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Arrosticini
Arrosticini: Abruzzo's tiny lamb skewers grilled over charcoal
Drive through the hills of Abruzzo on a summer evening and you'll smell arrosticini: tiny cubes of sheep's meat threaded onto thin skewers and grilled by the dozen on a long, narrow charcoal brazier called a canala. Traditionally they're made with mutton from the region's flocks; lamb shoulder is easier to find and works beautifully. They are seasoned only with salt and olive oil, eaten straight off the stick by the handful, with bread drizzled in oil and a glass of something cold. A ridged grill pan works when you can't light charcoal. Chef's tip: leave a little fat on the meat and alternate fatty and lean pieces on each skewer, so they baste themselves as they cook.
- Total time
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
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What you'll need
Spices & pantry
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: If using wooden skewers, soak 30–40 thin ones in water for 30 minutes so they don't burn.
Step 2: Thread the 1 ¾ lb boneless lamb shoulder or leg onto the skewers, alternating lean and fatty cubes and packing them tightly so the meat covers about 8 cm of each stick.
Step 3: Light a charcoal grill and wait until the coals are glowing and covered in white ash, or heat a ridged grill pan over a high heat until smoking.
Step 4: Brush the skewers lightly with 1 ½ tbsp olive oil, using the rosemary sprig as a brush if you like.
Step 5: Grill close to the heat, turning every minute, until browned and slightly charred at the edges but still juicy inside. Don't walk away: with pieces this small, the usual mistake is overcooking them to leather in a minute or two.
5 minStep 6: Sprinkle with 1 ½ tsp coarse salt only once they come off the grill, add a grind of pepper and drizzle with the rest of 1 ½ tbsp olive oil. Serve straight away, by the bundle.
Step 7: Keep grilling in batches as people eat: arrosticini are best eaten within a minute of cooking.
5 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 430 kcal
- Protein
- 38 g
- Carbs
- 0 g
- Fat
- 31 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does arrosticini take?
- About 30 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 10 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
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