Why dry the chops after marinating?

Removing surface liquid lets high heat create browning rather than steam.

Final note

What matters most

Result: Small Roman lamb chops with deep grilled edges, rosemary and garlic aroma, a juicy centre and a clean white-wine lift.
Key: Marinate briefly, dry thoroughly, grill very hot and rest exactly three minutes before immediate service.