Pistachio Pesto Pasta with Mortadella: On Trend and Delicious

While mortadella, Italy's hot cured meat sensation, can be used in so many ways, Pistachio Pesto Pasta with Mortadella may be the most satisfying. It's a rustic celebration that pairs the cured meat product with hearty pasta and a fragrant pesto sauce.

Pistachio Pesto Pasta with MortadellaPhoto by2foodtrippers

Mortadella, the Italian cold cut with Bologna roots, is hot. And by hot, we mean popular. (The finely ground pork salami is usually thinly sliced and served cold.) However, the tasty meat is so versatile that it tastes great on a variety of dishes like pizza and pasta too.

We had this revelation while traveling through Naples and Campania where it's not unusual to eat pizzas topped with both mortadella and pistachio. After eating and loving several pies, we wondered how we could achieve the same level of deliciousness with pasta. There's something about the nuttiness of the pistachio and the porkiness of the mortadella that works. Plus, as a bonus, the combination looks as pretty as it tastes.

Our original conception involved thinly sliced mortadella and tagliatelle. However, the novel combination didn't wow us. So we pivoted the dish to feature radiatori pasta and mortadella chunks instead. Success!

As it turns out, thin slices of mortadella are a bit delicate for toothy, hearty, chunky radiator-shaped noodles. But who says that mortadella must always be sliced thin? No one! We've seen it served in chunks before. In fact, you're missing out if you haven't yet eaten mortadella cubes with a simple side of mustard.

Additionally, mortadella, unlike American bologna, is studded with fat. So, as an added bonus, some of the pork fat from the mortadella renders into our sauce. We brown mortadella chunks in a pan so that the meat's exterior forms a caramelized, slightly crispy crust that brings another flavour dimension to the party.

This resulting pesto pasta dish is a harmonious melange of flavorful cubes and and pasta sprials. In a way, it follows the 'shape rule' commonly seen in Chinese cuisine - an approach where all ingredients exist in a perfect balance of dimension and flavor.

Warning: Once you eat this pesto pasta dish, you may start keeping a thick slice of Bologna's famous sausage at the ready in your refrigerator.

Ingredients

Italians would love the simplicity of this dish since it's made with three Italian staple ingredients plus a few additional garnishes and accoutrements. You may have some or all of the required ingredients in your fridge even if you're not Italian. If you do, you're ready to 'dump and stir' your way to dinner.

• 12 ounces radiatori pasta
• 6 tablespoons basil pistachio pesto
• 2 cups mortadella (3/4" cubes)
• salt (for the pasta water - to taste)
• Parmigiano-Reggiano (grated - to taste )
• 1 tablespoon olive oil (extra virgin)
• fresh basil (torn - for garnish)

Basil Pistachio Pesto: This is the base sauce for the dish.

Mortadella: You should buy a block of mortadella that's about 3/4" or 2cm thick. You can use mortadella studded with black pepper or pistachio but we've found that plain mortadella works best in this dish. Cutting the mortadella into cubes is easy and fun.

Radiatori Pasta: You may find radiatori at a local upscale supermarket (Whole Foods, Wegman's, etc.) where you live. If not, it's online. Or, if you prefer to support local businesses, you can buy an artisanal version from our friends at the The Pasta Lab in Philadelphia.

Parmigiano-Reggiano: Since this dish's ingredients, like pesto and mortadella, lean more to Northern Italy, we use Parmigiano-Reggiano for garnish instead of saltier, sheepier Pecorino-Romano. You can use either cheese or even Grana-Padano which is also produced in Northern Italy.

Salt: Since pesto and mortadella are both relatively salty, salt your pasta water judiciously.

Fresh Basil: Adding a garnish of torn fresh basil gives the finished dish a wonderful fresh fragrance.

Olive Oil: You don't need a lot of olive oil when you brown the mortadella - just a tablespoon.

How To Make Pesto Pasta with Mortadella

Making this pasta dish is a relatively simple exercise in every-night pasta cooking. It also lets you practice and perfect your pasta cooking game.

Start by heating a pan on medium heat for three to five minutes. Bring the pasta water to a boil while the pan is heating. Once the pan is hot, add a tablespoon of olive oil. You don't have to wait for the olive oil to heat before you add the mortadella chunks in an even layer

Once the mortadella is cooking, add the pasta to the boiling water. Cook the pasta for about one minute less than the box instructions indicate. About two minutes before the pasta finishes cooking, spoon out 1/2 cup of the pasta water and set aside.

Once the bottom of the first mortadella layer browns, flip the cubes and continue to stir the meat until all of the mortadella is evenly browned. Add a couple spoonfuls of the pasta water that you've set aside.

Stir until the water gets slightly thick - about one minute. You should see the bottom of the pan when you drag a wooden spoon.

Cook the pasta until it's slightly toothy as it will finish cooking in the pan with the mortadella. Use a slotted strainer or spoon to fish out the radiatori. Place the pasta in the sauce pan with the mortadella.

Once the pasta is cooked and slightly starchy, turn off the burner for about three minutes - you need to let the pasta cool slightly before adding the pesto. (If you add the pesto sauce too quickly, it will break.)

Stir in the pesto until it's incorporated. Once that happens, add a couple spoonfuls of grated parmigiana cheese. The pasta and sauce will become pleasantly thick.

Serve in flat pasta bowls.

Top with torn basil leaves and a sprinkling of grated cheese.

This recipe was originally published on 2foodtrippers. Consider subscribing to 2foodtrippers if you enjoyed it.