My next stop on my journey through Italy learning about how traditional foods are made, was to Bologna, to learn about Mortadella Bologna PGI. This is perhaps the city’s most famous traditional product and has been made since the 16th century.
The first rules for production were laid down by Cardinal Farnese back in 1661; this original code was very similar to the modern rules set when Mortadella Bologna gained its PGI status in 1998. The PGI (Protected Geographic Origin status means that only sausages made to the rules, and from certain traditional areas in North Central Italy can be called Mortadella Bologna PGI. The status ensures quality and protects both the consumer and the producer.
If you travel and eat well in Italy you will experience again and again that excellent food is predominately made from quality ingredients which have been simply cooked, and Mortadella Bologna PGI is no exception.
Choice cuts of Italian pork are flavoured with pepper, salt, garlic and sometimes pistachio nuts. Mortadella gets its name from mortar that the pork was traditionally ground in. These days the meat is ground by machine, and supplied frozen to the factory, but quality and tradition are still at the forefront of the process.
The frozen pork is chopped, then minced through a fine screen to form a smooth paste. Pepper, salt, garlic and the pistachios (when used) are added along with cubed fat which is taken from the throat of a hog; the hardest and best flavoured fat. Traditionally, mortadella was packed into cow’s bladders, but these days synthetic casings are used, and can weigh up to 150KG.
The traditional bladders are filled, and then tied by hand.
The man filling and tying the sausage has been doing the job for 30 years, and was going very very slowly for the film, at his usual speed it was astonishingly fast!
Once filled and tied the sausages are cooked in air ovens; they are cooked when the inside of the sausage has reached a temperature of 70C. This equates to about an hour of cooking per centimetre of sausage diameter.
Because all but the largest Mortadella hang when cooked the rounder bottom end will be softer as some of the fat will render and trickle to the bottom of the sausage.
Once cooked the sausages are sprinkled with cold water and then cooled in a special cold room before being labelled and packaged.
The proof of the pudding, or sausage, or in this case the Mortadella Bologna PGI, is in the eating and I found the it delicious – delicate, soft, fully flavoured and not at all “strong” as some sausages can be. A properly made Mortadella Bologna PGI, is also very different from some of the pink plasticity offerings not governed by the rules, which again proves that it is well worth buying the product which is certified and protected by the PGI.
Learn more about Mortadella Bologna PGI and follow and like on social media.
I was commissioned by Sapòrem to travel to Italy and to write about and share my experience visiting their four Consortia of premium traditional Italian products, of which Mortadella Bologna PGI is one. All opinions my own.
Kathi @ Laughing Spatula
Holy baloney! Who knew? It’s always fun to see where food comes from and double the pleasure when you are in Italy!
Helen
It is always good to be in Italy!
Chris @ SimpleFood365
What a great look behind the scenes and a great story! I found the entire post entertaining but I learned something that I never knew! Very cool. Thanks for sharing this!
Helen
The passion and skills of the people who make the Mortadella is amazing.
Roz
gosh this was so interesting, and more complex than i thought! will certainly look out for the ‘protected’ product from now on
Helen
The PGI product is so worth paying for as it tastes so much better. I’ve had some not very nice at all Mortadella that did not have a PGI, it is so worth paying for
Claire @foodiequine
What a fascinating behind the scenes inoght. I love the photo of all the Mortadella Bologna hanging up.
Helen
I had the urge to use them like a gym punch bag! The proper PGI protected sausage is so so good.
michele wallace
What a fantastic experience for you — thanks for sharing with so many interesting facts and pictures. Now excuse me while I go to the store to find mortadella to make a sandwich!
Helen
Make sure it is PGI, so you know you will get a good one!
Camilla
My son’s favourite sausage is Mortadella, fascinating to see how it’s made and tied, such skill!
Helen
It was such an amazing trip Camilla, I’ve not really not very good (non PGI) Mortadella before, but loved the proper stuff!
Kelly Hutchinson
This sounds like such a treat! I would love to get an inside look at how they make things like this.
Helen
I remember going to all sorts of food factories with the school scientific visits club. This was even better. Fascinating and I think it generates a real connection to the product.
simon
I’m slightly jealous now :o this was an interesting post to read! Thanks for sharing! I wish I was there haha! Always loved this special sausage!
Ill follow for more :)
Helen
It was fascinating Simon, I’ve got several more Stories Behind coming so stay tuned!
Diane
That was a fun read! Love that you shared the video too. i enjoyed watching him tie the bladder in slow mo for us. That Mortadella looks very tasty!
Helen
It was fascinating, and it is very tasty! Really good to learn that only good quality, large pieces, of meat go into it.
Sarah, Maison Cupcake
I remember having mortadella on the breakfast buffet in my Italian friends’ hotel in Florence. I’ve never had it in chunks before but imagine it’s very tasty. Can’t believe how enormous those sausages are!!
Helen
I love a good breakfast buffet with sausage, cheeses and meat. One of the best things about travelling. The chunks taste appreciably different to the slices.
Cassandrea @ chewsandbrews.ca
Great post!!! Very interesting! Sharing!
Helen
Glad you enjoyed it Cassandrea.
Sherri @ Watch Learn Eat
Very informative and interesting! And the pictures are beautiful! The video is helpful too! The finished product looks so delicious!
Helen
It was my first try with video with my new camera! It was such a good trip.
Ciao Florentina
This is such a great educational post about Mortadella ! Wow great job and thanks for sharing !
Helen
Glad you enjoyed it! And high praise from an Italian.
Trish
So cool Helen! So great to see some behind the scenes action!
Helen
It was fascinating, a really really great day.
Amanda {Striped Spatula}
I love mortadella but had never seen the process of how it’s made. What a fun and interesting read! Thanks for sharing this.
Helen
Make sure you always buy the PGI Mortadella for the best quality!
Tracy
Oh my gosh I love Bologna. Although I only spent a couple of days there solo and did not get nearly this type of education!! How amazing!!
Helen
Bologna was great, and I’ll be posting some photos soon. I love learning about local foods and their production.
Brian Jones
What a fabulous trip, the Italians really are heroes when it comes to their treatment of pork, what a great experience :D
Helen
It was such an amazing experience. I have so much respect for those who make these foods.
Shiho
This bring back our memory of Italy trip 2 years ago. We did not visit Bologna, but I would love to visit Italy again and would try that product, look fantastic and fascinating to see the process.
Helen
I love going to Italy, mainly the food and the art.
Rachel @ Simple Seasonal
How interesting! I love seeing how things are made. I love how the Italian culinary tradition is all about quality ingredients. In Philly we have a really cool Italian market where you can get all kinds of imported meats and cheeses. I love going their and tasting everything in sight and coming home with all kinds of delicious treasures!
Helen
It was fascinating Rachel, make sure you look out for and buy the PDO, PGI products!
Paige @ Where Latin Meets Lagniappe
What an interesting post! My husband’s very favorite sausage is mortadella,,,completely fascinating how it’s made. And your slices of mortadella looked so thin and lovely – very different from some of the mortadella I’ve seen :) Thanks for sharing this!
Helen
It was amazing, I’ve only had not very good Mortadella before, the PGI quality is so so good, a world apart from the others.
Joy @ Joy Love Food
What a great tour of how mortadella bologna is made, I wish I could pick up one of those little forks and try a bite right now!
Helen
So so delicious!
Kavey
Helly, I’m so enjoying this series of posts, really enjoy seeing how traditional products are made, and how the ancient methods are updated to take advantage of modern technology without any loss in the quality or process. Fabulous!
Helen
I am rather enjoying reliving the journey Kavey. It was so interesting and I learnt so much.
Jo of Jo's Kitchen
What a lovely post. I never knew how Mortadella got its name. I do now! What a fascinating story
Helen
Thank you Jo! It was a great trip.
Katie Bryson
That’s a whole lot of sausage Helen ;-) I love how passionate the Italians are about their produce… it’s really inspiring and gives you a huge appreciation of how much thought and tradition goes into the whole process.
Helen
Those massive sausages were 150kg! Bigger than a punch bag!