Mortadella

A round pork sausage from the cervelat family of sausages, which is fine textured and has a mild, somewhat bland flavor. It contains flecks of fat throughout the meat and may also have pistachios or other similar ingredients that have been added to provide additional flavoring. Authentic Mortadella will be made entirely from pork meat, however other varieties may be available that contain beef, tripe, soy flour, and miscellaneous ingredients. This dry sausage is smoked at a high temperature and is then air-dried in diameters ranging from 3 inches to 18 inches. Mortadella originates from Bologna, Italy but domestically produced brands are available in Italian markets and delicatessens. It is most often considered to be the same as bologna and is served as a luncheon meat, as antipasto, and as a complement to sauces, soups, or pastas. It can also be chopped finely and stuffed into poultry or pasta.