Cutturidd Lucano (Italian Basilicata Lamb Stew)
- 6 days ago
- 6 min read
Updated: 2 days ago
Cutturidd, also written cutturidd or cutturiedd depending on local dialect, belongs to the pastoral cooking of Basilicata. Its identity comes from lamb cooked slowly with simple vegetables and herbs in a covered pot, historically over a gentle fire. The dish is associated with shepherding culture and the practical need to transform bone-in lamb into a tender, nourishing meal using ingredients available in rural kitchens.
The word is connected to the cooking vessel and method rather than to one rigid list of ingredients. Household versions may include potatoes, tomatoes, onions, celery, peppers or wild herbs in different proportions. What matters is the technique: the lamb cooks gently until its connective tissue softens, the vegetables absorb the meat juices, and the liquid becomes a concentrated broth-like sauce rather than a thick commercial stew gravy.
This version uses bone-in lamb shoulder, potatoes, tomatoes, onion, garlic, celery, rosemary and bay. The tomato is restrained. It provides acidity and color but does not bury the lamb. Potatoes enter after the meat has begun to soften so they remain intact and absorb the braising liquid without turning the dish pasty.
Recipe Information
Serves: 6
Preparation time: 25 minutes
Cooking time: about 2 hours
Resting time: 10 minutes
Total time: about 2 hours 35 minutes
Ingredients
• Bone-in lamb shoulder or neck: 3 1/2 lb (1.6 kg), cut into large pieces
• Yukon Gold potatoes: 1 1/2 lb (680 g), cut into large chunks
• Crushed tomatoes: 1 1/2 cups (360 g)
• Yellow onion: 1 large, sliced
• Celery: 2 stalks, sliced
• Garlic: 4 cloves, lightly crushed
• Extra virgin olive oil: 3 tbsp (45 ml)
• Dry Italian white or red wine: 3/4 cup (180 ml)
• Unsalted stock or water: 2 cups (480 ml), approximately
• Fresh rosemary: 2 sprigs
• Bay leaf: 1
• Fresh parsley: 1/3 cup, chopped
• Fine sea salt: 2 tsp, divided
• Freshly ground black pepper: 1 tsp
• Red pepper flakes: 1/4 tsp, optional
Preparation
1. Pat the lamb completely dry and season with about half the salt and all the black pepper.
2. Heat the olive oil in a heavy casserole over medium-high heat. Brown the lamb in batches on every side. Transfer the browned pieces to a tray.
3. Lower the heat to medium. Add onion and celery and cook 7 to 8 minutes until soft. Add garlic, rosemary, bay leaf and red pepper flakes and cook briefly.
4. Add the wine and scrape the bottom of the pot. Reduce by about half.
5. Add crushed tomatoes and 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) hot stock or water. Return the lamb and its juices. The liquid should come about halfway up the meat.
6. Bring to a very gentle simmer, cover partially and cook 70 minutes. Turn the lamb once or twice.
7. Add the potatoes and continue cooking 35 to 45 minutes until the lamb is fork-tender and the potatoes are cooked through but still intact.
8. Remove rosemary stems and bay leaf. If the liquid is too thin, transfer the lamb and potatoes to a warm platter and reduce the sauce for several minutes.
9. Return everything to the pot, taste for salt and rest off the heat for 10 minutes. Finish with parsley and a small thread of extra virgin olive oil.
Professional Technique
Cutturidd should simmer, not boil. A hard boil makes bone-in lamb tighten on the outside, emulsifies too much fat into the liquid and causes potatoes to break apart. Gentle heat allows collagen to convert gradually into gelatin, producing a naturally rich cooking liquid without flour or starch thickeners.
The initial browning stage is not present in every old household version, but it gives a cleaner modern result and deeper flavor. If seeking a paler, more historically rustic stew, the lamb can be layered raw with vegetables and cooked slowly from the beginning. For a professional article and repeatable flavor, browning first creates a more complex base while preserving the same slow-cooked character.
Liquid quantity must remain controlled. Cutturidd is not soup. The lamb and vegetables release water as they cook. Start with less liquid than seems necessary and add more hot stock only if the pot threatens to dry before the meat is tender.
Chef Tips
Shoulder and neck are ideal because they contain enough connective tissue to enrich the broth. Leg can be used, but the pieces should be monitored closely and removed once tender. Avoid very small cubes because they lose moisture before the sauce has developed.
Cut potatoes large enough that they survive at least 35 minutes of gentle simmering. Waxy or all-purpose potatoes are better than very floury varieties. Add them only when the lamb has already completed more than half its cooking time.
A small amount of red pepper can give Lucanian warmth without turning the dish hot. If using dried cruschi peppers as a finishing element, add them only at service so their crisp texture is not destroyed in the braising liquid.
Common Mistakes
Do not add all the stock at the beginning. Do not boil hard, and do not cut potatoes too small. Another common mistake is using a large quantity of tomato. The sauce should taste primarily of lamb, onion and herbs, with tomato acting as a supporting acidity.
Do not serve immediately from the fire. Ten minutes of rest allows fat to rise, the sauce to settle and the meat fibers to relax. Skim only obvious excess fat; removing every trace strips away flavor.
Wine Pairing
Aglianico del Vulture Superiore DOCG — The essential regional match: structured tannin, dark fruit and savory character suit lamb, tomato and herbs.
Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC — Generous fruit and moderate tannin work naturally with rustic slow-cooked lamb and potatoes.
Chianti Classico DOCG — Sangiovese acidity cuts through lamb fat and supports the tomato component.
Etna Rosso DOC — Mineral freshness and fine tannin give a lighter, more precise red-wine option.
Brunello di Montalcino DOCG — Depth and mature tannin fit a particularly rich shoulder or neck preparation.
Storage and Reheating
Refrigerate cooled cutturidd in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The flavor often improves overnight. Reheat slowly over low heat, adding only a small amount of water if the sauce has tightened. Freeze the lamb and sauce for up to 2 months; for the best potato texture, remove potatoes before freezing and prepare fresh ones after thawing.
Nutrition per Serving
Approximate values per serving: 640 calories; 48 g protein; 30 g carbohydrates; 37 g fat; 12 g saturated fat; 4 g fiber; 6 g sugars; 610 mg sodium. Values vary with lamb cut and amount of rendered fat retained.
Professional Holding and Service
For service, hold the stew at a very gentle temperature with the lamb partly covered by sauce. If holding longer than 30 minutes, remove the potatoes and keep them warm separately because they continue absorbing liquid and can lose shape.
Serve in a warm shallow bowl or deep plate. Place potatoes around the lamb, then spoon enough sauce to connect the components without submerging them. Finish with parsley at the last moment so it remains green and aromatic.
The final bite should show tender lamb, creamy potato, sweet onion, mild tomato acidity and mountain herbs. If the dish tastes like tomato stew, reduce the tomato proportion next time. If greasy, skim before final reduction. If bland, concentrate the cooking liquid rather than simply adding more salt.
Further Control of Texture and Seasoning
Bone-in cuts do not all tenderize at exactly the same speed. During the final 30 minutes, test each piece individually. Remove smaller pieces when they are ready and return them during the final warming stage. This prevents the common situation in which one piece is perfectly tender while another has already fallen apart.
Seasoning should be gradual. Salt the lamb lightly at the beginning, then wait until the sauce has reduced and potatoes have absorbed seasoning before making the final correction. This approach is especially important when stock is used because commercial stock can become salty after long reduction.
If serving the dish the next day, cool it quickly in a shallow container rather than leaving a deep hot pot at room temperature. Reheat only once. Slow cooling and repeated reheating damage both food safety and the clean gelatinous texture that makes a lamb stew satisfying.
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