Finocchiona

This sausage is mostly found in a typical Tuscan antipasto. It takes its name from finocchio, or wild fennel, the seeds of which were traditionally used to spice the finely ground pork fat. This savoury salami is huge, reaching 25 cm (10 inches) in diameter. The meat is aged in pigs’ intestines for up to one year. Salted Tuscan bread is the ideal foil for balancing the spiciness of this salami. Fennel is also used to spice various other types of salami and sausages, especially those from Campania, Calabria, Puglia and Sicily.