A typical Abruzzo meat dish made by stewing mutton until it is well-cooked, adding onion, peeled, squashed garlic, rosemary, sage and marjoram leaves, extra virgin olive oil, bottled tomatoes, Trebbiano d’Abruzzo DOC wine, coarse salt, pepper and chilli pepper.
After removing all fat from the meat it is cubed and placed in a saucepan with just enough water to simmer the mutton for about 15 minutes. Then it is removed from the heat, drained and rinsed with cold water, placed in an earthenware pot with all the other ingredients, except the wine, covered with plenty of water and cooked on a medium heat for 3-4 hours, keeping the pot covered, stirring regularly with a wooden spoon, so that the “coatto” does not stick to the bottom of the pot.
Halfway through cooking, wine is added and if the water evaporates, more hot water is added.
Cooking continues until the meat is tender and has absorbed the flavour of all the spices, and the juices have thickened.
This very ancient recipe owes its name to the Latin coactus, which means “condensed”, and is obviously of shepherding origins, typical of the Arsita mountains, in the Province of Teramo.
