For Easter dinner, Carole’s father always makes a roast leg of lamb, flavored with lemon and garlic, and accompanied orzo (a pasta in the shape of rice) cooked in the pan drippings. This looks lovely on a platter with slices of lamb arranged over the orzo and sauce.
1 leg of lamb
1/2 lemon
2 garlic cloves
Salt and pepper
6 cups boiling water
2 cups tomato sauce, or 1 can (15 ounces)
1 pound orzo
Grated cheese
Have butcher bone the lamb and remove all oil sacs and excess fat. Squeeze lemon juice over lamb, and put lemon half and cloves of garlic in cavity where bones were removed. Lightly salt and pepper meat and place in shallow roasting pan. Bake in a 425 degree F oven for 30 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees F and roast until lamb registers 185 degrees F on meat thermometer and is well browned. Remove from pan and keep warm.
Add boiling water and tomato sauce to pan drippings and stir in orzo. Return to oven and bake until orzo is soft and has absorbed water, 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from oven, and cover with foil. Allow to stand 10 minutes. Arrange orzo on platter with lamb, and serve with grated cheese.