Arrosticini Abruzzesi

La storia di questo piatto

Born in the high pastures of Abruzzo, where shepherds have long followed their flocks across the mountains, arrosticini are the taste of a land that grows up around its sheep. Skewers of mutton and its own fat, sea salt, fire: nothing more, and nothing missing.

Ingredienti

• 800 g Lamb or mutton meat (boneless shoulder or leg)
• 150 g Sheep fat (as a fallback only, pancetta)
• 14 g Coarse sea salt
• 2 g Ground chili pepper (optional)
• 32 pieces Thin wooden skewers (25-30 cm)
• 300 g Rustic bread (optional)

Preparazione

1. Light the charcoal in the fornacella a canale (a long narrow metal channel) and let it burn until the embers are live and even, with white ash on the surface and no flame. While you wait, prepare the skewers.
2. Remove the sinews and the hardest fat from the lamb. With a well-sharpened knife, cut the meat into cubes about 1.5 cm per side (3-4 g each). Also cut the sheep fat (or pancetta) into cubes of the same size, and keep the meat and fat in two separate bowls.
3. Thread the cubes onto the 25-30 cm skewers: 3 cubes of meat, then 1 of fat, up to 8-9 pieces per skewer. Press the cubes against each other and center them on the stick, leaving a 4-5 cm handle free. You will get about 32 skewers of 30 g each, that is 8 per person. Do not salt the meat in advance.
4. Place the skewers across the edges of the channel, with the meat suspended above the live embers (no flame) and the handles away from the fire, so the meat never touches direct flame.
5. Turn the arrosticini constantly: they cook in 6-8 minutes in total. If dripping fat flares up, move them immediately to a calmer area of the channel. They are ready when the surface is golden and the meat inside remains juicy. If you like, toast the bread on the embers during the last minutes.
6. Salt immediately at the end of cooking, sprinkling the coarse sea salt between your fingers over the skewers (and a pinch of ground chili if desired), and serve right away, piping hot, with the toasted bread.