It all started a few weeks ago when I found myself craving mortadella. What began with a random hankering one afternoon, quickly turned into a full blown passion project. Before I knew it, I was on a mission to create the best Italian panino I could think of, one stacked super high with bright pink mortadella, shmeared with homemade stracciatella & pistachio pesto, and all loaded on a 24 hour fermented sourdough foccacia. I mean…COME ON!

So, I head to Eataly to grab some DOP Mortadella and began to prep the super special sourdough focaccia. This occasion was to be celebrated properly. I whipped up the pistachio pesto from scratch and made a 30 minute stracciatella, which is honestly crazy delicious and very easy to make!

I kept you all in mind when making this recipe because I wanted it to be loaded with the maximum amount of flavor, all while being simple to make!

But it seems like I may not to be the only one…mortadella has recently broken the internet. (lol)

The hype about mortadella has never been this crazy

The continued triumph of mortadella has long transcended Italian borders, with exports and popularity steadily soaring. So much so that the New York Times recently featured an extensive piece on this iconic Bolognese cured meat, praising its worldwide acclaim and culinary versatility. Mortadella exports to the United States have surged, reaching 1,200 tons in 2022 from 786 in 2019. Notably, the Los Angeles Times also highlighted Mortadella's fame with an article titled "This is the 'trendy' Italian meat with 1,000 years of staying power". This piece explores the enduring allure of Mortadella and how it has retained its position as a fashionable and cherished delicacy for centuries.

Today’s Agenda: The Ultimate Sandwich (currently)

1. History of Mortadella

2. Sourdough Foccacia

3. Quick Stracciatella

4. Pistachio Pesto

History of Mortadella:

Mortadella, a cherished cold cut, has ancient origins dating back to the 1st century A.C., with evidence found in Roman artifacts. Originally known as "farcimen myrtatum," it was made by crushing pork meat in a mortar, cooking it, and flavoring it with spices and myrtle. The name "mortadella" likely comes from the Latin term "mortarium," meaning mortar. During the Renaissance, it was highly prized and favored by noblemen. In the 17th century, it was so esteemed that Padre Labat (the famous Dominican friar, agronomist and mathematician) traveled from Martinica to Bologna just to taste it. It was even worth three times more than prosciutto at the time. Strict quality controls were established, allowing mortadella production only within Bologna's walls by authorized pork butchers and marked with a wax seal. In 1661, Cardinal Girolamo Farnese issued a famous decree in Bologna, preserving the product's integrity as "isquisita perfettione."

Sourdough Focaccia

Quick Stracciatella

Pistachio Pesto