Soppressato is a dried sausage of large, oval shape, refined texture, and vivid spice, the masterwork of the salumieri lucani. This sausage is a fundamental offering on the Lucanian table and its goodness is often celebrated, imitated—in longer, more slender shapes—in all the regions of Italy, under the all-encompassing name of luganica/luganega, after Lucania. Here follows a recipe for a fresh sausage that embraces the flavors and perfumes of the traditional salsicce of Lucania.
Recipe information
Yield
makes about 2 1/2 pounds
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
With a mezzaluna or a very sharp knife, mince the garlic, ginger, and pancetta together into a paste. In a large bowl, combine the paste with the minced pork, the ground pork fat, the wine, grappa, chile pepper, and sea salt, amalgamating the components well. Cover the bowl, permitting the ingredients to absorb flavorings and ripen for several hours or overnight, well covered in the refrigerator.
Step 2
Form plump ovals—3 inches by 2 inches—and, over a lively flame in a large sauté pan, heat the olive oil and quickly sauté the sausages. Or, better, grill them, crusty and dark, on an oiled grate over a wood fire. They are fiery, sassy enough to follow pasta alla pecoraio (page 152) or luscious when laid, all warm and juicy, over simply dressed bitter greens.
