Pastramă de oaie
Autumn, when the flocks come down from the summer pastures of Moldavia and Wallachia, used to be pastramă season: slabs of mutton were rubbed with salt, garlic and spice, pressed, then dried in the sun and wind for days before being grilled over embers. Sun-drying raw meat at home is risky, so this is a safer version: the meat cures for 1 to 2 days in the fridge, dries uncovered on a rack in the fridge for a few hours, and is then grilled until cooked through. You still get the deep, garlicky, slightly gamey taste and the salty, caramelised edges. It is served hot with mămăligă, pickles and a glass of must-like grape juice in October. The traditional sun-dried, uncooked kind is not for pregnant women, young children or anyone with a weakened immune system. The common mistake is cutting the slabs too thick: keep them to 1.5 cm so the cure gets in and they cook through evenly. Chef's tip: lamb shoulder works if you cannot find mutton; it is milder, so add an extra clove of garlic.



