Arrosticini

Arrosticini are a cherished traditional dish from Italy's Abruzzo region, crafted from castrated sheep meat or lamb. These delicious morsels are cut into chunks, skewered, and cooked on a special elongated grill known as a "furnacella." There are two primary types: industrial arrosticini, where the meat is uniformly cubed, and handmade arrosticini, which feature irregular meat chunks interspersed with pieces of ovine fat for added flavor.

This dish has its origins in the pastoral lifestyle of Abruzzo's shepherds and mountain dwellers, who relied on it as a staple food. Arrosticini are often enjoyed with bread soaked in olive oil, known locally as "pane 'onde" accompanied by a glass of Montepulciano d'Abruzzo wine. Traditionally, the meat is eaten straight off the skewer, using your teeth to pull the chunks off.