Breaded and Deep Fried Lamb Chops (Costolette di Agnello Fritte)

Serves 4 to 6

Fried chicken is to Americans as these fried lamb chops are to Lunigianese. I first thought that frying these chops would overpower the delicate flavor of the lamb, but it doesn’t. I imagine that this dish was born out of having leftover lamb, some old bread, and a few eggs. Breading and frying seemed like a good idea—and of course it was! This lamb is pan fried, not deep fried, and the breading isn’t heavy, so it’s a perfect comfort food for Americans as well as Italians. I put this recipe in the Nonna (grandma) food category.

8 lamb chops, about ¾ inch thick

1 cup milk

2 eggs

1 cup breadcrumbs

2 cups canola oil for frying

1 teaspoon salt

1 lemon cut into wedges

Soak the pork chops in a bowl with the milk for about 1 hour before breading.

In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs.

In a third bowl, place the breadcrumbs.

Pat the pork chops dry, place each chop in the egg mixture, then the breadcrumbs, covering the chop completely. Place on a plate as you continue to bread the remainder of the chops.

Heat the oil in a large frying pan or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Place only 2 chops at a time in the pan to allow even cooking, and fry 3 to 5 minutes on each side until golden brown and crispy.

Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with salt while they are hot.

Serve immediately on a platter garnished with lemon wedges.