Oven-baked leg of lamb with lemon and rosemary

Ingredients:

• 1 leg of lamb on the bone weighing 3 - 3.5 kg.
• 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1 lemon
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Preparation:

1. Trim excess fat from the leg of lamb, leaving a 0.5-1 cm layer. Using a sharp knife, make small 1 cm deep slits 5-7 cm apart across the entire surface of the meat. Insert a piece of garlic into each slit.
2. Grate the lemon zest into a small bowl (set the lemon aside). Add the rosemary, 1 tablespoon of salt, and 2 teaspoons of black pepper. Rub this mixture all over the leg of lamb. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
3. Remove the lamb from the refrigerator and bring to room temperature about 1 hour before roasting.
4. Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F). Place a rack in a roasting pan and place the lamb on it, fat side up. Cut a lemon in half and squeeze the juice over the lamb; drizzle with olive oil and rub to coat. Place the lemon halves in the roasting pan. Roast until the fat on the lamb begins to sizzle, about 20 minutes.
5. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (175°C) and continue roasting the leg of lamb until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 130°F (55°C) for medium-rare, 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes. Transfer the leg to a cutting board and let rest for 20 minutes before slicing.
   
   Note
   
   To cut a leg of lamb, hold it by the bone and cut the meat straight along the bone.