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Italian sausage

Italian pork sausages
Alternative names	Salsiccia (in Italian)
Type	Sausage
Place of origin	Italy
Main ingredients	Pork, red pepper flakes, pepper paste, fennel
Variations	Various Italian sausages

A wide variety of sausages (Italian: salsiccia, Italian: [salˈsittʃa]; pl.: salsicce) are made in Italy, having evolved through the centuries into many regional varieties. The sausages will typically be either a type of fresh sausage (Italian: salsiccia fresca), or a type of dried sausage (Italian: salsiccia secca). There are also some types of sausages that can be either used fresh or cured, such as Tuscan sausages (Italian: salsicce toscane).

History

The Italian sausage was initially known as lucanica, a rustic pork sausage in ancient Roman cuisine, with the first evidence dating back to the 1st century BC, when the Roman historian Marcus Terentius Varro described stuffing spiced and salted meat into pig intestines, as follows: "They call lucanica a minced meat stuffed into a casing, because our soldiers learned how to prepare it." The writings of Cicero and Martial also mention lucanica (Lucian sausage) as a speciality introduced in Rome by the Lucanian slaves. A recipe for preparation is provided in the first century Apicius.

Types of sausage in Italy

Mazzafegato

Mazzafegato sausage ('liver mash', or 'liver sausage') is a sausage typically from Abruzzo, Lazio, Marche, Umbria, and Tuscany regions that includes mashed liver. The style from Abruzzo includes pork liver, heart, lungs, and pork cheek, and is seasoned with garlic, orange peel, salt, pepper, and bay leaves.

Salsiccia al coriandolo

The salsiccia al coriandolo ('coriander sausage'), from the comune (municipality) of Monte San Biagio, Lazio, also includes coriander, sweet chili peppers, and sweet red wine.

Salsiccia al finocchio

Salsiccia al finocchio ('fennel sausage') is a sausage popularised in the Sicily region. These sausages differ from the Tuscan style sausage due the addition of crumbed, dried fennel seeds to the other spices used.

Salsiccia fresca

Salsiccia fresca ('fresh sausage') is a type of sausage that is usually made somewhat spicy. It is made from fresh meat (often pork) and fat, and is flavoured with spices, salt, and pepper, and traditionally stuffed into natural gut casings. Salsiccia fresca al peperoncino ('fresh chilli sausage') is a spicy sausage flavoured with chopped garlic, salt, and chilli pepper (which gives the sausage a redder colour).

Salsiccia secca

Salsiccia secca ('dried sausage') is an air dried sausages typically made from either the meat of domestic pigs or from the meat from wild boars.

Salsiccia sotto la cenere

Another Sicilian sausage, salsiccia sotto la cenere ('sausage under the ash') is a style of sausage traditionally cooked in the ashes of the hearth.

Salsiccia toscana

Salsiccia toscana ('Tuscan sausage'), also known as sarciccia, is made from various cuts of pork, including the shoulder and ham, which is chopped and mixed with herbs such as sage and rosemary.

See also

Media related to Salsiccia at Wikimedia Commons

References

1. ^ Bardi, Carla (2004). Prosciutto. South San Francisco : Wine Appreciation Guild. p. 44. ISBN 1-891267-54-X.
2. ^ Culinaria Italy : pasta, pesto, passion. H.f. Ullman/Tandem Verlag GmbH. 2008. p. 240. ISBN 978-3-8331-1049-8.
3. Jenkins, Nancy (2007). Cucina del sole : a celebration of southern Italian cooking. William Morrow. p. 16. ISBN 978-0-06-072343-9.
4. ^ "From North to South, Italian Sausages Variety". lacucinaitaliana.com. La Cucina Italiana. 24 May 2020. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
5. Cicero, Marcus Tullius (1937). Letters of Marcus Tullius Cicero : with his treatises on friendship and old age. P.F. Collier. p. 158.
6. Martialis, Marcus Valerius (1897). "Martial, Epigrams. Book 13. XXXV Sausage". Archived from the original on 2023-06-08.
7. Harper, Diane (20 December 2014). "Roman Sausages (sources other than Apicius)". Retrieved 7 July 2024.
8. ^ "Carne al Fuoco zur Geschichte der Salsiccia" (in Italian). Archived from the original on 21 June 2009.
9. Gerard-Sharp, Lisa (2016). Sicily. Apa Publications. p. 128. ISBN 9781780053110.
10. ^ Root, Waverley (1903–1992). The food of Italy. New York : Vintage Books. p. 604. ISBN 0679738967.

v t e Sausage
Overview	Casings List of sausages List of sausage dishes Sausage making
Fresh sausage	Biała kiełbasa Boerewors Boudin Braadworst Bratwurst Breakfast Carniolan Chipolata Cotechino Debrecener Knackwurst Kohlwurst Kupati Italian Italian American Loukaniko Merguez Thüringer Weisswurst
Dry sausage	Salami Cacciatore Ciauscolo Genoa salami Soppressata Prasky Ticinese Other Chinese Chorizo Fuet Landjäger Longaniza Lukanka Metworst Pepperoni Salsiz Saucisson Sobrassada Sujuk
Smoked sausage	Andouille Kolbász Krakowska Kulen Lebanon bologna Linguiça Mettwurst Morteau Rookworst Skilandis Teewurst
Cooked sausage	Battered Bologna Botifarra Bratwurst Braunschweiger Brühwurst Cervelat Chả lụa Cumberland Falukorv Frankfurter Würstchen St. Galler Bratwurst Gelbwurst Hot dog variations vegetarian Lincolnshire Lorne sausage Mortadella Mortadella Bologna Mortadella di Prato Mortadella of Campotosto Pigs in blankets Saveloy Vienna
Cooked smoked sausage	Bierwurst Bockwurst Kabanos Kielbasa
Precooked sausage	Black pudding Blood sausage Boudin Goetta Haggis Head cheese Kaszanka Kishka Knipp Kochwurst Liverwurst Pinkel Ryynimakkara Salceson Stippgrütze Sundae
Grilled sausage	Small sausage in large sausage Tongmo
Related articles	Charcuterie Dried meat List of dried foods Embutidos List of smoked foods Lunch meat Pâté Salumi Smallgoods
Category

• Italian sausages
• Fresh sausages