The salamella sandwich is the typical all-Italian street food – perfect for summer and any other season, really. This particular sandwich can be bought at the famous “baracchini" (food trucks) outside stadiums during concerts or football matches, or made at home with family and friends during barbecues – usually eaten standing up while sipping an ice-cold beer. Let's go more in detail!
The bread
The bread must be fresh and crispy. A resounding NO to hamburger buns, regular white bread, sandwich bread, and focaccia. Michette or long sandwich pieces of bread are preferable. You can also make a panino con la salamella with sliced bread, like a good pane pugliese, though it might be more difficult to bite into!
Salamella
Salamella is a fresh sausage made from coarsely ground pork meat, ground in a meat grinder (with 4-6 mm holes), with the addition of salt and spices such as fennel, pepper or red chili peppers. Italy, as always, offers quite a few versions to try – ranging from the salsiza triestina and the salamella mantovana, to the salami from Caderzone and the thin sausages from Alta Murgia a Spinazzola and so on. The important thing, since sausage is considered a "less valuable" meat, is always relying on a trusted butcher to choose raw ingredients of excellent quality!
Salamelle (Wikipedia)
How to make the salamella sandwich
First of all, cut the salamella in half lengthwise: You can also avoid cutting it, but if you want to make sure that the meat is well-cooked inside, it is better to open it.
Skin: Yes or no? It depends on personal preference. if you take it off, be careful not to break the sausage while it’s cooking. Then cook both sides on a very hot skillet or on a grill until the meat is golden brown, but not overcooked (to keep it from drying out).
Then, fill the sandwich bread that you’ve cut in half. You can also heat it up for a moment to make it crispier. Serve immediately, with or without condiments.
Panino con la salamella (Langhe Rock Festival Facebook, ph Manuela Zangara)
Salamella sandwich toppings
Usually, salamella sandwiches are enriched with sauces to taste – ketchup, mayonnaise, barbecue sauce, or mustard, but you can also add other ingredients.
If you like strong flavors and a sweet-and-sour contrast, opt for a sauerkraut filling.
A rustic and very tasty alternative is grilled or pan-fried bell peppers with garlic and oil.
Another winning combination is the onion, also grilled or browned in a pan.
Finally, if you have a strong stomach and you’re just back from a very eventful evening, combine all the ingredients proposed so far in a single sandwich ... You’ll be blown away!