I’ve been craving these ever since May!! During The Old School Kitchen – Culinaria Pompeiana, Jack and Sam took on the challenge of making lucanicae, the aromatic sausages that quickly became a favourite around our table. Their version was outstanding! Richly seasoned, beautifully balanced, and every bit as memorable as the other dishes we made.

Lucanicae take their name from Lucania, the ancient region of southern Italy (roughly modern Basilicata), whose communities were deeply influenced by the neighbouring Greek cities of Magna Graecia. According to Varro, the Romans learned to make these distinctive sausages from the Lucanians, likely through Lucanian soldiers serving in the Roman army. Their popularity endured for centuries: Cicero mentions lucanicae in his letters, Martial includes them among the delicacies of the Roman table, and Apicius preserves a recipe for them, demonstrating that this regional specialty had become firmly established in Roman cuisine.

Our batch was seasoned with pepper, cumin, savory, parsley, pine nuts, peppercorns, garum, and juniper berries (in lieu of laurel berries). The aroma alone transported us back two thousand years.

Many modern Italian sausages still bear the name luganega, luganighe, or lucanica, preserving a culinary tradition that has endured from antiquity to the present day.

Bravo, Jack and Sam! You’ve left me with a lasting craving. I think it’s time to make another batch! 😋

#sausages #Rome #archaeology #food #masterclass ...