Spanish Sausage and Potato Casserole

Sausage is really a versatile and easy project if you are fortunate and have access to a a real live butcher.

Just request a quantity of ground pork belly and the difficulty has melted away and you have but to add the appropriate spices!!

Spanish flavored pork sausage with fennel and paprika layered with onions, garlic and potatoes will make a great one dish meal.  I put the sausage together this morning as to allow the flavors to meld.


Pork Fennel &  Paprika Sausages

1 lb. freshly ground pork belly
1/2 t. black peppercorns
1/2 t. dried fennel seed
2 t. kosher salt
3 t. paprika
freshly milled black pepper
1 egg
1/2 C. packed fresh bread crumbs

Using a mortar and pestle combine the peppercorn's, fennel seed, and salt.  Break up the spices and continue to work them adding the paprika until everything is well ground.  Add the spices, egg, and bread crumbs to the ground pork and mix well.  Add additional black pepper and wrap up and refrigerate until ready to use or it may be frozen for longer storage.



Sausage &  Potato Casserole

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Shape 1 pound of sausage into 6-8 patties and layer on the bottom of an ovenproof baking dish.

Top the sausages with 1 onion finely chopped.  Peel and thinly slice 1 1/2 pounds of potatoes (about 5-6 medium).  Spread the potatoes over the layer adding a clove of crushed garlic and salt and pepper.  Pour 1 1/4 C. stock over all and drizzle with 2 T. olive oil.  Cover and bake 1 hour.  Remove the cover and bake an additional 15 minutes.  Garnish  with diced red or green pepper and serve.

Yield 4 servings.
I adapted this recipe from several sausages made with family during butchering season as well as from a casserole a friend made using beef years ago.