Salsiccia di polmone

Made with offal and leftover meat from the production of other salumi, salsiccia di polmone is a traditional product from the areas of Avellino, Caserta, Benevento, and Salerno. Ground lungs, spleen, heart, liver, kidney, and pork rind are flavored with salt, peperoncini, and wild fennel seeds. The mixture is placed in a natural pork casing - smoking is optional as it comes both in smoked and unsmoked versions. The maturation period lasts at least 30 days. This poor man's variety of a sausage is a part of an ancient Campanian tradition, but it is also one of the basic ingredients of a typical local dish known as minestra maritata, enriching otherwise simple vegetable soups with a special, spicy kick.