Spiedini d'Agnello

Deriving its name from the Italian word lo spiedo, or "skewer," Italians enjoy spiedini – skewers of meats, vegetables, cheese, and more – prepared in a variety of ways from North to South. In Sicilia, spiedini are made with slices of breaded meat, wrapped around a filling of tomato, onion, breadcrumbs, and cheese. Spiedini alla Romano, or Roman skewers, are made with skewered slices of bread and mozzarella, toasted in butter, and topped with a zippy anchovy sauce. Typical of Abruzzo, arrosticini are small pieces of lamb placed on a wooden stick and grilled according to pastoral tradition.

Lamb skewers

Inspired by the arrosticini of Abruzzo, this take on spiedini uses pieces of herb-marinated lamb cooked over a flame and served alongside crispy potatoes.

Spiedini d’Agnello
(Lamb Skewers)

Recipe courtesy of Eataly

Yield: 4-6 servings

8 (6-inch) wooden skewers
1½ pounds top round or boneless lamb loin, cut into 1½-inch cubes
1 pound pebble potatoes
¼ cup red wine vinegar
½ cup extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for brushing
4 tablespoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped
4 tablespoons fresh sage, finely chopped
1 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
Freshly ground black pepper
Coarse sea salt

In a large bowl or plastic bag, combine the lamb with the red wine vinegar, ¼ cup of the olive oil, rosemary, sage, parsley, garlic, and salt. Let marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight.

Cover the potatoes with water in a medium saucepan; season with salt and bring to a boil. Cook until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and let cool.

Remove the lamb from the refrigerator and season with salt and pepper on all sides. Thread the pieces of lamb onto the wooden skewers. Turn on grill to high heat. Add the skewers to the grill and cook, turning, until the lamb is browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. For medium-rare, let the skewers cook for 1 minute more. Brush with olive oil before serving.

Heat a pan over medium-high heat with the remaining ¼ cup of olive oil. Add the boiled potatoes and cook until they are lightly browned. Season with salt and serve alongside the lamb.

Pair with a bold red wine, such as Montepulciano d’Abruzzo.