An Upper Peninsula Treasure ~ Cudighi Sausage
Open Faced Cudighi Sandwich with Morel Mushrooms
and Whole Grain Mustard Sauce

This uniquely tasty twist on Italian Sausage was created on the southern shore of Lake Superior.  In the 1930’s Italian immigrants sought employment in the mines of the Upper Peninsula.  They brought with them their love and passion for Italian Sausage.  This is where the Cudighi Sandwich was conceived. 

An Italian gentleman set up shop between his family’s barber shop and a near by watering hole.  He created and sold a sausage sandwich.  His pseudo–Italian Hot Dog was seasoned with red wine, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, garlic, all spice, and red pepper flakes.  He served it in a hot dog bun with chopped onion, ketchup, and mustard.  The “Gudighi”.

Following changing trends, after World War II, his son opened a shop and created a new sandwich with this popular sausage.  His pseudo–Pizza Sandwich was served on a bread roll with marinara sauce and mozzarella. The “Cudighi” as we know it today.

I started asking around what people liked to do with Cudighi sausage.  The first response is the customary pizza style sandwich. Then they would expand further with other options:  crumbled on pizza, added to sauces, various sandwich combinations and more.  The final comment usually ended with “You can do anything with Cudighi sausage, it’s so delicious.”

I guess you can say I have been living under a rock.  Or, in this case under the UP.  I did not know anything about the cudighi sausage.  So, I tried it.  IT IS DELICOUS!  It is unlike any sausage I have ever tried, and I LOVE sausage.  From the advice of others, I took the recommendation of trying it with anything.

The first recipe is a Cudighi Sausage Skillet Breakfast made with potatoes, curds and eggs served with a creamy dill dipping sauce. This can also be made with Breakfast Sausage, Italian Sausage or Bratwurst.

The second recipe was inspired by our beloved morel season. An open-faced sandwich with provolone, morel mushrooms and topped with a whole grain mustard sauce.  Not Morel Season, you can substitute crimini or white button mushrooms.

Print Pin

Open Faced Cudighi Sandwich with Morel Mushrooms

Course Main Course
Servings 4 people

Ingredients

The Sandwich

  • 1 pound Cudighi Sausage
  • 4 slices Italian Bread cut 1/3 inch thick
  • Pam for spraying the bread
  • 4 slices Provolone Cheese

Morel Mushrooms

  • 1/2 pound Morel Mushrooms
  • 1 tablespoon Vegetable Oil
  • 2 tablespoon Shallot chopped
  • 2 cloves Garlic minced
  • 1 tablespoon Red Wine
  • 1 tablespoon Butter
  • 2 tablespoon Chicken Stock

Mustard Sauce

  • 2 tablespoons Mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons Sour Cream
  • 3 tablespoons Whole Grain Mustard
  • 1 teaspoon Fresh Lemon Juice
  • White Pepper pinch

Instructions

  • Combine all the ingredients for the whole grain mustard sauce and set to the side.
  • Heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Once heated, add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. Sauté the mushrooms for 4-5 minutes until golden brown. Add the shallots and garlic and continue cooking for an additional 2-3 minutes. Deglaze with the wine, scrapping the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the butter and chicken stock. Stir to create a buttery mushroom sauce. Keep on very low heat while you create the sandwiches.
  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Heat a large heavy skillet or griddle over medium heat. Form the Cudighi Sausage into 4 patties, shaped like the bread slices. Sauté the patties for 4-5 minutes per side or until the sausage is cooked through. Remove from pan and set to the side.
  • Spray each side of the bread with Pam Cooking Spray. In the same pan, toast each side of the bread (about 2 minutes per side).
  • On a baking sheet, place the toasted bread. Add a layer of mustard sauce to each slice of bread. Top with the provolone cheese.
  • Place in the oven for 5-7 minutes or until the cheese has melted.
  • Top with the morel mushrooms and serve with extra mustard sauce on the side.