Goat meat has long tradition in Italian cuisine
By Rachel Roddy The Guardian
Tracking ingredients through the Newton & Compton regional recipe series makes me feel like Julia Donaldson’s detective dog Nell. Although, rather than investigating who stole the library books, the scent is cooking patterns and the differences between the 20 regions of Italy. The word this week was capra (goat). All 20 regions have recipes. Abruzzo is the most generous, pro- viding seven in total. Three braises — with herbs, tomatoes and sweet-and-sour onions — two roasts, and two brodettati (that is, braised and then given a silky finish with egg yolks and lemon). Among Sicily’s six recipes, there is one for young goat cooked with tomato, potatoes and olives and finished with cheese; another for a stew with ground and sliced almonds.
The Sardinian edition also has six recipes. One for goat roasted with a breadcrumb and herb crust, another (for large festive occa- sions) that involves digging a hole, lining it with branches of myrtle and rosemary, and baking a goat whole.
The Roman-Laziale edition, a particularly useful one by Livio Jannatoni, features only two recipes. One for goat all’arrabbiata, which, like the pasta of the same name, involves tomatoes and enough red chili to justify its name (arrabbiata means angry), and kids’ feet stewed with broad beans.
There is also an essay about ancient Roman habits and their preference for goat meat over lamb. It also notes that, until the 1920s, goats lived alongside people — not just on the outskirts of the city but in the center of Rome, in villas, gardens and communal court-
Rachel Roddy’s braised goat with rosemary and potatoes: Of the many Italian recipes for goat, this stew is perhaps the most Roman in approach, braised with chilies, wine and waxy potatoes.
yards, their bells as familiar as those of churches. Female goats provided milk, of course, but older animals, and young males, were cooked in the same way as lamb. So, there are actually 20 recipes, with everything for lamb — from slow wine
July 2025 | Goat Rancher
7
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32
