One famous Italian culinary delight is called a mazzarelle. One should not be confused with the word “mozzarella” the better known Italian soft cheese used in baking and some antipasto dishes such as caprese. A mazzarelle is served as a “secondo,” that is, a main course which follows an antipasto and a “primo” (typically soup or pasta). Mazzarelle is found primarily in the area in and around Teramo in the Abruzzo Region of central Italy.
There are several mazzarelle varieties and derivations. Most recipes call for a dish that is made in the following manner. The internal organs (typically including the liver, heart and the lungs) of a sheep are first minced and then cooked in some way, at times but not always with some vegetables such as onions, celery, and perhaps carrots. A small portion of this mixture is placed on a large lettuce leaf and rolled into a cylindrical shape. This cylinder is then tied together with a string-like piece of the animals intestines. These are baked in the oven, many times after having been covered with a tomato-based “sugo” or sauce. The making of mazzarelle can require several hours of a chef’s diligent labors.
It has been said that the best mazzarelle’s in the world come from the small village of Valle San Giovanni, a frazione (suburb) of the provincial capital of Teramo in Italy’s rugged Abruzzo Region. The mazzarelle’s of Valle San Giovanni are made in a traditional manner using very young sheep. They are often served as one course during the traditional Easter meal. Other villages known for the making of mazzerelle are Rapino, Frondarola, Valle Soprana and Torricella Sicura, each of which is also located near the provincial capital of Teramo. Guests at Casale often serve this dish while staying in this area. Valle San Giovanni is well known as the culinary capital of central Italy.
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