Pecora alla Callara — Sheep Boiled in the Caldron

Abruzzo — the shepherd country of the Apennines. The callara was the iron cauldron carried by the transhumant shepherds and used for the communal preparation of sheep during the migrations. The dish is one of the most direct survivals of the shepherd cooking culture.

Pecora alla callara (or caldara) is one of the oldest preparations of the Abruzzese shepherd tradition: whole pieces of mature ewe (pecora — not lamb) slow-cooked for 4-5 hours in a large iron cauldron (callara) with water, wine, and a handful of herbs until completely tender, then dressed with the cooking broth. It is fundamentally a dish of transhumance — prepared when a sheep had to be slaughtered during the mountain migrations, using the simplest available technique. The mature sheep's deep flavour and high fat content, which make it too strong for roasting or grilling, become assets in the long boil. It is served with the broth ladled over and dressed with extra-virgin olive oil.

Mature sheep has a flavour that lamb cannot replicate — deep, slightly gamey, intensely savoury, with the particular fat character of an animal that has grazed for years on mountain herbs. The broth it produces is dark gold and aromatic. The meat, pulled from the bone, is tender and rich. With raw olive oil and crusty bread, it is a complete meal of the Apennine tradition.