Italian Casalinga Sausage

Prepare

1. Keep everything cold. Cut the meat into 3 cm cubes and chill it, along with the mincer parts, until very cold. 30 minutes in the freezer is ideal.
2. Get the casing ready. Have the casing ready to load onto the filler nozzle. If you're using natural casings, soak them in lukewarm water for 30 minutes and flush them through.

Mince and mix

1. Mince the meat. Mince the pork, back fat and beef together through a coarse plate (8–10 mm) for a rustic texture.
2. Add the mix. Sprinkle the 100 g Casalinga Seasoning Mix over the mince and mix it through by hand first.
3. Add the water. Pour in the 220 ml iced water and keep mixing for 2–3 minutes, until the mixture turns sticky and binds together.

Tip: Fry a teaspoon-sized patty and taste it before filling. It's the easiest time to adjust the seasoning.

Fill and link

1. Fill the casing. Slide the casing onto the nozzle and fill it evenly. Don't pack it too tightly, or the sausages may split when you link or cook them.
2. Twist into links. Twist into 12–15 cm links, alternating the direction each time. Prick any air bubbles with a clean pin.

Rest, cook and store

1. Rest overnight. Lay the sausages on a tray in the fridge, uncovered, overnight. The flavours develop and the skins dry slightly, so they brown better.
2. Cook gently. Cook over medium heat, turning often, until the centre reaches 71 °C.
3. Store. Refrigerate and eat within 2–3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.

Make it your own

Everyone makes sausages slightly differently, and that's half the fun. Treat these amounts as a starting point, then adjust to suit your taste: a little more or less seasoning, a fattier or leaner cut, a coarser or finer grind, or a splash more water for a juicier sausage.

Add extra fennel seed, a pinch of chilli flakes for a hot version, or a splash of red wine. Fry a small test patty, taste and tweak, and write down what you changed so your next batch turns out just the way you like it.