Salsiccia e Friarielli: the perfect marriage in Naples

There are combinations that are born to be together, like sun and sea, pizza and mozzarella… or salsiccia e friarielli.
This dish is the soul of Neapolitan winter cuisine: simple, tasty and deeply popular.
The perfume of garlic, the spicy touch of chilli, the green bitterness of the friarielli and the juiciness of the sausage blend in an irresistible harmony.

In Naples, it is said that there is no need for luxury when there is such a dish on the table.

Ingredients (for 4 persons)

• 4 fresh pork sausages (better if homemade or from butcher’s)
• 1 kg of friarielli (tender turnip greens or turnip greens)
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 chili pepper (optional, but very Neapolitan)
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt to taste

Traditional preparation

There are two authentic Neapolitan ways to prepare this dish.
The choice depends on personal taste: one softer and more delicate, the other more intense and bitter.
Both are delicious.

Version 1 – Boiled and then sautéed Friarielli (milder)

1. Clean the friarielli.
   Remove the toughest stems and keep the leaves and tender shoots.
   Wash them well several times to remove all the soil.
2. Boil them.
   Put a large pot with water and a little salt. When boiling, add the friarielli and cook for 10 minutes, until tender.
   Drain well.
3. Sauté the friarielli.
   In a large frying pan, heat the olive oil with the whole garlic cloves and the chili pepper.
   When the garlic is golden brown, add the drained friarielli and sauté for a few minutes until they are flavored.
   Set aside hot.
4. Cook the salsiccia.
   In another pan (or the same one, if you prefer to mix the flavors), lightly prick the sausages and brown them over medium heat.
   You can add a few drops of white wine to deglaze.
5. Combine and serve.
   Mix the friarielli with the sausages in the pan, let the aromas integrate for 2-3 minutes and serve hot.

Result: balanced flavor, with a bitter point, but soft and aromatic. Perfect for those who prefer a rounder dish.

Version 2 – Directly sautéed Friarielli (more intense and authentic)

1. Clean the friarielli as in the previous version, but do not boil them.
2. Sauté directly raw with oil, garlic and chili pepper.
   Cover the pan for a few minutes so that the steam softens them, stirring occasionally.
   Releases its water, reduces and concentrates its flavor.
3. Add the sausages (already browned on the side or raw if you want them to cook together) and cook over medium heat until the vegetables are tender and the sausages are well done.

Result: a more intense, rustic and slightly bitter taste.
It is the preferred version of the Neapolitans “of all life”, who love the contrast between green and fat.

How to serve it

In Naples, salsiccia e friarielli is served in many ways:

• As a second course, accompanied by crusty bread to collect the juice.
• Inside a panino napolitano (hot sandwich), with provola or melted mozzarella.
• Or even as a pizza or calzone topping, an irresistible winter classic.

The spirit of a popular dish

Salsiccia e friarielli is more than a recipe: it is a declaration of love for simplicity.
It was born in the working class neighborhoods, where the ingredients were few but good, and where the aroma of fried garlic was enough to announce lunchtime.
Today it is still the symbol of a Naples that does not forget its roots, where cooking is still a celebration of the everyday.

With much love,
Your Neapolitan girl!