Cooking Easy Food

1 x 2kg leg of lamb (trim off excess fat only)

(mix the following in a blender until like a paste)
2 sprigs of rosemary
3 garlic cloves
75grammes pancetta
(season with salt and plenty of pepper)

Pre-heat oven 230° (450°F/Gas 8).

Make sharp knife incisions about ½ inch deep all over the lamb. Rub the rosemary paste over the surface of the lamb and press into the incisions.

1 large onion - cut into 4 thick slices
½ cup olive oil
1½ cups (dry) white wine

Put the onion slices 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 1 cup of the wine. Roast for 1 hour (for medium-rare), or longer if you prefer. Baste (spoon the liquid over the joint) a couple of times during cooking 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.

Discard the onion and spoon off the excess fat from the tin. Place over high heat on the stove, pour in the remaining wine and cook for 3-4 minutes or until the sauce reduces and slightly thickens. Taste for seasoning. Slice the lamb and serve on a warm serving platter with the sauce spooned over the top.