Mortadella: symbol of Bolognese sausage tradition.

As we well know, Italy, among its countless excellences, can also boast one in the field of cold cuts. A symbol and often embodiment of the oldest traditions of the territory, cold cuts are a food that frequently appears on Italian tables and now, currently, also on the tables of lovers of Italian cuisine and quality products abroad. Mortadella is a cold cut whose origins date back probably to the 1st century A.D. in an area that includes Emilia-Romagna and Lazio. For a long time, this cold cut was completely forgotten until it reappeared, amidst great honors, in the late Middle Ages when production was concentrated exclusively in the city of Bologna.

Mortadella is indeed the protagonist of countless Bolognese traditional dishes but it is also currently a favored ingredient in some of the most imaginative preparations. Mortadella emanates an unmistakable aroma, intense and truly delicious, characterized by a strong aromatic vein while its flavor is full but, at the same time, extremely delicate. Its shape and appearance are also truly unmistakable: it is generally cylindrical or oval, its surface velvety and its interior is of a lively pink color, interspersed with some white speckles. The most famous and renowned variety of this cold cut is undoubtedly the Mortadella Bologna IGP although other varieties can be found on the market that, while not bearing the IGP recognition, are truly extraordinary in quality and taste. <

HOW MORTADELLA IS MADE

The production of mortadella has been handed down almost unchanged for almost four centuries: the first real recipe for mortadella was indeed provided in the early years of the 17th century by the agronomist Vincenzo Tanara with precise indications regarding the ingredients, although the quantity of fat was significantly higher than today. It was then in the distant 1661 that Cardinal Farnese issued a decree that codified the production of mortadella, providing one of the first examples of regulations similar to those we know today. The manufacturing and application of the required guarantee seals at that time were the responsibility of the Corporation of Salaroli, one of the oldest in Bologna; currently, however, the protection and enhancement of this ancient cold cut are entrusted to the Consortium Mortadella Bologna, established now 17 years ago, in 2001.

Bolognese mortadella is a cold cut made from pork obtained only from premium meat cuts, finely minced, and fat, slightly flavored with various spices such as salt, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, musk, whole pepper, sugar, and Malvasia wine, which is then stuffed to be finally cooked. It has a typical oval cylindrical shape and is characterized by a light pink color with small round white portions that constitute the fatty part of the cold cut.

The meats used are carefully selected according to the Production Regulations (and minced; to produce the lean part of the cold cut (pink part), cuts of meat with striated muscle are generally selected from the shoulder while to produce the lardons (white part), the fatty and premium parts of the pig are used, such as, for example, the throat fat. It is indeed the lardons that give Mortadella its characteristic sweetness. Attention: mechanically separated meats cannot be used at all, a process that leads to the loss or alteration of the fibrous structure of the muscle, thus altering the quality of the raw material.

The mixture of mortadella is then created by mixing the two types of meat according to a well-defined procedure. First, rough grinding is performed, which essentially consists of reducing the grain size of the various components by passing them through a series of plates with decreasing hole diameters, each preceded by a knife. An important element in this step is that the temperature of the mixture must not exceed +1°C. At this point, homogenization is then performed by adding the lardons, cubes of fat that are previously stripped of the rind, cut, warmed, and washed with hot water at a temperature of 40°C to be drained. Salt, whole peppercorns, and aromas are added to the lardons, which are then evenly distributed throughout the Mortadella, although, according to the Production Regulations, they must make up at least 15% of the cold cut.

The Production Regulations also admit two versions of mortadella, namely the classic with pistachios and the without pistachios. Traditionally, Mortadella is the one with pistachios, especially in Central and Southern Italy. The mixture thus produced is then stuffed, tied, and hung on special frames inside cells where it is subjected to cooking thanks to the action of special dry air stoves. Mortadellas must reach a temperature of at least 70°C inside, for a time that generally ranges from 8 to 26 hours. It is this step, the cooking, that gives Mortadella Bologna its characteristic aroma and softness.

Subsequently, showering is performed, which is the process in which Mortadella is cooled by a jet of cold water and, subsequently, placed in a cooling cell. Once cut, you will then notice how its slices, large and extremely fragrant, are of a uniform bright pink color and truly irresistible.

MORTADELLA: THE COLD CUT OF LIGHTNESS

What makes mortadella a more unique than exceptional case among cold cuts in terms of nutritional values are precisely the processing techniques that, being constantly monitored, allow for maintaining an adequate balance of proteins and fats with the total absence of added polyphosphates. Mortadella is indeed a light and dietetic cold cut akin to white meat. Mortadella contains 70 milligrams of cholesterol per hundred grams, a rather surprising figure.

In addition to having a limited cholesterol content, mortadella contains little salt but is instead rich in vitamins, especially B1 and B2, as well as niacin and minerals such as iron and zinc; it is precisely these nutritional characteristics that make mortadella an ideal food for those who, while engaging in intense physical activity, need a correct energy intake but that is also balanced from a nutritional standpoint. To fully grasp the extraordinariness of this cold cut, it suffices to say that one hundred grams of Mortadella has about 288 calories, less than a plate of pasta!

RECIPES WITH MORTADELLA

It can certainly be said that mortadella is an extremely versatile product that can be used in various preparations. It can indeed be consumed, in the most classic of ways, sliced, perhaps on a nice slice of rustic bread, but also cut into cubes as a quick appetizer or a delicious snack. Mortadella is also the protagonist of numerous Bolognese traditional dishes such as, for example, in the filling of tortellini or in Stecco petroniano or alla bolognese, which are tasty skewers of meat, cheese, and mortadella served as a traditional appetizer.

A perhaps somewhat unusual version of Mortadella consists of blending it until it becomes a creamy consistency, perfect for spreading: the mortadella mousse is indeed perfect for decorating excellent canapés that will surely amaze from the very first bite! Therefore, the use of mortadella in cooking is not limited to traditional recipes but also subject to the more imaginative interpretations of the most innovative chefs who create increasingly surprising gourmet dishes, such as a dish that mixes the aromas and colors of Africa with local ones, creating a truly unique mix like that found in couscous with Mortadella mousse and balsamic glaze from Modena.

Ilaria Chesini