Ground Meat Skewers

Ground meat skewers are a simple and tasty dish that may remind you of meatballs but presented differently. In Italy, it could be compared to a homemade version of the classic “Sicilian skewers” or “arrosticini” from Abruzzo. Here’s a basic recipe that you can then personalize to your taste:

Ingredients

• 500 g of ground meat (beef, pork, or a mix of the two)
• 1 egg
• 2 cloves of finely chopped garlic
• 1 small onion finely chopped
• Breadcrumbs as needed
• Chopped fresh parsley
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Toothpicks or wooden skewers

Preparation

1. In a large bowl, combine the ground meat with the egg, garlic, onion, parsley, salt, and pepper.
2. Add enough breadcrumbs to make the mixture workable but not too dry. Mix all the ingredients well until you have a homogeneous mixture.
3. Let the mixture rest for about 15-20 minutes in the refrigerator, this will make shaping easier.
4. Take portions of the mixture and shape them around the toothpicks or wooden skewers, forming cylinders about 10 cm in length.
5. Prepare a hot grill or grill pan and brush your skewers with a drizzle of olive oil.
6. Cook the skewers, turning them frequently to ensure even cooking until they are well browned and cooked to the desired degree.
7. Serve them hot, accompanied if you wish with a side of grilled vegetables or a sauce, such as tzatziki or a classic ketchup.

Curiosity

The skewer is one of the oldest methods of cooking meat. Since ancient times, people would skewer meat on sticks to cook it over a fire. Today, skewers are popular in many world cuisines, each with its local variations and characteristic spices.

If you want an all-Italian variant, you might add aromatic herbs like rosemary and thyme to the meat mix and perhaps serve the skewers with a fresh tomato sauce and basil. Enjoy your meal!