| Italian sausage and salami is amazing. Every bite of | | | | a king of Italian sausage. |
| fresh Italian salami is a flavour sensation, it takes a | | | | Sausages called salsiccia luganega are usually of fresh |
| cheese sandwich to a new dimension; if made with | | | | meat, and cooked or heated in water before serving. |
| Italian cheese it really blows the roof off! | | | | The meat is a finely ground mixture of fat and lean |
| Added to a tomato sauce and left to cook for a | | | | pork, flavoured with pepper and spices. Luganega is an |
| couple of hours either Italian salami or Italian sausage | | | | example of this type. The meat is filled into long |
| can add a real twist to a meal and transform a | | | | casings, divided into sections and sold by length rather |
| tomato sauce into something much more varied and | | | | than weight. Luganega is often served with polenta in |
| deep. | | | | northern Italy. It can be fried, broiled or braised as well |
| Italy is famous for its varieties of sausages and | | | | as boiled. A delicious Italian sausage to cut up into bite |
| salamis many of which are famously produced in the | | | | size pieces to make meat balls and added to a basic |
| Lombardy region of Italy. | | | | tomato sauce. |
| Around Pavia, south of the River Po, are a number of | | | | Cacciatorino is a small well hung variety of Italian |
| villages where sausages are still smoked in the | | | | salami consisting of two thirds lean pork, tender veal, |
| traditional way.This is the area where salame di Varzi | | | | and various types of fat. It was originally devised as a |
| is made. Only the finest pork is used to make this | | | | convenient type of Italian sausage for those working |
| Italian sausage, and only wine, pepper, salt, and | | | | out in the forests to take with them as supplies. That |
| saltpeter are added. The sausage is matured for three | | | | may be the source of the name, cacciatorino which |
| to four months. This comparatively long maturation | | | | translates as small hunter. |
| brings out the flavour. A whole salame di Varzi as sold | | | | Salametto is a small, well-hung sausage, similar to |
| is a medium sized, coarse-grained sausage weighing | | | | cacciatorino. It is ideal as a lunch time Italian salami or to |
| about 2 pounds (1 kilogram). | | | | be taken on picnics as it is easily carried. This is a |
| Salame di Milano is a very fine textured Italian salami | | | | beautifully delicate Italian sausage which is perfect to |
| made from pork, pork fat, beef, and spices is matured | | | | be eaten on its own. |
| for about 3 months and weighs up to about 3 pounds | | | | Italian sausage and salami do taste that much different |
| (1.5 kilograms). It has an essential place in any antipasto | | | | to those of other countries and do lend themselves to |
| misto starter of mixed Italian sausage, and is popular | | | | being added to Italian meals, such as pizzas and |
| well beyond its place of origin. It is probably one of | | | | pastas. If cooking an Italian meal and trying to make it |
| Italy's best-known food products along with Parma | | | | as authentic as possible be sure to add Italian salami or |
| ham. The imitations available elsewhere do not | | | | Italian sausage. |
| necessarily do justice to the original. Salame di Milano is | | | | |