The one all you Greek food fans have been waiting for. I am using a recipe from the Limassol area of the island but there are many variations on this and a lot of them are a closely guarded secret within the family! Okay, I admit the method is not simple but the ingredients are and with bonfire night coming up it's perfect for eating outside. All your friends will be clamouring for the recipe.
500 gms Coarsely Minced Pork. Make sure it has some fat in it.
1 Onion, finely chopped
Medium bunch of Flat leaf Parsley, finely chopped
Sea Salt
Cracked Black Pepper
1tsp Ground Cinnamon
3 Cloves Garlic, crushed
300 - 400 gms Caul Fat
Before I give you the method, a word about Caul Fat. Caul Fat is the membrane that covers the stomach of a lamb or pig, and is used in this recipe to wrap the meat in. It is naturally fatty and bastes the sausages as they cook. We know it as the fat we use to wrap up Faggots. The Cypriots call it Panna. It is a bit of a pain to get hold of but any traditional butcher should be able to order it for you and it freezes well. Add a couple of tablespoons of vinegar to a bowl of cold water and wash the caul. Drain it and make sure you squeeze out all the water. I prefer to use the 'thinner veined' areas because it gives a much more subtle taste. However if you are happy using it all then you won't need quite as much.
Put half the pork in a large bowl and season well. It's important to use cracked black pepper in this recipe for a more authentic taste. Add the remaining pork, onions, garlic, cinnamon and parsley and mix thoroughly. Season again and mix well. Put the caul fat on a board and stretch it out. Some cooks like to pre-cut squares but I tend to just work with it in thirds. Take a dessert spoon of the mixture and wrap the caul fat around it until it resembles a sausage. Don't be tempted to wrap it up as though you a using cling film. Less is more in this recipe. I know I'm being precise with the method but I was taught by an expert! This is what you should end up with.
If, like me you are a mad woman and happy to stand outside on Bonfire Night over a barbecue then that's how you should cook them. Put them on a medium heat and turn OFTEN. If you are not as foolhardy as me then grilling them is perfectly acceptable. Watch them carefully if you use this method. Finally you can use a griddle pan and cook then slowly over a gentle heat until they are cooked through.
Serve them in a hot Pitta bread with a salad of diced onion, cucumber, tomato and parsley and a squeeze of lemon. Utterly delicious.
500 gms Coarsely Minced Pork. Make sure it has some fat in it.
1 Onion, finely chopped
Medium bunch of Flat leaf Parsley, finely chopped
Sea Salt
Cracked Black Pepper
1tsp Ground Cinnamon
3 Cloves Garlic, crushed
300 - 400 gms Caul Fat
Before I give you the method, a word about Caul Fat. Caul Fat is the membrane that covers the stomach of a lamb or pig, and is used in this recipe to wrap the meat in. It is naturally fatty and bastes the sausages as they cook. We know it as the fat we use to wrap up Faggots. The Cypriots call it Panna. It is a bit of a pain to get hold of but any traditional butcher should be able to order it for you and it freezes well. Add a couple of tablespoons of vinegar to a bowl of cold water and wash the caul. Drain it and make sure you squeeze out all the water. I prefer to use the 'thinner veined' areas because it gives a much more subtle taste. However if you are happy using it all then you won't need quite as much.
Put half the pork in a large bowl and season well. It's important to use cracked black pepper in this recipe for a more authentic taste. Add the remaining pork, onions, garlic, cinnamon and parsley and mix thoroughly. Season again and mix well. Put the caul fat on a board and stretch it out. Some cooks like to pre-cut squares but I tend to just work with it in thirds. Take a dessert spoon of the mixture and wrap the caul fat around it until it resembles a sausage. Don't be tempted to wrap it up as though you a using cling film. Less is more in this recipe. I know I'm being precise with the method but I was taught by an expert! This is what you should end up with.
If, like me you are a mad woman and happy to stand outside on Bonfire Night over a barbecue then that's how you should cook them. Put them on a medium heat and turn OFTEN. If you are not as foolhardy as me then grilling them is perfectly acceptable. Watch them carefully if you use this method. Finally you can use a griddle pan and cook then slowly over a gentle heat until they are cooked through.
Serve them in a hot Pitta bread with a salad of diced onion, cucumber, tomato and parsley and a squeeze of lemon. Utterly delicious.
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