Triccine*

Lamb giblets (liver and lung)
Lamb intestines (casings)
Rezza
Parsley, finely chopped
Garlic, finely chopped
Dried basil
Oregano
Salt
Pepper
Hot chillies


*In Santa Croce the dish was called triccine in other parts of Molise it is sometimes known as torcini or toricnelli.

Clean and prepare the intestines [casings] by washing them under running water (Takes about a 1/2 hour).

Cut up giblets and season them.

Enclose the giblets in rezza.

Wrap the intestines around the giblets which have been enclosed in rezza, making sausage-like columns (about 9 inches long and 1 1/2 inches thick).

Grill the triccine.

Cut up the grilled triccine into small pieces (about 1 1/2 inches long each).

Serve warm or at room temperature.

The "triccine" shown [on the left] in the photo were made by Mary Melfi's brother-in-law, Tony Alfieri, the only one in the Melfi-Alfieri family who knows how to do this traditional Molisana Easter dish. In Tony's home-town of Santa Croce (as in other towns in Molise) "triccine" were traditionally made for Easter Sunday. Prior to World War II both the rich and the poor feasted on this dish, except the poor limited their Easter meal consumption to this dish, while the well-to-do served triccine along with lamb chops. Back in the 1930s most home cooks knew how to prepare this dish. Nowadays, of course, most people living in Molise buy their triccine at a butcher shop. In Canada, however, "triccine" are rarely, if ever, available in the shops. Italian-Canadians have no choice but to make them themselves -- not an easy feat, as the ingredients needed for this recipe are difficult (If not impossible!) to find in the big cities. Those who make "triccine" have to drive out into the countryside and buy the needed ingredients from a farmer. In any case, in Tony's hometown of Santa Croce, the "triccine" were traditionally grilled. On the other hand, in Casacalenda, prior to World War II, a number of cooks fried their "triccine" as the grills that were then in use were of poor quality (The food easily got burnt on them).... According to Burton Anderson, a famous chef and author of the book, "The Foods of Italy," (available for free on the web from the Italian Trade Commission) the dish known as "torcinelli involtini" is one of the specialties of modern-day Molise. He describes "torcinelli involtini" as "lamb intestines filled with chopped liver, sweetbreads, hard boiled egg and baked." This dish sounds very similar to Santa Croce's "triccine" though it is obviously not the same.................................................... Notes on Torcinelli from Italian Wikipedia read as follows: TORCINELLI Categoria: Carni e frattaglie fresche e loro preparazione Zona di produzione: Intero territorio regionale Regione: Molise, Puglia Note: In Puglia si consuma questo prodotto, ma non ha il riconoscimento PAT.... Il torcinello (detto anche turc'nill a Foggia, sia al singolare che al plurale) è un prodotto alimentare tipico foggiano e molisano: è formato da budella d'agnello ripiene d'animelle d'agnello, si consuma cotto alla griglia condito con olio, aceto, sale, prezzemolo, aglio e peperoncino, accompagnato da un buon montepulciano.................. Machine translation by Google: Torcinelli Category: Meat and offal fresh and their preparation Production area: Whole region Region: Molise, Puglia Note: In Puglia consumed this product, but has no recognition PAT.... The torcinelli (also turc'nill in Foggia, both the singular and the plural) is a food typical foggiano and Molise is formed by casings stuffed lamb sweetbreads of lamb, is eaten cooked grilled seasoned with olive oil , vinegar, salt, parsley, garlic and chilli, with a good montepulciano.

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