LUGANEGA
By Pamela Lewy
Luganega, also known as luganiga or luganeghe is a traditional mild and lean pork sausage made throughout Italy, but most notably in the northern areas, such as Trentino. It is sometimes referred to as Luganega da Monza because it is especially popular in the town of Monza, in the northwest region in Lombardia.
Generally produced with meat taken from the neck or the cheek of the pig (though some regions take meat from the rib), the meat is then traditionally seasoned with nutmeg, coriander, pepper, and cinnamon and sometimes Parmigiano Reggiano– before stuffed into a natural sheep or hog casing.
Some salumerias in other regions add different ingredients such as grated lemon or orange zest to vary the flavor, fattiness, or spiciness of their luganega. At Babbo, we like to add cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, white pepper and coriander.
Found in all Italian meat markets and many American as well, though in Italy, it’s often referred to as salsiccia al metro – because it’s sold by length, rather than weight. Luganega sausage goes nicely with soft polenta or on top of risotto dishes.
Luganega
makes about five pounds
3 pounds pork shoulder butt
2 teaspoon salt
¾ teaspoon white pepper
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground coriander
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
4 feet of natural casing.
1. keep meat very cold at all times. Grind the pork butt through a 3/8 inch plate.
2. Place meat in a plastic mixing tub – keeping the meat paste well chilled
3. Weigh out and mix all dry ingredients into the meat.
4. Stuff the meat into casing, but do not link. Rather, leave it as a coil
5. Keep it for 24 hours in the refrigerator for the seasoning to develop full flavor in the meat.
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