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Arrosticini is a staple meat dish that comes to us from the mountainous region of Abruzzo in Italy, northeast of Rome. Made from castrated sheep meat placed on skewers, they are often enjoyed in the summer months and grilled over a charcoal fired brazier. Here in Canada, you can purchase grills meant specifically for grilling arrosticini, such as Hitek Milan’s spiducci and spiedini BBQs.

The Origin of Arrosticini

Arrosticini is a dish that is often over shadowed by more popular Italian food. Abruzzo is one of the biggest regions of Italy that is near the eastern Adriatic coastline. Dubbed the greenest region in Europe, it is dotted with undomesticated hills and mountains. Much of the region is dedicated to natural reserves and conservation parks due to the wild, untouched terrain.

Cooking arrosticini involves roasting the skewers until the fat is melted away, which gives them a unique flavor taken from the smokiness of the coals. Slowly roasting them also gives the meat a tender and succulent consistency.

Born out of necessity as well as experimentation, the simplicity of this classic street food gives it its unique and delicious taste. Arrosticini has found its way around the world, and is today enjoyed by many.

The Ingredients of this Italian Classic

• Mutton (400 grams)
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Chili pepper
• Rosemary
• Salt
• Ground black pepper (optional)

How to Prepare Classic Arrosticini

In preparing this classic street food, start by cutting the meat into smaller pieces, about 1 - 1.5 cm: then string them on damped wooden skewers. Make sure to soak the wooden skewers in water for at least half an hour to keep them from burning.

Season the meat with extra virgin olive oil, chili peppers and a few strings of rosemary. Marinate them for roughly an hour to let the meat soak in the flavors. Finally, grill them on both sides for a few minutes at a time until the meat is thoroughly cooked.