Grilled Sausages (Physkai)
The Quirky Foodster Team
Ingredients
- Ground pork or lamb — 500 g (1.1 lb)
- Garlic, crushed — 2 cloves
- Cumin seeds — 1 tsp
- Dried oregano — 1 tsp
- Olive oil — 1 tbsp
- Salt — to taste
- Natural sausage casings (or shape as patties)
Method
- Combine the ground meat with garlic, cumin, oregano, olive oil, and salt in a bowl and mix thoroughly.
- Stuff the mixture into sausage casings, or shape into small patties if casings aren't available.
- Grill over medium-high heat for 12-15 minutes, turning occasionally, until cooked through and browned.
- Serve hot, straight off the grill.
Introduction: Simple grilled meat sausages, sold hot from street stalls and popular at festivals and in comedy alike.
Cultural Background: Physkai, blood- or meat-filled sausages, were sold by street vendors and are mentioned in Greek comic plays as a favourite snack of ordinary city-dwellers, grilled over coals and eaten on the go.
Tips: Don’t overwork the meat mixture, or the sausages will turn dense rather than tender.
Variations: A little chopped leek or onion can be mixed into the filling for extra flavour.
Nutrition: Approx. 310 kcal per serving.
FAQs:
Q: Were these eaten as street food?
A: Yes, they were a well-documented favourite of agora food vendors and are referenced in Greek comic theatre.
Q: Can these be made without casings?
A: Yes, simply shape the mixture into flattened patties or small logs and grill directly.
- Ground pork or lamb — 500 g (1.1 lb)
- Garlic, crushed — 2 cloves
- Cumin seeds — 1 tsp
- Dried oregano — 1 tsp
- Olive oil — 1 tbsp
- Salt — to taste
- Natural sausage casings (or shape as patties)
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