In our kitchen, roast leg of lamb is a must for Easter dinner. It conjures up childhood memories of savory holiday dinners for both of us - in Ohio as well as in Piedmont. For an Italian slant on this traditional Easter entree, you simply need to add roasted potatoes with rosemary, and you'll be totally alla moda.

(Serves 8)
FOR LAMB:
6-8 lb. Leg of lamb (with rump bone removed)
1/2 c. olive oil
1 teaspoon rosemary
1 teaspoon salt
pepper to taste
6-8 potatoes, cut into quarters or eighths to make thin wedges

FOR BATTUTO:
2 garlic cloves
3 teaspoons dried rosemary, or 2 springs fresh
2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon salt
pepper (3-4 twists of the mill)
1 teaspoon olive oil

Preheat oven to 400.

Trim lamb of all but 1/4" layer of fat.

Chop up dry ingredients of the battuto, mince them further, pile them up, and add 1 teaspoon olive oil to make a paste. With a sharp knife make 6 to 8 slits in the lamb and fill them with the battuto.

Put 1/2 c. olive oil in open roasting pan, add lamb, turn to coat all sides in oil. Sprinkle with remaining 1 teaspoon of rosemary, 2 teaspoons salt, and pepper to taste. Surround lamb with thin wedges of potato, turn them to coat with oil. If desired, sprinkle potatoes with a little additional rosemary and salt. Place pan in 400 degree oven for 10 minutes.

Reduce heat to 375 and roast for approximately 45 minutes more (basting 3-4 times and turning potatoes with spatula), or until 135 degrees on a meat thermometer in the thickest part of the leg (for medium rare). Remove lamb from pan, cover with oil, and let stand 15 minutes. Test potatoes, and if they are not done, return the heat to 400 and finish roasting. Buon appetito!

WINE SUGGESTIONS: Bordeaux-style wines are a classic accompaniment with lamb.
Brentino di Breganze, Maculan - This Bordeaux blend comes from the village of Breganze in the Veneto region near the foothills of the Alps. It's a good value wine, with a mix of 85% merlot and 25% cabernet, but the end result is more fruit-driven than traditional Bordeauxs. At the higher end, there's Maculan's Fratta '99, A full-bodied and robust blend of cabernet (70%) and merlot (30%). Put this one away for a few Easters.

Le Marze Rosso, Elisabetta - Here's something from the Maremma in Tuscany. It's another Bordeaux blend with excellent concentration, but in addition to the cabernet (45%) and merlot (45%), they've added a bit of cabernet franc (10%) for elegance.

Cabernet Sauvignon, Tasca D'Almerita/Regaleali - If you're looking for a 100% cabernet, try this one from Sicily, a smooth and memorable prize-winner. Tasca D'Almerita/Regaleali is one of the island's best-known producers, plus the family has authored a cookbook, so you know they're making food-friendly wines.

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