Ventracina

Ventracina is a speciality of the Italian region of Abbuzzo, particularly the area around Vasto.  Every Italian thinks theirs is the best except us of course but we make a fairly good one.  Ventracina is air dried then sliced and eaten as part of Antipasta.  We also make Ventracina burgers to cook on the Barbeque, Italians don't do this, they think we are a bit nuts.

This recipe assumes that you have already read, understood and absorbed the basics of sausage making.

Ingredients

Cubed Pork (1 1/2 cm or so), Use the best meat, leg and belly and good firm fat also cubed at a ratio of 70/30 meat to fat.
For each Kilo of meat, 30g salt.
Red pepper powder
Chilli powder
Fennel seeds

Mix the pork and fat then spread it out on the table and combine well with the ingredients.  The pepper and chilli powder is strictly by eye.  The best way is to spread out the meat and fat, sprinkle a slack handful of fennel seeds over the top then cover with red pepper powder followed by the chilli powder.  You can be brave with the chilli powder but don't kick the arse out of it, use the red pepper powder for the colour.  Mix it together well by hand then repeat with the other half.  When it's well combined place it in a plastic food grade container in a cool place or the fridge if you have room to rest for at least 2 days.  Ensure that you put something under the meat to allow any liquid to drain off as soggy meat is naff when making the actual Ventracina.

It's important when making Ventracina that the meat is as cool as possible and the grinder as well.  The casings which are synthetic stomachs are soaked in water for at least an hour.  Using your large nozzle wet it thoroughly and slide the skin onto the nozzle having primed it first by pushing some meat through the grinder.  Now the filling. Use a steady turn and allow the bag to fill fully keeping hands and table top wet and the nozzle at the centre of the ball.  It is very important that the bag is as well packed as possible so keep working the ball as it fills to make sure there is no air inside and it is firm.  Use a pin to release any air pockets that may appear.  When the ball is firm and full remove from the nozzle leaving enough of the neck to drop in a piece of fat and then cover with red pepper powder then tie off with a bubble knot.  The ball needs to be placed in a net for hanging, be careful with this as the net should be as tight as possible around the ball.  Hang the balls in a cool dark place.  They should be ready to eat after 3 months.