Abruzzo — arrosticini are documented from the late 19th century in the transhumance traditions of the Abruzzo highlands, where shepherds would cut small pieces of castrato and grill them on improvised metal rods over open fires. The preparation is now an Abruzzese identity marker, consumed at every communal event.
Arrosticini are the iconic Abruzzese preparation — small cubes of castrated male lamb (castrato) and its fat, threaded alternating onto thin wooden skewers and grilled over the 'furnacella' (a long, narrow charcoal grill designed specifically for arrosticini, where the skewers rest across the trough and are turned continuously). The preparation is deceptively simple: the lamb is the only ingredient. The quality of the castrato — specifically the alternating lean-and-fat of the castrated sheep raised on the Abruzzo highland meadows (the Gran Sasso, the Maiella) — is everything. The skewers are served immediately from the grill, in bunches of 10-15, eaten holding the wooden end with no cutlery.
Arrosticini from the furnacella are eaten burning-hot, the fat glistening, slightly caramelised at the edges. The castrato has a flavour that is neither lamb nor mutton — deeper than lamb, cleaner than mutton, with a mountain-meadow sweetness from the highland grazing. The alternating fat cube bastes every lean cube during cooking. Five skewers in and you understand why Abruzzesi say there is nothing else like them.
The lamb: genuine castrato (castrated male sheep, aged 12-18 months) from highland pastures. The ratio of lean to fat is approximately 70:30 — the fat is essential; it bastes the meat during cooking and provides the characteristic flavour. Cut into cubes of exactly 1x1cm (traditional arrosticini are remarkably uniform in size). Thread alternating lean and fat cubes onto thin wooden skewers (4mm diameter). The furnacella grill: charcoal at the correct temperature (white ash on the coal, no visible flame). Turn the skewers continuously over 4-5 minutes. The fat should caramelise and the lean should be just cooked through. Eat immediately.
The furnacella is the correct tool — available from Abruzzese kitchen suppliers; the narrow trough means the skewer handles stay cool while the meat is directly over the coal. Without a furnacella, a regular charcoal grill works, but the skewers must be managed carefully to keep the meat in the hottest zone. Serve immediately — arrosticini cooled even briefly lose the melting quality of the fat. Serve with nothing except the option of salt at the table and white bread.
Using ordinary lamb instead of castrato — castrato has a specific flavour from the castration (less gamey, more deeply savoury than either lamb or mutton) that is the point of arrosticini. Cutting the cubes too large or irregular — consistency of size is essential for even cooking. Cooking over flame rather than embers — arrosticini need steady radiant heat from white-ash charcoal; flame flares up and burns the fat.
Slow Food Editore, Abruzzo in Cucina; Waverly Root, The Food of Italy