Mortadella with Pistachios
A homemade Italian mortadella — a silky emulsified pork bologna studded with cubes of fat and whole pistachios.
Ingredients
| 800 g | lean pork | |
| 200 g | pork back fat, diced | |
| 60 g | shelled pistachios | |
| 18 g | curing salt (nitrite) | |
| 100 ml | ice-cold water | |
| 1 tsp | 5 ml | white pepper |
| 1/2 tsp | 2.5 ml | ground coriander |
| 1/4 tsp | 1.3 ml | grated nutmeg |
| 2 | garlic cloves |
Instructions
- Grind the lean pork twice and keep it very cold. Add the curing salt, white pepper, coriander, nutmeg and garlic.
- Work in the ice-cold water a little at a time, blending the meat into a smooth, sticky emulsion — a chilled food processor gives the classic fine mortadella paste.
- Briefly scald the diced back fat in hot water, cool it, then fold it into the paste together with the pistachios so they are evenly distributed.
- Pack the mixture into the ham maker in stages, tamping to force out any air, and close it under the spring.
- Chill in the fridge for 24-48 hours so the mix sets and takes on the seasoning.
- Cook in an 80-85 °C water bath until the core reaches about 70 °C (roughly 1.5-2 hours for this size).
- Shock-chill in ice water, then rest in the fridge overnight.
- Slice thin to show off the pistachios.