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Ricette di Sicilia

Cibo, cultura e tradizioni siciliane
Stuffed Sicilian kid leg with herbs and cheese, roasted until golden

Sicilian Stuffed Kid Leg (Ciarbiḍḍuzzu Abbuttunatu)

A celebratory Sicilian roast of tender kid leg stuffed with herbs, pecorino and spice — a festive centrepiece with all the warmth of rural Enna.

Author: Anna Marino • Published on: April 23, 2022
Categories: Easter Recipes Main Courses Meat Main Courses
Tags: garlic kid meat onions Enna mint pecorino black pepper parsley salt
⏱️
Prep Time
About 30 minutes
🔥
Cook Time
About 2 hours
👥
Serve
Serves 4
📊
Difficulty
Hard
💰 High
🗓️ Spring
⭐ 4.7/5

🛒 Ingredients

  • ✓ 1 leg of kid (about 1.2 kg), boned
  • ✓ 100 g Piacentinu Ennese DOP, grated
  • ✓ 4 garlic cloves
  • ✓ 2 onions
  • ✓ 1 large bunch of fresh parsley
  • ✓ A few fresh mint leaves
  • ✓ Fine sea salt
  • ✓ Freshly ground black pepper
  • ✓ Sicilian extra-virgin olive oil

📊 Nutritional Information

Calories
390 kcal
Protein
33 g
Fat
24 g
Carbohydrates
6 g
Sugar
2 g
Fiber
2 g

If you’re looking to bring something truly special to your Easter table, let me introduce you to one of Enna’s most treasured dishes: Ciarbiḍḍuzzu abbuttunatu. This beautifully stuffed kid leg — richly scented with herbs, pecorino and garlic — is the sort of roast that fills the kitchen with anticipation long before it reaches the table. It’s rustic, celebratory, and wonderfully evocative of springtime feasts beneath the Sicilian sun.

👨‍🍳 Preparation

  1. 1

    Begin by carefully boning the kid leg, trimming away any excess fat as you go.

  2. 2

    Finely chop the garlic, onions, parsley and mint. Stir in the grated Piacentinu Ennese, a generous splash of olive oil, salt and black pepper to create a fragrant green paste.

  3. 3

    Spread this mixture evenly across the inside of the meat.

  4. 4

    Roll the leg tightly and secure it with kitchen twine so it keeps its shape while roasting.

  5. 5

    Set the roll in a lightly oiled roasting tin and cook in a preheated oven at 160°C for about 1 hour and 45 minutes.

  6. 6

    Increase the heat to 250°C and roast for a further 15 minutes to achieve a beautifully golden, slightly crisp exterior.

  7. 7

    Allow the meat to rest for at least 15 minutes before slicing.

  8. 8

    Serve your stuffed kid leg with roast potatoes or a side of seasonal vegetables.

💡 Tips and Variations

For an even more indulgent filling, add a handful of toasted pine nuts or small cubes of pancetta. If kid is difficult to source, a leg of lamb works wonderfully too, giving you a milder but equally charming rendition of this Sicilian classic.

📦 Storage

  • • Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
  • • You can freeze cooked slices for up to 3 months.
  • • Reheat in the oven at 180°C for 10–15 minutes before serving.

🍷 Pairing

This dish is superb with a glass of rich, ruby-hued Nero d’Avola Riserva — its fruit-forward warmth is a perfect match for the savoury herbs and tender meat.

Ciarbiḍḍuzzu abbuttunatu is Sicilian cooking at its most heartfelt — simple ingredients transformed into a feast layered with history, celebration and generosity. Bring it to your Easter gathering and let its vibrant flavours tell their own story of the island’s enduring culinary tradition.

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