Bismarckia

by | Mar 19, 2018 | Bismarckia

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History

The Italian sausage was initially known as lucanica,[1] 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."[2] The writings of Cicero and Martial also mention lucanica (Lucian sausage)[3][4][5]as a speciality introduced in Rome by the Lucanian slaves[6]. A recipe for preparation is provided in the first century Apicius in De Re Coquinaria.[6]

Sausage in Italy

A wide variety of sausages (Italian: salsiccia, Italian: [salˈsittʃa]) are made in Italy, having evolved through the centuries into many regional varieties.[7] 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).[7][8]

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.[7][8] 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).[7]

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.[7]

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.[8]

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.[2]

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.[2]

Salsiccia al finocchio

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.[7]

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.[10]

Italian sausage in North America

In North America, Italian sausage most often refers to a style of pork sausage. The sausage is often noted for being seasoned with fennel or anise as the primary seasoning.

The most common varieties marketed as "Italian sausage" in supermarkets are hot,[11] sweet,[12][13][14][15] and mild.[16] The main difference between hot and mild is the addition of hot red pepper flakes to the spice mix of the former. The difference between mild and sweet is the addition of sweet basil in the latter.

See also

Media related to Salsiccia at Wikimedia Commons

References

  1. ^ Jenkins, Nancy (2007). Cucina del sole : a celebration of southern Italian cooking. William Morrow. p. 16. ISBN 978-0-06-072343-9.
  2. ^ a b c "From North to South, Italian Sausages Variety". lacucinaitaliana.com. La Cucina Italiana. 24 May 2020. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
  3. ^ Cicero, Marcus Tullius (1937). Letters of Marcus Tullius Cicero : with his treatises on friendship and old age. P.F. Collier. p. 158.
  4. ^ Martialis, Marcus Valerius (0086–0103). "Martial, Epigrams. Book 13. XXXV SAUSAGE".{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: date format (link)
  5. ^ Harper, Diane (20 December 2014). "Roman Sausages (sources other than Apicius)". Retrieved 7 July 2024.
  6. ^ a b "Carne al Fuoco zur Geschichte der Salsiccia" (in Italian). Archived from the original on 21 June 2009.
  7. ^ a b c d e f Bardi, Carla (2004). Prosciutto. South San Francisco : Wine Appreciation Guild. p. 44. ISBN 1-891267-54-X.
  8. ^ a b c Culinaria Italy : pasta, pesto, passion. H.f. Ullman/Tandem Verlag GmbH. 2008. p. 240. ISBN 978-3-8331-1049-8.
  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.
  11. ^ "italian hot Sausage Links". Johnsonville. Archived from the original on 2017-08-25. Retrieved 2015-07-10.
  12. ^ "italian Sweet Sausage Links". Johnsonville. Archived from the original on 2017-08-25. Retrieved 2015-07-10.
  13. ^ "Products Archive". Premio Foods. Retrieved 2019-10-16.
  14. ^ "Hot and Sweet Italian Sausages in Tomato Sauce Recipe". Food Network. Retrieved 2019-10-16.
  15. ^ ""Sweet Italian sausage" Basil". Bing. Retrieved 2019-10-16.
  16. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2017-08-25. Retrieved 2015-07-10.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
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