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Sausages in Italian cuisine

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For the usage in North American cuisine, see Italian sausage.
Italian sausage
Italian pork sausages
Alternative namesSalsiccia (in Italian)
TypeSausage
Place of originItaly
Main ingredientsPork, red pepper flakes, pepper paste, fennel
VariationsVarious 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.[1] 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: salsiccia toscana).[1][2]

History

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The Italian sausage was initially known as lucanica,[3] 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."[4] The writings of Cicero and Martial also mention lucanica (Lucian sausage)[5][6][7] as a speciality introduced in Rome by the Lucanian slaves.[8] A recipe for preparation is provided in the first century Apicius.[8]

Types of sausage in Italy

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Mazzafegato

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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.[4]

Salsiccia al coriandolo

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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.[4]

Salsiccia al finocchio

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Salsiccia al finocchio ('fennel sausage') is a sausage popularised in the Sicily region.[9][10] These sausages differ from the Tuscan style sausage due the addition of crumbed, dried fennel seeds to the other spices used.[1]

Salsiccia fresca

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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.[1][2] 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).[1]

Salsiccia secca

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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.[1]

Salsiccia sotto la cenere

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Another Sicilian sausage, salsiccia sotto la cenere ('sausage under the ash') is a style of sausage traditionally cooked in the ashes of the hearth.[10]

Salsiccia toscana

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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.[2]

See also

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Media related to Salsiccia at Wikimedia Commons

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f Bardi, Carla (2004). Prosciutto. South San Francisco : Wine Appreciation Guild. p. 44. ISBN 1-891267-54-X.
  2. ^ a b c 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. ^ a b c "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. ^ a b "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. ^ a b Root, Waverley (1903–1992). The food of Italy. New York : Vintage Books. p. 604. ISBN 0679738967.
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