Salsiccia (Italian fresh pork sausage)

 One of my favourite memories was being in Ravello, where my father was from, during the Festa dell'uva (grape harvest festival). There was much wine, music and these amazing sausages served on a focaccia bread with tender stem broccoli. This is my economical recipe using cooking bacon, which I get from Lidl, as opposed to pork shoulder which is much more expensive. You can use ready minced pork and some finely chopped streaky bacon (for the fat content) if you don't have a mincer. If you have a sausage stuffer and skins then go ahead and make these the traditional way but unless for an occasion I use my method using cling film which is quick and easy.

Ingredients:

1kg cooking bacon

2 tsp fennel seeds

1 tsp chilli flakes

1 tsp cracked black peppercorns

1 or 2  tsp sea salt (depending on your salt tolerance)

1 crushed clove of garlic or a tsp dried garlic

1/2 glass of white wine (optional)

N.B. Whilst traditional recipe uses fresh pork and fat, pork shoulder costs around £6 per kg, while Lidl's cooking bacon costs £1.99 per kg. Also, the cooking bacon is barely cured, more like seasoned pork.

Method: (pictures below) 

Mince the cooking bacon and put it in a large bowl.

Add all the other ingredients and mix well with your hands to evenly incorporate the seasonings.

Pop in the fridge and allow to marinate for an hour or more.

Now the fun bit, roll out about 20-25 cm/8-10 inches of cling film.

Along the edge form a sausage shape of meat around 2.5cm/1" along the width of the cling film.

Roll up then twist the ends to seal then depending on the width of the cling film form two or three sausages by twisting to make the links. Tie a short piece of string at the ends to ensure the meat doesn't squeeze out.

Repeat this method for all the remaining sausage meat.

Refrigerate till ready to cook.

Three-quarters fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil.

Then carefully lower the sausages into the water, bring back to a boil then simmer for 15 minutes.

Drain the water then unwrap the sausages into an oiled frying pan.

Fry on a high heat to caramelise the sausages and serve.