A recipe from the Good Food collection.
Ingredients
2 rosemary sprigs
3 garlic cloves
75 g (2½ oz) pancetta
2 kg (4 lb 8 oz) leg of lamb, shank bone cut off just above the joint, trimmed of excess fat and tied
1 large onion
125 ml (½ cup) olive oil
375 ml (1½ cups) dry white wine
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 230°C (450°F/Gas 8). Strip the leaves off the rosemary sprigs and chop them with the garlic and pancetta until pastelike. Season with salt and pepper.
2. With the point of a sharp knife, make incisions about 1 cm (½ in) deep all over the lamb. Rub the rosemary filling over the surface of the lamb, pushing it into the incisions.
3. Cut the onion into four thick slices and put them in the centre of a roasting tin. Place the lamb on top and gently pour the olive oil over it. Roast for 15 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 180°C (350°F/Gas 4) and pour in 250 ml (1 cup) of the wine. Roast for 1½ hours for medium-rare, or longer if you prefer. Baste a couple of times and add a little water if the juices start to burn in the tin. Transfer the lamb to a carving platter and leave to rest for 10 minutes.
4. Remove the onion and spoon off the excess fat from the tin. Place over high heat on the stovetop, pour in the remaining wine and cook for 3–4 minutes, or until the sauce reduces and thickens. Taste for seasoning. Slice the lamb and serve with the sauce spooned over the top.