🇮🇹 Italian · Main Dish
🍢 Cevapcici alla Triestina
Cevapcici
Small, well-spiced grilled meat sausages without casings, a beloved Trieste specialty reflecting the city's strong Balkan culinary influence from across the nearby border.
Cevapcici arrived in Trieste through the city's deep historical ties to the Balkans, and the dish has become thoroughly embraced as a local specialty, traditionally served in a soft roll with raw onion and a paprika-based relish called ajvar.
Ingredients
Equipment: Mixing bowl, Grill or grill pan
- 500 g (1.1 lb) mixed ground beef and pork
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- Pinch of chili flakes
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Soft bread rolls, for serving
- Raw onion, sliced, for serving
- Ajvar (roasted pepper relish), for serving
Method
- Combine the ground meat with the garlic, baking soda, paprika, chili flakes, salt, and pepper.
- Mix thoroughly and knead the mixture for a few minutes, which helps develop the right dense, springy texture.
- Rest the mixture, covered, in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
- Shape into small, finger-sized sausages, about 7–8cm long, without any casing.
- Grill over high heat for 8–10 minutes, turning occasionally, until well charred outside and cooked through.
- Serve hot in soft rolls with raw onion and ajvar.
Chef Tips
- Kneading the meat mixture thoroughly is what develops cevapcici's characteristic dense, slightly springy texture.
- Resting the mixture before shaping helps it hold together better on the grill.
- Ajvar, a roasted red pepper relish, is the traditional and essential accompaniment.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Not kneading the meat enough, resulting in a looser, less cohesive texture.
- Skipping the resting time, which can cause the sausages to fall apart on the grill.
- Serving without ajvar, which is central to the traditional flavor experience.
Nutrition (per serving)
Health Benefits
- A good source of protein and iron from the mixed meat.
Cultural Note
Cevapcici reflect Trieste's deep Balkan cultural ties, a dish thoroughly embraced as part of the city's own culinary identity despite its origins across the border.
Storage & Serving
Storage: Refrigerate uncooked mixture for up to 1 day, or freeze shaped sausages for up to 1 month.
Reheating: Reheat briefly on a hot grill or pan.
Serve with: Ajvar, Raw onion, Soft bread rolls