Non-VegetarianEmiliana-Romagnola cuisine Main Course

Salama da Sugo

Name: Salama da Sugo
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 6 h
Total time: 6 h 20 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Emiliana-Romagnola
Ingredients: 1 piece salama da sugo igp; 1000 g floury potatoes; 250 ml Whole milk; 80 g Unsalted butter; 50 g parmigiano reggiano; 1 tsp Fine sea salt; 0.25 tsp freshly ground nutmeg

Salama da sugo is a spiced, wine-cured pork sausage from Ferrara, gently simmered for hours and served spooned over rich mashed potatoes.

🇮🇹Italy· Emilia-Romagna

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 360 min
Total: 380 min
Servings: 6
Difficulty: Medium
Calories: 680 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 7 gathered

Servings

1 piece salama da sugo igp — around 800 g to 1 kg, raw cured
1000 g floury potatoes — such as Maris Piper or Russet, peeled
250 ml Whole milk — warmed
80 g Unsalted butter — diced and chilled
50 g parmigiano reggiano — finely grated
1 tsp Fine sea salt — to taste
¼ tsp freshly ground nutmeg — freshly grated

Equipment

•Large deep pot
•Wooden spoon
•Kitchen string
•Potato masher
•Cheesecloth or clean linen cloth

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 680 kcal
fat: 44 g
carbs: 38 g
fibre: 4 g
protein: 34 g
calories: 680 kcal

Instructions

1
Soak the cured salama in a large bowl of cold water for 12 hours to soften the casing and remove excess salt.
2
Scrub the surface gently with a soft brush under cold running water to remove any residual white curing bloom.
3
Wrap the salama securely in a piece of clean cheesecloth and tie the top with kitchen string.
4
Tie the string to a long wooden spoon laid across the top of a deep pot, letting the salama suspend freely without touching the bottom.
5
Fill the pot with cold water until the salama is fully submerged.
6
Bring the water to a bare simmer over low heat, then cover and cook gently for 5 to 6 hours, topping up with boiling water as needed.
7
Boil the peeled potatoes in salted water for 20 minutes until completely tender when pierced with a knife.
8
Drain the potatoes and pass them through a potato ricer back into the warm pan.
9
Beat in the warm milk, diced butter, grated Parmigiano Reggiano, nutmeg, and salt until smooth and creamy.
10
Lift the salama from the pot, snip the casing at the top, and peel back the skin.
11
Spoon the soft, deeply spiced meat and its rich, dark juices directly over hot mounds of creamy mashed potato.

Chef's tips

Suspending the sausage with a wooden spoon prevents the casing from touching the hot pot bottom, which could cause it to burst. Maintain a very gentle simmer throughout cooking to keep the meat tender and unctuous.

Ingredient substitutions

salama da sugo IGP → cotechino, though it lacks the rich wine-cure and distinctive rounded shape
Parmigiano Reggiano → Grana Padano

Storage

Keep leftover meat and mash in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Reheating

Reheat gently in a saucepan with a splash of milk for the mash and a spoonful of water for the meat over medium-low heat.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Boiling the water vigorously, which will split the casing and disperse the flavourful juices into the cooking liquid.
•Letting the sausage rest directly on the base of the saucepan where it can scorch.

Serving suggestions

Serve immediately on wide rimmed plates with extra cooking juices spooned over the mash.Pair with a glass of sparkling Lambrusco or Fortana del Bosco Eliceo to cut the rich pork fat.