If an American Recipe calls for "Italian sausage".......

[chipmonkey]

What's the nearest thing over here? Is it like Salami or more like pork sausage with added herbs or what?

pepperoni I would guess (or pepperami or whatever the thing that isn't a snack is called!)

Nope, wrong again:

Italian sausage
Notes:

This is a pork sausage that's often added to pasta sauces. Varieties include sweet Italian sausage - mild Italian sausage, which is flavoured with garlic and fennel seed, and hot Italian sausage, which also has a shake or two of crushed chile peppers. It's sold either as links or in bulk. Cook thoroughly before serving.

pepperoni
Notes:

This spicy sausage is made with beef and pork. It's hard and chewy, and makes a terrific topping for pizza. You don't need to cook it before eating.

Closest substitutes: salami or lap cheong (sweeter) or Spanish chorizo or Canadian bacon (Works well as a pizza topping).

HTH. Try a deli counter!

Think the first one sounds about right JanH, it is for a pasta dish! Maybe a good quality sausage then? Will ask my nice butcher!

Like from that country you just left, Californiafrau?

Plump and moist, not cured like salami.

There are different flavours, usually slightly spicy. You can get hot and mild varieties, which refers to the amount of spice.

Some sausages here have more flavourings than the standard breakfast banger, so they would be good. Or you could use ordinary sausages and add the spicy bits separate in your sauce.

Costco sells Italian sausage.

Italian Lughanege (sp?) in my local deli - v nice btw

Hiya chipmonkey! I haven't been around as much lately, but saw this and decided to add my two cents in, if it's not too late. You want a stuffed sausage vs. one like salami or pepperoni, IYKWIM. Italian sausage has lots of spices and is really, really yummy in a red sauce over pasta.