Recipe: Lamb Cutlets in Parmesan Batter

For three.

Ingredients: 6 Lamb Cutlets *; 2 Eggs; 1 cup freshly-grated Parmesan; 1 cup dry Breadcrumbs; Salt & Pepper; Oil (for frying).

* These should be thin to start with, and beaten even thinner. In Italy, Maurizio does it with a practiced hand - one blow with the carne-battuto and the cutlet is spread evenly; it is then folded in two, and a second blow, perfectly placed, melds the whole into one evenly tenderised
piece. In London I have to do it myself - and I have a lot less practice at it then Maurizio does! The pay-off is, I suppose, that British Lamb has much more flavour than Italian Lamb - no two ways about it.....

Method:

1. Beat the Eggs, and pour into a shallow dish. Place the grated cheese in a second dish, and the Breadcrumbs in a third.

2. Put the oil to heat in a frying pan which will be large enough to hold all of the cutlets at once.

3. Dip each cutlet first into the cheese, turning it to coat both sides, then into the beaten Egg, and finally into the Breadcrumbs, always turning to coat the cutlet thoroughly.

4. Fry the coated cutlets in the heated oil, until crisp and golden brown. It should take about three minutes on each side. Add seasoning to taste before serving - although the saltiness of the cheese should make anything other than a grinding of black pepper probably unnecessary.

Serve.