Bologna’s silky pink giant: cooked, perfumed and impossible to stop eating.
Where it comes from
Mortadella is the pride of Bologna, in Emilia-Romagna. Mortadella Bologna has been a protected geographical indication (PGI) since 1998, and it can be made in a defined area of northern and central Italy.
Unlike most charcuterie, it is cooked, not dried. Finely ground pork is mixed with small cubes of firm fat, salt and spices such as pepper, and sometimes pistachios. The mixture is stuffed into a casing and cooked slowly in dry-air ovens for many hours. Some mortadelle weigh more than 100 kg.
How it tastes
Soft, silky and gently perfumed, with a delicate sweetness and little cubes of melting fat. It is much milder than a dried sausage.
How to buy and serve it
- Look for a fine, rosy-pink texture with white cubes of fat spread evenly.
- Have it sliced paper-thin, or cut into small cubes for an aperitivo.
- Serve it at room temperature.
- Eat it within a day or two of slicing.
The pairing
The local match is a dry Lambrusco, or the Bolognese white Pignoletto. Bubbles and acidity cut through the fat. In Bologna, this is the classic aperitivo.
- Sparkling: Domaine Sunnen-Hoffmann Crémant (about €19.70). Fine bubbles, red-fruit depth.
- Italian white: Pieropan Soave Classico (about €14).
- Light red: a chilled Beaujolais.
Also try it with
- Warm focaccia, folded into a sandwich.
- Cubes with Parmesan chunks and olives.
- Pistachios.
- Blitzed into a mousse and spread on toast.
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Photo: Pixabay
Prices were checked in October 2026 and can change. Please drink responsibly. L’abus d’alcool est dangereux pour la santé, à consommer avec modération.