COOKED LIVER MORTADELLA

Cooked Liver Mortadella is a cold cut that has obtained recognition as an Italian Traditional Food Product (P.A.T.).

It is a typical product from Piedmont; in particular, of the north-eastern area of the region, around Lake Orta and lower Valsesia. However, it is also typical of the Lombard provinces of Pavia, Mantua and Como.

Cooked Liver Mortadella is a cold cut that is now produced by a few artisans who are fond of the gastronomic tradition of our country. It is produced by selecting the best meat from porks born and bred in Italy.

Cooked Liver Mortadella can be eaten raw, cooked or boiled. The raw one is also called “fidighin” or “fideghina”, while the cooked one is called Mortadella d’Orta. Cooked Liver Mortadella has a strong, spicy aroma and an extremely tasty flavour. The taste, on the other hand, is characterised by a savouriness conferred by the spicing to which the product is subjected.

It is perfect with lentils, borlotti beans or polenta. However, there are several recipes for it. For example, it is perfect for preparing meatballs and is excellent with artichokes or with pasta such as pappardelle with mushrooms and peppers. In the special section of our website, you can find several recipes for inspiration to enjoy this traditional product at its best!

Finally, in order to enhance its strong and inimitable flavour, it is recommended to combine Cooked Liver Mortadella with a sparkling white wine such as Prosecco Valdobbiadene DOCG.

Production process

Cooked Liver Mortadella is made with: pork liver, pork fodder, minced pork cheek and bacon. The selected meat is minced very finely and tanned in an extremely special way. The curing is done using mulled wine (usually Barbera), the red wine is boiled and spices and natural flavourings such as star anise, cinnamon and cloves are added. The minced meat is then combined with the wine and spices and stuffed into a natural casing. The meat is then steamed, left to cool and packaged. In the past, however, it was done in large pots of boiling water.

Curiosities

Cooked Liver Mortadella has a name that can easily mislead because, although it is a cold cut, it is not a Mortadella, but a Salami. The fact that it is called Mortadella comes from the mortar, the instrument that was used to pound the meat and from which the word Mortadella probably comes. Traditional pork butchers haven’t wanted to abandon this nomenclature, so some products have kept the name Mortadella instead of being categorised as “salami”.