Happyness is: arrosticini, bread and wine
If you love roasted meat, soft and juicy, arrosticini are definitely for you. Originating from the peasant culture of Abruzzo, they are excellent on their own, but even better if accompanied by a couple of slices of good homemade bread, seasoned with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Red wine is an excellent addition too.
Apparently arrosticini are simple and quite easy to prepare, but there are some specific rules to follow to make them perfect, according to the original tradition of which the people of Abruzzo are rightly proud.
From simple meat to arrosticini
A land of high mountains and wide open spaces, Abruzzo is known for its fascinating and rugged landscapes where large pastures are located. Here is where original arrosticini were born. But what are they, exactly?
Let’s start with the basics. Arrosticini are skewer of small chunks of sheep’s meat, mounted on wooden sticks of about 20 cm. According to tradition they should have three pieces of meat alternating with two pieces of fat. Even better if the meat comes from a young sheep, or from mutton.
The cubes of meat can be cut by hand or with a special machine that makes them perfectly square, then they have to be marinated for a while and finally cooked on special embers with an elongated shape. In the Abruzzese slang it’s called furnacella, small furnace.
How long should the meat cook? Experience is the best teacher in this regard. The meat has to be crunchy on the outside, well done, but soft and most importantly never dry. When the delicious scent of roast spreads in the air, your arrosticini are ready. Enjoy them hot and properly salted after cooking.
Arrosticini and more
The arrosticini are excellent on any occasion and are also very good as street food due to their small size. If you’ve never tried them, you should definitely come to the Italian street Food Festival in Berlin . You’ll find delicious meat, Italian-style fry, sweets, and more. When? On 18 and 19 June, from 11 to 22, at Ost Hafen Berlin, Alt Stralau 1 – Friedrichshain.
The entry is only € 3.
