Ingredients
Sausage
- 1 kgpork shoulder, coarsely minced
- 250 gpork back fat, chopped small
- 3 tbspcoriander seed, coarsely crushed
- 1 tbspblack peppercorns, coarsely crushed
- 6 clovesgarlic, crushed
- 2 tspcoarse sea salt
- 1 tbspchopped parsley
- 100 mldry red wine
- 2m natural hog casing, rinsed and soaked
To serve
- crusty Maltese bread
- tomatoes, capers and olive oil
- a glass of red
Directions
- Crush the coriander seed coarsely rather than grinding it to powder. The visible cracked seeds are the signature of a Maltese sausage — coriander rather than fennel is exactly what separates it from a Sicilian one.
- Mix the pork, fat, coriander, pepper, garlic, salt, parsley and wine thoroughly with your hands. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
- Fry a spoonful the next day and taste. It should taste emphatically of coriander and garlic.
- Fill the soaked casing loosely and twist into sausages about 12 cm long, tying the ends. Prick each once.
- Leave uncovered in the fridge for a few hours so the surfaces dry and will brown rather than steam.
- Grill over medium coals or fry over medium heat for 20 to 25 minutes, turning often, until browned all over and cooked through.
- Serve hot with crusty bread, tomatoes and capers — or, for the raw version Maltese eat with bread, use it within a day of making and slice it thin.
- This is a fresh sausage: refrigerate and eat within two days, or freeze. The sun-dried version is a cured product the atlas gives no method for.
Technique
- Coarse coriander seed, and plenty of it. Ground fine it disappears and the sausage loses its identity.
- A fresh sausage. Nothing here is cured, and it should be cooked before eating unless you have made it yourself and know how fresh it is.
- Hand-cut the fat rather than mincing it, so it stays in distinct pieces.
Substitutions
- Beef for a third of the pork, which some butchers do.
- White wine in place of red.
- Collagen casings, which work though they do not brown as well.
Variations
- Sliced into a Maltese ftira with tomato, capers and olives.
- Cooked into a tomato and pea stew, or into a baked pasta.
History
Seasoned with coriander seed and black pepper rather than fennel, which sets it apart from Sicilian sausage; sold fresh or sun-dried.
Frequently asked questions
What is Zalzett tal-Malti?
Zalzett tal-Malti is a charcuterie & cured from Malta: coarse pork sausage with coriander seed and sea salt, fresh or dried. Seasoned with coriander seed and black pepper rather than fennel, which sets it apart from Sicilian sausage; sold fresh or sun-dried.
How long does Zalzett tal-Malti take to make?
Zalzett tal-Malti takes 40 min plus overnight resting of preparation and 25 min of cooking. The recipe makes makes 10 sausages. It is rated medium to make.
What can I substitute in Zalzett tal-Malti?
Yes, within limits. Beef for a third of the pork, which some butchers do. White wine in place of red. Collagen casings, which work though they do not brown as well.
What is the most important thing to get right in Zalzett tal-Malti?
Crush the coriander seed coarsely rather than grinding it to powder. The visible cracked seeds are the signature of a Maltese sausage — coriander rather than fennel is exactly what separates it from a Sicilian one.
