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1
Select rib chops cut between every rib — thin enough that the bone is visible on both sides. This extreme thinness is the structural premise of the dish: it is what makes the char-cook possible without overcooking the interior. If abbacchio is unavailable, regular lamb chops require longer marination and slightly lower heat to approximate the result.
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2
Season the chops with salt and dress lightly with olive oil. The tradition is plain — salt and olive oil only.
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3
Bring a cast-iron grill or charcoal grill to maximum heat. The surface must be as hot as it can be made. Lay the chops flat. In the first minute the young lamb fat caramelises against the grill; in the second the lean meat chars. This is where the dish lives or dies: the chop must char before it overcooks — the char is not a mistake, it is the flavour. Cook under 4 minutes per side. The interior remains barely cooked.
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4
Remove from the grill and serve immediately, directly and without delay. Scottadito — burning fingers — names the act: the chops are eaten at once, from the hand. Any rest undoes the dish.