Using a sharp knife, score the leg of lamb in several places, making cuts about 1.5 cm deep. Place it in a large baking tray and brush it with the marinade. Cover the tray with aluminum foil and marinate for at least a couple of hours, or preferably overnight in the refrigerator.
Step 2
Put the first 8 ingredients in a cast iron casserole dish and toast them over medium-high heat for a couple of minutes, until the spices start to pop and release their aromas.
Add the nutmeg, ginger, and sweet paprika to a mortar and pestle and grind to a fine powder. Transfer to a bowl and mix with the remaining ingredients, except the lamb.
Step 3
Preheat the oven to 170ºC
Bake the lamb, fat side up, for about 4 and a half hours, until the meat is very tender
After 30 minutes of cooking, add a cup of boiling water to the dish and use that liquid to baste the meat every hour. Add more water if necessary.
For the last 3 hours, cover the lamb with aluminum foil to prevent the spices from burning.
Once done, remove from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes before carving.
Presentation:
The best way to serve this dish is to spread 8 pita breads with a mixture of 120g of chopped canned tomatoes, 20g of harissa, 20g of tomato paste, 1 tablespoon of olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper.
Cut the hot lamb into pieces and then into 1.5 cm strips.
Stack them inside each hot pita bread, pour several tablespoons of the reduced cooking juice over them
Finally, add chopped onion, chopped parsley, fresh tomato and cucumber, and a pinch of sumac.
