Editing Lamb and mutton (section)

===Italy===
[[File:Abbacchio Pasquale.jpg|thumb|''[[Abbacchio]]'' is consumed throughout [[central Italy]] as an [[Easter in Italy|Easter]] and [[Christmas in Italy|Christmas]] dish.<ref name="abbacchioromanoigp-prodotto"/><ref name="Treccani"/><ref name=":0"/> It is a product protected by the [[European Union]] with the [[Geographical indications and traditional specialities in the European Union#Protected geographical indication (PGI)|PGI]] mark.<ref name="PGI"/>]]

In [[Romanesco dialect]], the offspring of the sheep who is still suckling or recently weaned is called ''[[abbacchio]]'', while the offspring of the sheep almost a year old who has already been shorn twice is called ''agnello'' ({{literally|lamb}}).<ref name="romaincampagna">{{cite web|url=https://www.romaincampagna.it/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/impara-abbacchio.pdf|title=Osservatorio sulla spesa di Roma|access-date=8 January 2024|language=it}}</ref> This distinction exists only in the Romanesco dialect.<ref name="romaincampagna"/> ''Abbacchio'' is consumed throughout [[central Italy]] as an [[Easter in Italy|Easter]] and [[Christmas in Italy|Christmas]] dish.<ref name="abbacchioromanoigp-prodotto">{{cite web|url=http://www.abbacchioromanoigp.it/Il_prodotto_tp5_pg161.aspx|title=Abbacchio Romano IGP|publisher=abbacchioromanoigp.it|access-date=10 June 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714115702/http://www.abbacchioromanoigp.it/Il_prodotto_tp5_pg161.aspx|archive-date=14 July 2014}}</ref><ref name="Treccani">{{cite web|url=http://www.treccani.it/vocabolario/abbacchio/|title=abbàcchio|publisher=Vocabolario – [[Treccani]]|access-date=15 January 2016}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=19 July 2019|title=Abbacchio |url=https://www.lacucinaitaliana.com/glossary/abbacchio |access-date=1 November 2022|website=La Cucina Italiana |language=en-US}}</ref> It is a product protected by the [[European Union]] with the [[Geographical indications and traditional specialities in the European Union#Protected geographical indication (PGI)|PGI]] mark.<ref name="PGI">{{cite web|url=https://www.qualigeo.eu/prodotto-qualigeo/abbacchio-romano-igp/|title=Abbacchio Romano IGP|publisher=qualigeo.eu|access-date=7 January 2024|language=it}}</ref>

Throughout [[central Italy]], including Sardinia, [[pastoralism]] was the main source of meat. Since ancient times, ''abbacchio'' has been one of the staple foods of the [[Lazio]] region, especially for rural communities, whose consumption at the table was considerable.<ref name="romaincampagna"/> The tradition of consuming ''abbacchio'' spread in ancient times where mainly adult [[sheep]] were slaughtered. The slaughter of ''abbacchio'' was forbidden except during the [[Easter in Italy|Easter]] and [[Christmas in Italy|Christmas]] periods, and until June. Over the centuries, given the importance of the food, around 100 recipes for preparing lamb have been developed in Lazio.<ref name="romaincampagna"/> Given the importance of ''abbacchio'' in social life, historical events dedicated to ''abbacchio'' are still organized in the Lazio region today, i.e. ''[[Sagra (festival)|sagre]]'', country festivals and popular events.<ref name="romaincampagna"/> In ancient times, sheep was eaten during work in the countryside, while ''abbacchio'' was consumed only during the Easter holidays.<ref name="romaincampagna"/>