Fill your kitchen with the scent of spices as you prepare these healthy homemade sausages, the perfect weekend lunch or family evening meal.

Recipe Rosa Matto | Photographs Brendan Homan | Styling Natalie Homan

Lamb shoulder sausages and tomatoes with sumac dressing
makes about 24 small sausages

It is best to ask your butcher to mince a lamb shoulder for you because you want a little bit of fat but not as much as pre-minced lamb. If possible, make the mixture the day before to let the flavours mellow.

1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp sweet paprika
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp salt
½ tsp sumac
½ tsp cloves
600g minced lamb shoulder
¼ cup lemon juice
12 black olives, pitted and chopped (optional)
2 tbsp fresh mint, shredded
olive oil for frying
lemon juice, extra

to serve
pita breads, mixed herb leaves, lemon wedges

Stir all the spices together. Add to the minced lamb with the lemon juice. Mix very thoroughly. Stir in the black olives and mint and mix again. Test fry a small amount, taste and adjust to your liking. Cover and refrigerate overnight, if possible.

Wet your hands with water and shape into small torpedo shapes. Heat the oil and cook the sausages until golden. Spritz with extra lemon juice.

Serve with extra mint, pita, lemon wedges, yoghurt if you like and tomato salad.

tomato salad with sumac dressing
make the dressing first

1 tsp sumac powder
30ml warm water
200ml robust olive oil
juice of ½ lemon
1 tsp sugar
salt, white pepper
2 sprigs tarragon, leaves only
1 clove garlic crushed to a paste

Combine all the ingredients in a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Shake vigorously and allow to infuse for at least one hour. Strain into a clean jar. The dressing will keep for a week.

tomato salad

1 small red onion, sliced paper-thin
500g assorted tomatoes, sliced
salt flakes and ground white pepper

Soak the onion slices in lightly salted water for 20 minutes. Squeeze out excess water and mix with the tomatoes. Pour over a tablespoon or two of the dressing and add salt and pepper to taste.

This recipe first appeared in the August 2021 issue of SALIFE magazine.