Mazzarelle from Teramo

Mazzarelle are rolls of lamb offal (lungs, heart, liver) cut into small pieces and seasoned with garlic, parsley, marjoram, salt and pepper. They are wrapped in lettuce leaves and tied with the lamb’s casing, like little bundles.

They are cooked in the pan with oil, white wine and a little tomato. They are the Easter dish around Teramo, served alongside the lamb.

• 1 lamb coratella (lungs, heart, liver, about 600 g)
• Cleaned lamb casing for tying (or kitchen string)
• 2 heads of broad-leaved lettuce
• 3 garlic cloves
• Parsley and marjoram
• 1 glass of white wine
• 2–3 tablespoons tomato passata
• Extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper, chilli

1. Wash the lettuce leaves and blanch them for a few seconds in salted water so they soften; lay them out to dry.
2. Cut the offal into small pieces and season with chopped garlic, parsley, marjoram, salt, pepper and chilli.
3. Put a generous spoonful of offal on each lettuce leaf and roll it up.
4. Tie each roll by wrapping it with the casing (or string).
5. In a wide pan heat the oil, brown the mazzarelle on all sides, add the wine and let it evaporate.
6. Add the passata and a little water, cover and cook over low heat for 40–50 minutes. Serve hot with their sauce.

• Rinse the casing well under running water; if you cannot find it, string works perfectly.
• Do not cook over high heat: the liver would go tough.
• They can be made the day before and reheated before serving.

We do not have photos of this dish yet: the image is an illustration made for this page.

Mazzarelle were born in peasant cooking, where the humbler parts of the Easter lamb were not wasted. Lettuce leaves, the first from the spring garden, held the filling together.

The dish is found mainly around Teramo and in some neighbouring areas, with small variations from village to village.