National Salami Day: 5 ingenious ways to use salami

SEPTEMBER 7 is National Salami Day, an annual holiday that honours the delicious and spicy cured Italian sausage that is a perfect wine and cheese accompaniment.

Although most commonly eaten in a sandwich or as a snack, there are several other ways salami can be consumed.

Strong flavoured, tangy salami sausage that has a distinctive flavour can enhance the taste of a dish. If you are a true salami fan or someone looking to try cured meats with a twist, look no further: you are at the right place.

We present you with five creative ways to incorporate salami into your culinary creations:

Spice up your soups

Many people consume soup all year round, and restaurants take pride in serving traditional and modern soups by adding their own tweaks to them.

Whether you try to make a chunky white bean soup, chilled tomato soup, chicken soup or any other soup of your choice, finish it by adding stir-fried or diced salami.

Salami adds a spicy flavour and a lot of nutritional value to soup.

Pair with pasta

It should come as no surprise that pasta and Italian cheeses and meats belong together. But what might be surprising is the endless combinations.

Swop salami for pancetta in a classic carbonara, incorporate added depth to linguine and clams, fortify a simple red sauce with a meaty richness or include it in macaroni and cheese.

There are endless possibilities.

As a pizza topping

Move over pepperoni; peppered salami is the new star. Salami's intense flavour and delightful texture make it a superior pizza topping.

Add it to your favourite home-made or store-bought pizza and enjoy how the heat from the oven brings out the pepper’s spiciness.

Make a frittata

Frittata is an Italian egg-based dish. It is made by beating eggs and combining them with a variety of ingredients such as vegetables, meat and cheese, and then cooking the mixture in a pan until it has set.

You can easily enhance and enrich its flavours by adding small chunks of salami and potatoes.

Simply stir in the vegetables and add salami chunks at the end (remember that you don’t need to cook salami as it is a ready-to-eat ingredient). Pour egg over the mixture, top with cheese and bake for 10 minutes at 180ºC.

As a salad accent

Elevate your salads by adding thin strips of peppered salami. Its saltiness and spice can turn a dull green salad into a gourmet experience.

Pair with robust greens like kale or arugula, add some nuts for crunch and finish with a vinaigrette to balance the flavours.