The mountain people of the Abruzzo, the region of my paternal grandparents, made their living as shepherds. To this day, one can still find evidence of
traturri - the migratory trails on which sheep herders led their flocks from the Abruzzo mountainsides where they spent their summers to the low-lying grasslands of southern Italy that afforded a milder climate in the winter. One of these age-old routes documented by historians stretched from Ateleta, the home town of my family, to the vicinity of the Biferno River in neighboring Molise. Some cultural historians argue that the guarded, quiet, and introspective characteristics of the people of Abruzzo stems largely from their lonely, migratory past as shepherds.
Considering the region's long history of sheep herding, it is no surprise that the culinary traditions of the Abruzzo center around
agnello - lamb. This recipe comes from the book,
La Cucina: The Regional Cooking of Italy, an excellent resource (organized by region of Italy) for those who want to delve into the long-held recipes of the Italian people.
Lamb Stew with Cheese and Egg Sauce
- 2lbs boneless lamb stew meat, cut into cubes (from the leg or shoulder)
- All purpose flour for dredging
- 1/2 cup police oil
- 1 medium onion, sliced
- Pinch grated nutmeg
- 1 cup chicken broth (or other meat stock)
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1 tbsp grated pecorino (locatelli is the most widely available that is decent)
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- Salt and pepper
Put flour in a plastic bag and add meat, shake to dredge. Heat olive oil in an earthenware pan and add lamb, onion, nutmeg, salt and pepper. When meat has browned add the meat broth and wine. Cook slowly for about 2 hours, covered. Mix egg, pecorino, and lemon juice and add to the pan. Cook for several minutes until thickened and serve hot.
The wine of the Abruzzo is the widely-available Montepulciano D'Abruzzo, an excellent medium-bodied red.
