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1
Trim the lamb of excess surface fat but leave the bone in. Season the meat. Heat a wide, heavy braising vessel over a high flame with a film of olive oil. Sear the lamb on all sides until the exterior is deep mahogany and the fat has rendered — the crust should resist when pressed.
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2
Reduce the heat. Add a few dried cruschi (not from the garnish batch) directly to the braising vessel alongside the lamb. Add liquid sufficient to braise — these soften and dissolve into the sauce, releasing their sweet paprika depth. Braise at a gentle, steady simmer, covered, turning the lamb periodically, until the meat yields easily when probed and the sauce carries a full sweet-pepper character.
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3
Shortly before service, heat abundant olive oil in a small, deep pan to exactly 160°C — no higher. This is where the dish lives or dies: lower the remaining dried cruschi into the oil in small batches and fry for no more than 20 seconds. They are ready when they turn pale golden and the surface blisters to a shatter-crisp shell; dark brown means bitter and the batch must be discarded. Remove immediately to a rack and allow 10 seconds of residual carryover before handling.
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4
Plate the braised lamb with its sauce. Drizzle with a little of the cruschi-infused frying oil. Lay the freshly fried crispy cruschi over the top at the last moment before the dish reaches the table — they begin to soften within 2 minutes of contact with moisture, so the garnish is applied only at the point of service.