Abruzzo (especially Pescara and L'Aquila provinces)
Abruzzo's iconic shepherd's street food: thin slivers of mutton (not lamb — adult castrated sheep) threaded in alternating lean-fat pieces onto thin wooden skewers, charred on a narrow 'furnacella' (a purpose-built charcoal grill exactly the width of the skewers). A single serving is 15-20 skewers; serious consumption starts at 30. The fat — which must come from an older animal with well-developed intramuscular fat — renders over the coals and bastes the lean pieces continuously. Eaten plain, with bread, and always with Montepulciano d'Abruzzo.
Charred, smoky, with the specific gamey lanolin sweetness of mutton fat rendered over live coals — one of Italy's most primal and satisfying street foods
Mutton (not lamb) is the correct meat — the adult sheep's fat has a specific lanolin-and-grassy complexity unavailable in younger animals. The skewers must be uniform diameter so pieces sear simultaneously. The furnacella's narrow channel means the skewers hang in the coals not on a grate — this ensures the heat wraps around every surface. Cooking is 2-3 minutes maximum; the pieces must char at the outside and remain pink inside.
The furnacella groove is essential — a regular flat grill won't produce authentic results because it doesn't allow the rendered fat to drip and flare back up. For home recreation: use a cast-iron skillet with a thin channel of very high heat, pre-heat the pan to screaming hot, and cook in batches. The canonical drink is young Montepulciano d'Abruzzo, not a refined aged wine — the rusticity demands rusticity in return.
Using lamb instead of mutton produces a milder, less characterful result — authentic arrosticini require the funky, grassy depth of castrated adult sheep fat. Over-cooking turns the fat translucent and greasy rather than crisp-caramelised. Skewers that are too thick don't cook through quickly enough, making the exterior grey and dry before the interior heats.
La Cucina dell'Abruzzo — Accademia Italiana della Cucina