Mititei

Mititei

Mititei on the grill.
Origin
Alternative name(s)	Mici
Place of origin
Region or state	Bucharest, Romania
Creator(s)	Ionescu Iordache
Details
Course	Main course
Serving temperature	Hot
Main ingredient(s)	Lamb Pork Beef Coriander Onion Garlic Black pepper Thyme Sodium bicarbonate

For the village in Bistriţa-Năsăud County, see Nimigea.

Mititei (Romanian pronunciation: [mitiˈtej]) or mici (pronounced [mit͡ʃʲ], both Romanian words meaning "small ones") is a traditional Romanian dish of grilled minced-meat rolls made from meat of beef, lamb and pork mixed, which contain garlic, black pepper, thyme, coriander, anise, savory and sometimes a touch of paprika. Sodium bicarbonate and sometimes broth or water, is also added to the mixture.

It is best served accompanied by mustard and beer. Ideally the mustard should not contain too much vinegar, because the sour taste does not fit with the mititei. The dish is very popular in Romania.

History

This article is part of the series
Romanian cuisine
Soups Ciorbă Ciorbă de burtă Ciorbă țărănească Ciorbă de pește Ciorbă de praz Ciorbă de sfeclă
Appetitizers & Salads Murături Ouă umplute Salată de boeuf Salata de icre Salată de vinete Salată orientala Varză călită Zacuscă
Condiments & sauces Arpacaş Borş Leuştean Mujdei Rântaş Satou Scorcolga
Dishes Ardei umpluți Balmoş Caşcaval pane Ciulama Cocoloşi Creier pane Drob Fasole cu cârnaţi Ghiveci Iahnie Limbă cu măsline Mămăligă Musaca Ostropel Papricaș Pârjoale Pilaf Piftie Plachie Rasol Saramură Sarmale Slănină Şniţel Soté de morcovi Tochitură Urs de mămăligă
Delicatessen Babic Cabanoş Caltaboş Cârnați Chișcă Ghiudem Lebar Pastramă Pleşcoi sausages Salam de Nădlac Salam de Sibiu Sângerete Slănină Tobă
Grilled meats Chiftele Frigărui Mititei
Beverages Afinată Bragă Caisată Cireșată Cornată Pălincă Rachiu Socată Turț Țuică Vișinată Zmeurată
Cheeses Brânză Brânză de burduf Brânză de coşuleţ Brânză topită Caș Cașcaval Șvaițer Telemea Urdă
Breads Colaci Covrigi Langoși Lipie
Desserts Amandină Amandină Clătită Colivă Cozonac Gogoşi Gris cu lapte Halva Kürtőskalács Lapte de pasăre Joffre cake Papanași Pască Plăcintă Orez cu lapte Scovardă Sfințișori Ștrudel Vărzar
Romania portal

Nowadays, it is sold in restaurants close to traffic or as processed food in supermarkets.

Romanian version

The journalist Constantin Bacalbașa wrote in his book Dictatura gastronomică that mititei were invented one night at an inn called Iordache on Covaci's street in the old Bucharest, held by a Transylvanian named Ionescu Iordache, famous for its sausages. One evening while he was missing sausage casings, he laid the rolls of meat directly on the barbecue.

Serbian version

Another source reports the Serbian origin of the national dish mititei, with the Serbian Cevapcici. Many Serbian dishes are similar to those of Romania, such as some sausages. However, most recipes for the former Yugoslavia are reminiscent of Turkish cuisine. And it is not surprising, given that both countries were under Ottoman occupation, the two national dishes, the mici and the adana kebab is like cevapcici.

See also

• Adana kebab
• Ćevapi

External links

• (Romanian) Wikibooks Cookbook – 1920 recipe for mititei
• (English) Mici recipe