Mititei

Mititei is the closest thing to Romanian street food – a dish consisting of grilled ground meat rolls made from a combination of lamb, pork, beef, and seasonings such as thyme, anise, black pepper, and garlic. When translated to English, mititei means the small ones, referring to the small size of these skinless sausages.

The most authentic way of preparing mititei is barbecuing the meat, so it is not a surprise that the dish is a staple of Romanian outdoor cuisine and roadside restaurants. A popular theory suggests that mititei were created when a well-known Bucharesti restaurant ran out of casings, and the chefs had to create a sausage to feed the hungry customers.

Mititei are ideally accompanied by some french fries, a dollop of yellow mustard, and a cold beer on the side.