Corata, Coratella

If everyone tasted the coratella produced in Umbria and Lazio just once, the demand for and price of this lamb and kid pluck would leap. In most parts of Italy the offal of young lambs, including the liver, lungs and heart, are discarded and given to animals. In Umbria and Lazio, however, there is a revival of their use in traditional dishes, usually soupy stews flavoured with sage, rosemary, garlic, chilli and thyme. These are so excellent that I have put my version on the menu of my restaurant in London and it has already found many fans. A similar speciality called soffritto di maiale is prepared in Campania using the pluck of pork and it is equally delicious.