This dreamy Italian sandwich is made of tender mortadella, creamy Stracciatella cheese, and homemade pistachio pesto served in a flatbread for a quick and easy lunch that’s out of the ordinary.
Italian sandwiches are having their moment, and this mortadella sandwich is the star! Featuring silky mortadella, creamy stracciatella cheese, and rich pistachio pesto, all tucked into warm flatbread. Perfect for a quick, delectable lunch made in under 10 minutes.
Origin of the Mortadella Sandwich
This sandwich is inspired by one of the top Italian sandwich places from Florence, Italy, called Il Paradiso by All’Antico Vinaio. The chain is so popular that it has spread worldwide so that you can catch their fuming hot sandwiches around the globe nowadays. Italian sandwiches are getting trendy, especially this mortadella version, so if you want a taste of Italy’s finest, the good news is that it’s easy to remake at home!
Mortadella
Did you know that bologna or baloney (North America) is a version of Mortadella? The original one is a cured piece of pork grounded and then cooked with thicker pieces of pork fat. It is ultra-tender and melts on the tongue. When cut finely, this charcuterie delight (or salume, they call it in Italian) slides right in!
The Bread
The authentic sandwich is made with special focaccia bread called Schiacciata, slightly thinner and more airy than focaccia bread. If you are into bread, check this video out to learn how to make it; be aware it’s time-consuming. However, to make it easy, you can use any flat, light and neutral-tasting bread you can find. To give it this Italian flair, you can slightly toast or warm it up before assembling.
Pistachio Pesto
The Pistachio Pesto, called crema di pistachio in Italian, is easy and quick to make. All you’ll need is “pre-shelled pistachios” to save on time, olive oil, and parmesan and blend until smooth and creamy! No fuss here! Once blended, it will stay vivid green for a few hours, so if you intend to keep some in the fridge, cover it with olive oil to prevent the change of colour. It’s a great addition to any soup, pasta, salad, etc.
Stracciatella
This creamy, leaky, super delicate cheese is the freshest of them all! The Snow White of cheeses, in other words. Stracciatella is basically the interior of Burrata cheese; this leaky Buffalo milk interior looks more like a spread than an actual cheese. As I did, you can break apart a Burrata cheese into a bowl if you don’t find the Stracciatella cheese.
Variations
- This sandwich is usually large, but you could make it into smaller finger food bites using precut focaccia bread.
- You could substitute the Stracciatella cheese for fresh mozzarella.
- The choice of lettuce is optional and up to you. However, I wouldn’t recommend a too-bold variety like Rocket.
Other Yummy Sandwiches
- Buffalo Chicken Burger/Sandwich (Air Fryer)
- Avocado Club Sandwich
- Mini Chicken Banh Mi Sandwich – Little Nomads Recipes
Mortadella Sandwich with Stracciatella and Pistachio Pesto
Ingredients
- 150 g Stracciatella or Burrata cheese
- 150 g Mortadella
- 1 flatbread loaf (ciabatta or foccacia style)
- lettuce of your choice (*optional)
- 1 tbsp crushed pistachios
- salt
Pistachio Pesto
- 2 handfuls pistachios (salted)
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (or more adjusting until smooth.)
- 50 g parmesan reggiano
Instructions
- Add the pistachios to a small food processor and blend coarsely, reserving a small amount for later use. Then, add the parmesan and olive oil and blend until smooth.
- Open the burrata into a bowl, breaking the membrane into small pieces and adding salt.
- Toast or warm up the flatbread interior.
- Assemble the sandwich with the pistachio pesto, Stracciatella cheese, Mortadella, crushed pistachio and lettuce.
7 Comments
This is such a delicious sandwich. I have to say, I’ve never had pistachio pesto before. It was so good with the mortadella!
It’s a dreamy sandwich!
I’m a big fan of all things sandwich and this sure made it into my favourites. I absolutely loved the pistachio pesto and made double, to use it on other dishes. The whole thing is so pretty and delicious!
Yes! The pesto leftovers is great on many dishes: pasta, rice, chicken, etc.
My family RAVED about this sandwich, which has become a regular on our menu!
It’s simply divine!
I loved this Mortadella sandwich. It was filling, yummy, and healthy, all-in-one.