“Tscheagl” and Vernatsch: A Convincing Combination

Farmer Mali Höller runs her Buschenschank high above Bolzano with passion and a deep commitment to tradition.

When Mali Höller welcomes guests to the Baumannhof farm in Signato-Signat, they often come from far away: her Schlutzer, Apfelkiachl and Tscheagl are well known and appreciated throughout South Tyrol and beyond. Mali places particular importance on keeping her kitchen free from digital frills: “At home, I still do everything by hand, and I roll out the Schlutzer dough on a pastry board with a rolling pin that my grandmother already used. Afterwards, I cover them with linen cloths,” explains the lively farmer, whose life is inseparably rooted in the farm and the adjoining winery.

Anyone wondering what a Tscheagl is will receive a precise answer from Mali: “Tscheagl is a roasted blood sausage, and it’s a real favourite here.” At the Baumannhof, the blood sausages are still traditionally made by hand – once a year, before the Törggelen season begins, when the time comes for slaughtering.

For our newsletter, Mali has shared her recipe and recommends pairing the Tscheagl with a Vernatsch, preferably one from her own Buschenschank. The concept of a Buschenschank, she explains, is just as clearly defined as the recipe for her Tscheagl: “Only farms that have a winery and also operate it themselves are allowed to call themselves a Buschenschank.”

The food served there reflects what has traditionally been prepared in rural South Tyrol – in harmony with nature and the produce each season has to offer.

Recipe for homemade blood sausages:

Serves 4–6

4 l blood

3 tbsp salt

1 tbsp pepper

½ tbsp allspice

1 celery bulb, finely chopped

3 tbsp finely chopped parsley

¼ l milk

½ onion, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

500 g Kreipen (cracklings, the crispy pieces left over when rendering bacon)

Mix all the ingredients thoroughly. Clean a large pork casing, fill it with the blood and spice mixture, and tie both ends of the casing with kitchen twine.

Once all the sausages are ready, gently simmer them in a large pot filled with plenty of water for 15–20 minutes. Remove them from the water, hang them on rods and store them in the cellar. The blood sausages will keep for around 2 weeks.

To serve: gently simmer in water for 15 minutes.

For preparing Tscheagl (roasted blood sausage)

Serves 4–6

2 blood sausages

1 tbsp finely chopped onion

1 tsp finely chopped garlic

1 tbsp oil

20 g butter

salt and pepper

⅛ l meat broth

1 tsp finely chopped parsley

Preparation time: 30 minutes

 

Caption: Mali Höller with her famous Schlutzer, pasta parcels filled with spinach and ricotta.

Image: Studio Kostner.

Text: Ursula Pirchstaller.