With the fresh, zesty taste of basil and garlic, these juicy sausages are a perfect homemade accompaniment to a variety of egg dishes. Ask the butcher to grind up the pork butt, and make sure the pork is well chilled (32°F) before starting on this recipe. The meat and fat need to stay very cold during the grinding and mixing process. Otherwise, the sausage comes out mealy because the fat doesn’t maintain its form and melts into the meat.

　　

Ingredients

makes sixteen 2-ounces patties

　　1 1/2 pounds well chilled coarsely ground pork butt

　　1/3 pound well chilled coarsely ground fatback

　　1/4 cup dry white wine

　　2 garlic cloves, crushed

　　6 fresh basil leaves, minced, or 1/4 teaspoon dried basil

　　1/4 teaspoon fresh oregano, minced, or 1/8 teaspoon dried oregano

　　1/4 teaspoon fresh rosemary, minced, or 1/8 teaspoon dried rosemary

　　3 teaspoons fennel seeds

　　2 teaspoons kosher salt

　　1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

　　

Step 1

Combine the pork butt, fatback, and white wine in a large bowl and mix well. Make sure to keep the mixture cold. If it is a warm day, you can place the mixing bowl over a second mixing bowl of ice water.

　　

Step 2

Add the garlic, basil, oregano, rosemary, fennel seeds, salt, and pepper to the pork mixture. Using your hands, mix very well. Form the mixture into sixteen 2-ounce patties, each one about the size of a very small hamburger patty.

　　

Step 3

Heat a large skillet over medium heat until a drop of water sizzles on it. Arrange the sausages in a single layer in the skillet. Fry the sausages, turning them once, until golden brown and crusty on the outside and the interior loses its pink color, about 4 minutes total.

　　

Spicy Italian Sausage Variation

Step 4

Reduce the amount of fennel to 1/2 tablespoon and add 1/2 to 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes.

　　Bubby’s Brunch Cookbook by Ron Silver and Rosemary Black. Copyright © 2009 by Ron Silver and Rosemary Black. Published by Ballantine Books. All Rights Reserved.