Sheftalia Recipe (Traditional Cypriot Pork Sausages)

This Sheftalia recipe will have your mouth watering as you bite into these juicy, flavourful Cypriot pork sausages! Made with a perfect blend of ground pork, onions, and fresh herbs, each sausage is wrapped in lace fat (panna), holding it all together and keeping it moist and delicious.

Enjoy these homemade sausages as a mezze while other meats spin on the charcoal foukou (Cyprus BBQ), or serve as a main meal! Tuck them inside soft cypriot pita bread (pocket style), with a simple salad and a squeeze of lemon juice to tie it all together. Whether it’s a family gathering or a weekend cook-up, these sheftalies are sure to become a new favourite!

Jump to:

• Why you will love these sheftalies
• Overview of the key steps
• How to Make Them - Short Video Tutorial
• Ingredients
• Step-by-step Instructions
• Serving Suggestions
• Storage
• FAQs
• 📖 Recipe

Why you will love these sheftalies

• Juicy and Flavourful: Wrapping the sausages in the lacey fat known as panna ensures they stay moist as the fat melts and renders while cooking. Not only do they look unique, but the fat also locks in flavour and keeps the sausages incredibly juicy.
• Simple and Easy to Make: Trust me, it's easier than it looks! At first glance, it might seem daunting, but this recipe is surprisingly straightforward, and it’s guaranteed to wow your guests!
• Perfect for Any Occasion: Whether served as a mezze while you have the souvla spinning, or tucked into pita bread for a main course, these little sausages never disappoint.
• Make Ahead and Cook Anywhere: Make a batch, freeze them, and pull them out whenever you need a quick dinner! Cook them over hot coals or on a hotplate with a little extra-virgin olive oil for an easy, mess-free meal. 
• Our Favourite Combination: After testing and playing with ideas from four different Cypriot families, my koumbaro and I settled on this sheftalia recipe. The use of fresh mint and cinnamon really complements the pork—making it our absolute favourite! We’re confident you’ll love it just as much as we do.

Overview of the key steps

Here’s a quick look at the steps you’ll follow to make this traditional Cypriot dish!

1. Prepare and Clean the Caul Fat (Panna): Rinse the caul fat thoroughly, then soak it with salt and vinegar to remove any odours. Drain it well, and it’s ready to use.
2. Make the Sausage Filling: Create a flavourful pork sausage mixture. Once combined, divide it into evenly-sized balls to make the assembly faster and more efficient.
3. ​Wrap the Sausages: Roll each ball into a sausage shape and wrap it securely in the caul fat (panna).
4. Cook to Perfection: Grill the sausages over charcoal or on a hotplate until they are browned and cooked through.

How to Make Them - Short Video Tutorial

Watch my step-by-step video to learn how to make this traditional Cypriot sausage from start to finish!

Make sure to like, comment, and share the video with a friend who would love to try these! 

Ingredients

Let’s take a closer look at what makes this recipe so special! As always, see the recipe card below for exact quantities.

Caul Fat (Panna)

• Caul fat: Known as panna in Cyprus, this delicate, lace-like fat holds the sausages together and melts beautifully during cooking, keeping them moist and flavorful. Found in a pig's stomach, it's a fatty membrane that is the ultimate sausage casing. 
• Salt and white vinegar: Used to clean the caul fat and remove any unwanted odours, ensuring it’s fresh and ready to use.

Sausage Mixture

• Pork mince (20% fat): I find this balance of fat and meat ensures juicy sausages with rich flavour. Ask your local butcher to prepare it just like this for the best results.
• Brown onion and red onion: A combination of these onions adds both sweetness and sharpness to the mixture, giving it a nice depth of flavour.
• Parsley and mint: Parsley is an essential fresh herb for this recipe! Many don’t use mint, and some go for dried mint, but adding fresh mint is a must for me! It adds that perfect burst of flavour that makes these sausages stand out.
• White wine: Adds moisture and a subtle acidity to the sausage mixture. If you prefer, you can swap it with lemon juice. We only use a small amount, but it makes a big difference!
• Salt and black pepper: Essential seasonings that bring out the best in all the ingredients and enhance the meat’s natural flavours.
• Cinnamon: A warm spice that gives these sausages a hint of sweetness and a unique twist.

Step-by-step Instructions

Follow these simple steps using the images with their corresponding step! If you get stuck while following this method, please watch my video for more help!

Preparing the Caul Fat (Panna)

1. Rinse the caul fat thoroughly with cold water to remove any impurities. Drain and repeat if needed.
2. In a bowl, mix fresh water with salt and white vinegar. Submerge the caul fat to soften it and remove any odours. Leave it in here until your meat mixture is prepared.
3. Once ready for use, drain the water and give the caul fat a final rinse with fresh water.

Preparing the Sausage Mixture

1. Add all the ingredients to a large mixing bowl.
2. Massage the mixture with your hands until everything is well incorporated. (For easier mixing, add half of the ingredients first, mix thoroughly, then add the rest and continue massaging)

Assembling the Sheftalies

1. Roll the meat mixture into equal portions, around 50–60 grams each, to speed up the assembly and ensure even cooking.
2. On a chopping board, carefully stretch a piece of caul fat until it is thin, being mindful not to tear it.
3. Place a portion of the meat mixture near the edge and roll it up tightly, wrapping the meat securely.
4. Fold the fat over as needed to enclose the meat, and trim any excess with a sharp knife.
5. Repeat the process until all the sheftalies are wrapped and ready for grilling.

Cooking on the charcoal

This method is for grilling sheftalia over charcoal, but if you don’t have a BBQ, you can easily cook them in a pan on the stovetop. Simply add a little oil to the pan and cook the sausages over medium heat, turning them regularly until browned and cooked through.

1. Arrange the sheftalies over low heat on the BBQ and cook slowly, turning them every 1–2 minutes to achieve even browning.
2. Once the internal temperature reaches 50°C, move the sausages closer to the heat source or scratch the charcoal to allow more airflow and intensify the heat.
3. Continue cooking and rotating the sausages until the fat has rendered, and they are nicely browned.
4. When the internal temperature reaches at least 65°C, remove the sausages from the BBQ.
5. Squeeze fresh lemon juice over the top before serving. Enjoy!

Serving Suggestions

• Inside Pocket Pita Bread: Slice open some soft and fluffy pita bread to make a pocket, add your shefties and combine with some fresh cucumber, tomatoes, red onion and some more freshly chopped parsley! Add some more lemon juice and some tzatziki also!
  
• Mezze Platter: Present the Sheftalia as part of a mezze spread with other favourites like halloumi, loukanika, grilled vegetables, Cypriot meatballs (keftedes) and your favourite dips.
  
• With a Fresh Salad: Pair the sausages with a light salad, like a traditional Greek Horiatiki, or domatosalata or just spread them on a plate and top with fresh parsley, onion and always, lemon!
  
• BBQ Feast: Serve Sheftalia alongside other grilled meats like lamb souvla, chicken souvla, or pork souvla for a complete Cypriot-inspired feast.

Storage

• Refrigeration (Uncooked): Once prepared, keep the uncooked sheftalies in the fridge for up to 3 days if the pork is fresh. For any longer, I would then opt to freeze them.
• Refrigeration (Cooked): After cooking, if you have leftovers, store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Simple reaheat, apply some more lemon juice and enjoy as a quick snack or meal.

Freezing

• Place the uncooked sheftalia in a freezer-safe container, laying them flat. Use parchment paper between layers to prevent them from sticking and make removing only the amount you need easier.
• Thawing and Cooking: When you’re ready to cook, thaw the sausages in the fridge overnight. Once thawed, cook them as usual on the charcoal or a gas grill.

FAQs

📖 Recipe