Mortadella is trending in restaurants across Charleston | Food

At The Path on Spring Street, the rosy-pink meat is joined by soppressata, burrata, sharp provolone and pickled Calabrian peppers on ciabatta. Dubbed “Such a Nice Italian Boy,” the sandwich features mortadella with pistachios, a nutty addition that some Italians say is a departure from tradition. be.

Mortadella also appears on thin pies at Woodhaven Pizza, where the chef tops the pizza dough with shaved imported mortadella and fresh mozzarella.

Mortadella is difficult to make, so most Charleston restaurants get it from elsewhere, including Woodhaven Pizza in Mount Pleasant and downtown Melfi.

Melfi’s executive chef Ashley Kegu likes to buy her mortadella (the star of occasional specials at the King Street restaurant) from Chicago’s Tempesta Market. One of her favorite ways to eat it is on top of a simple white pie.

“It’s really amazing. The meat is so smooth and melts in your mouth,” Keg said. “As people become more knowledgeable, more American producers are able to produce high-quality mortadella.”

Sorel Executive Chef Nick Dugan uses Antica Emer, a mortadella from International Gourmet Foods of Bologna, Italy. According to Dugan, its production follows the specifications of the Bologna Mortadella consortium.

Simply scraping thin pieces of mortadella paper and pairing it with stracciatella cheese and pistachio pesto is one of Duggan’s favorite ways to serve Italian meat. He also likes to dice the mortadella, run it through the food processor, and mix it with ricotta calabro to make what he calls a mortadella pâté.

It’s an ingredient Dugan works with frequently, and the chef is happy to see it appear on more restaurant menus.

“I think chefs have always loved working with and eating mortadella. Or at least I do,” Dugan said. “Popularities and trends are not set by the chef; they are set by the guests. Chefs try their hand at doing things their way, and sometimes the crowd is into them, and sometimes they aren’t.”