Skip to content

Stigghiola

Stigghiola: lamb intestines wrapped around spring onions and grilled smoky, with lemon

Stigghiola is the smell of Palermo after dark: lamb intestines wound around spring onions or parsley stalks and grilled over smoking braziers in the Ballarò market, in the alleys of the Kalsa and on the seafront at the Foro Italico. Sellers chop the long coils into pieces, salt them and squeeze over lemon, and people eat them standing, from paper, late in the evening. Smoky, crisp at the edges and rich, it is offal at its most direct. At home, buy cleaned lamb intestines from a halal or specialist butcher, wash them again carefully and parboil them before grilling, so they cook right through. Chef's tip: wind the intestine tightly around the onion; loose coils unravel and fall through the grill.
Total time
90 min
Difficulty
hard
Serves
4
One step at a time, big text, timers, read-aloud. Your screen stays on.

Ingredients

Serves4

Shop this recipe on Amazon

What you'll need

Fresh ingredients (4)

Links open Amazon in a new tab. As an Amazon Associate, WhatToEat.Today earns from qualifying purchases.

Method

0/6 done
  1. Step 1: Rinse 2 ¼ lb lamb small intestines inside and out under cold running water, running water through each length, until it runs completely clear. Cut away any fat or dark patches. Common mistake: skimping on washing; poorly cleaned intestines taste strong and sour.

    20 min
  2. Step 2: Soak them in cold water with 2 tbsp white wine vinegar for 15 minutes, then rinse again.

    15 min
  3. Step 3: Bring a large pan of water with 1 tbsp coarse salt to the boil, add the intestines and simmer for 20 minutes, until firm and fully cooked. Drain and leave until cool enough to handle.

    25 min
  4. Step 4: Hold one of the 12 spring onions together with a few 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley stalks and wind a length of intestine tightly around them, end to end, making bundles about 20 cm long. Tie off or tuck in the ends.

    15 min
  5. Step 5: Heat a barbecue or ridged grill pan until very hot. Brush the bundles with 2 tbsp olive oil and grill for 10–12 minutes, turning often, until browned, crisp in places and sizzling hot right through.

    12 min
  6. Step 6: Cut into 4 cm pieces, sprinkle with ½ tsp black pepper and a little extra salt, and squeeze over 2 lemons. Eat hot.

Nutrition per serving

Calories
360 kcal
Protein
26 g
Carbs
5 g
Fat
26 g
Fibre
1 g

Nutrition values are estimates.

K
Recipe by

KrazyBadal

All recipes by this chef →

Good to know

How long does stigghiola take?
About 90 minutes in total: 40 minutes to prepare and 50 minutes to cook.
How many people does it serve?
4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
Is it gluten free?
Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
What can I use instead of white wine vinegar?
Cider vinegar or rice vinegar, same amount.
What can I use instead of spring onions?
Chives, or a little finely sliced onion.

Reviews

No reviews yet. Be the first to cook it.

Rate this recipe

Sign in to rate and review this recipe.

Boiled pasta

The basic method for any dried pasta, from penne to spaghetti. A large pan of salted boiling water keeps the pasta from sticking, and you cook it only until just done, with a little bite left. Use it in salads, bakes or with any sauce.

by KrazyBadal 3 views

Mint pistachio pesto

A fresh, fragrant pesto made with mint leaves and toasted pistachios. It is lovely tossed through hot pasta or spooned over roasted vegetables, and a spoonful lifts a plain vegetable soup.

by KrazyBadal 1 views

Pork souvlaki

This is a pork recipe. Walk through any Greek town after dark, from Athens to Thessaloniki, and the smell of souvlaki stands drifts down the street; cubes of pork shoulder grilled on thin skewers are the country's favourite cheap supper, eaten standing up or at a plastic-table taverna. At home you marinate the meat in lemon, olive oil, garlic and dried oregano, grill it hard and fast, and pile it on warm pitta with tzatziki, tomato and red onion. Chef's tip: cut the pork into even 2.5 cm cubes and leave a little fat on; lean loin dries out, shoulder stays juicy over high heat.

32 minGreekMeat
by KrazyBadal 1 views