When seeking comfort as the mercury drops our minds and bellies gravitate towards a classic cacciatore. Cacciatore or alla cacciatora refers to a meal that is prepared “hunter-style”. A stew type of dish made with onions, herbs, garlic and mushrooms, basically whatever a hunter could forage to cook alongside with his catch (most commonly chicken or rabbit). The meat is cut into pieces, pan fried and then braised with the herbs and vegetables until tender, and served with bread.
The recipe has evolved to include wine or tomato sauce in the cooking process along with a variety of proteins and as with many Italian dishes varies depending on the region. In southern Italy, a cacciatore is often made using red wine while in Northern Italy it would be made using white. Here at Il Porcellino we make this hearty dish using our slightly spicy, homemade Calabrese sausage made from Mennonite pork and natural casings.
Our sausage cacciatore is made with meaty cremini mushrooms, onions, red pepper and our sugo fresco. The sausage is lovingly browned in a pan creating flavorful juices in which to cook the vegetables. We deglaze with a nice hit of wine before adding in the sauce and allowing it all to gently simmer.
Served up with fresh Calabrese bread alongside, this dish with its slight heat is a bowl full of warmth on a chilly day. Salsiccia al Cacciatore is something you’ll definitely want to hunt down when craving comfort food.