grilletta — German Democratic Republic

Grilletta is a fast-food sandwich built around a flat, grilled patty of seasoned minced meat, tucked into a round bread roll and dressed with mustard, ketchup or a simple sauce. In shape and format it plays the same role as a hamburger, though it is built and named on its own terms. It is associated with the German Democratic Republic, where it was sold at street kiosks and grill stands as a quick, inexpensive meal. It is said to have become one of the more familiar fast-food items of the period, eaten standing up on the street rather than at a sit-down table. Minced meat, usually pork or a pork-and-beef mix, is seasoned with salt, pepper, paprika and a little marjoram, bound loosely and shaped into a flat patty, then grilled on a hot plate or open grill until browned on both sides and cooked through. The patty is placed in a split bread roll, warmed briefly on the grill, and finished with mustard or a tomato-based sauce, sometimes with raw onion. The kiosk version keeps the patty thin and wide so it grills quickly and fits the roll edge to edge, seasons it simply rather than with a long spice list, and serves it with one or two condiments spooned on at the counter, making it a food meant to be eaten quickly on foot rather than assembled at the table with a choice of toppings.