Romanian Sausages (Mititei)

By
Barbara Rolek
Barbara Rolek
Barbara Rolek is a former chef who became a cooking school instructor and award-winning food writer.
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Updated on 07/26/19
Romanian Barbeque
alexandrumagurean / Getty Images
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 15 mins
Marinating Time: 6 hrs
Total: 6 hrs 30 mins
Servings: 6 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
407 Calories
25g Fat
2g Carbs
41g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 407
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 25g 33%
Saturated Fat 8g 42%
Cholesterol 131mg 44%
Sodium 1259mg 55%
Total Carbohydrate 2g 1%
Dietary Fiber 1g 3%
Protein 41g
Calcium 44mg 3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

The story has it a popular mid-19th-century Romanian Inn, famous for its sausages, was out of a customer favorite. To save time, the chef formed the unstuffed meat mixture into sausage-shaped cylinders and grilled them over charcoal. The customers delighted in "the wee ones without skin," and so these skinless sausages became known as mititei or "the wee ones."

Mititei also can be made with lamb or pork or a combination, and formed into patties or meatballs and grilled, broiled, pan-fried or baked in the oven. Indoor grills work great, too.

Ingredients

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Place all ingredients in a large bowl and mix thoroughly, wetting your hands frequently to keep the meat moist. Cover the bowl and refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight.

  3. Using slightly dampened hands, divide mixture into 18 equal portions and form into oval sausages about 3 inches long and 1 1/2 inches thick.

  4. Grill, broil or pan-fry 7 minutes per side or bake at 350 F for 15 minutes.

  5. Serve with tomato and green onion salad, sour cream sprinkled with paprika, baked potato or french fries, or rice.

  6. Enjoy!

Glass Bakeware Warning

Do not use glass bakeware when broiling or when a recipe calls to add liquid to a hot pan, as glass may explode. Even if it states oven-safe or heat resistant, tempered glass products can, and do, break occasionally.

Tip

  • "Mititei" make great appetizers and are wonderful cold the next day in a sandwich.