INGREDIENTS
- 250g (0.55lb) hot (Pelioritiko) beef sausage
- 250g (0.55lb) spicy (Pelioritiko) beef sausage
- 500g (1.1lb) traditional sausage from Stagiates 80% beef 20% pork
- 1,400g (3lb) ripe tomatoes
- 800g (1.8lb) green long peppers
- 20g sea salt
- 2g black pepper
- 2 small dried chili peppers
- 100ml extra virgin olive oil
PREPARATION
First, preheat the wood-fired oven and right after this, pile up the charcoals inside the fire cabin of your charcoal grill. The charcoals light upside down, from top to bottom. Hence place the kindling (alcohol-soaked cotton) on top and the charcoals will light up easily, quickly and without smoke. The oven takes longer to preheat than the charcoals to be fully lit. This means you have all the time you need to cut the sausages, about 5cm (2 in) long, and skewer the pieces crossways on small spits. Alternatively, you can grill them in large pieces on the grilling grate. Rinse the peppers to have them ready for grilling. Rinse the ripe tomatoes as well. Grate tomatoes on the largest holes of a grater and avoid, if possible, adding pieces of their skin.
COOKED ON Indirect wood-fired oven
COOKING
When the charcoals are fully lit, place the sausages on grill over high heat (remove them early before they dry). Grill peppers on high heat until tender but still firm. Remove them when they are lightly charred and peel off the skin (as much as you can) when they are cool enough to handle. After grilling the sausages until lightly browned, let them cool and cut into thin slices (basic step to this recipe).
Put the grated tomatoes, sausages, and peppers –that are cut lengthwise into quarters – inside a clay baking tray; it’s this detail that can make the difference in cooking. Add the extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper. Mix all ingredients and now it’s time to check the temperature inside the oven. It should be approximately 200⁰C (392⁰F) and the woods should still burn but not produce flames. Now, place the clay baking tray inside the oven and slow cook for 1h and 15 min approximately. The longer you wait and the slower you cook, the better. Remove it when thick and there’s only oil left in the tray. At this point, it must also have a nice surface color.
It’s served with wine and beer. In our opinion, it’s the absolute Greek meze (appetizer) to accompany a glass of wine. Gather your friends and enjoy this uniquely made dish, spetsofai. Good company, good food, and something to drink are the secrets of success.
