Arrosticini in Abruzzo are undoubtedly one of the most famous street foods of central Italy. At first glance, they seem to be simple meat skewers, but this dish actually has a wonderful centuries-old tradition. In fact, the shepherds would make the arrosticini with the meat of sheep which were no longer productive, or with castrated lambs. They used very sharp wooden skewers they would make from reeds gathered along the rivers. Then they set up embers with what they had available and roasted the meat.
Today arrosticini are famous all over the world and special machines are used to make them, which cut the meat evenly into cubes and put them on the skewers. But the real secret of arrosticini, aside from the quality of the meat, is how they’re cooked. Here are our tips for making arrosticini at home while dreaming of Abruzzo.
Preparing arrosticini
You should get about 800 arrosticini of about 1 ounce each from a single sheep. The arrosticini are generally prepared by machines and in large quantities, especially for butchers and restaurants. Still, the best arrosticini are the handmade ones. The meat is cut unevenly, alternating it with pieces of fat that melt during cooking, giving the meat a smooth texture, and enriching everything with flavor. The meat must be lamb or mutton of excellent quality since this is the base ingredient.
To prepare the arrosticini, cut the meat into small cubes of about 1 cm and slide them onto wooden skewers by hand, usually 10 to 12 inches long. For those who love strong flavors, you can also make a version using sheep liver instead of meat. In this case, each cube of meat is alternated with a slice of onion to sweeten the flavor.
Cooking arrosticini
The arrosticini are traditionally cooked on a special grill called a fornacella, which is a thin, long grill resting on four feet. One end of the skewer has to be left empty so that it can remain off the coals and be used to turn the arrosticini. The coals must be prepared beforehand in order to distribute the heat inside very well. Make sure the meat doesn’t come into direct contact with the flame because it should brown evenly on all sides without burning. The arrosticini should be turned continuously and salted only after cooking.
How to flavor the arrosticini
To make them tastier and more fragrant, and to eliminate some of the strong taste of the mutton, you can brush them with a sprig of rosemary soaked in an emulsion of oil and white wine while cooking. Or you can spray them with white wine using a spray bottle when they’re almost completely cooked.
If you grill the arrosticini outdoors, remember to constantly fan the coals to keep them lit and evenly distribute the heat. You can use a simple fan, or to make it even easier a hairdryer, like they do in Abruzzo.
How to serve the arrosticini
Arrosticini are always served with toasted bread seasoned with some good extra virgin olive oil. They are brought to the table 20-25 at a time and served in aluminum foil or in special, long, slightly inclined terracotta pots. In agritourismos throughout Abruzzo, they are typically served along with other delicacies such as fried cheese and fritters with ham.
To recap, this is what you need to prepare excellent arrosticini: browse through the Photo Gallery for more tips!