Mortadella Bologna IGP is Italy's most famous cooked cured meat, made from finely ground pork, cubes of throat fat, salt, pepper, and pistachios. The city of Bologna is its undisputed home, so much so that in America it is simply called "bologna".
The cooking process takes place in dry-air ovens for many hours (up to 24 hours for larger forms), at temperatures reaching 80°C at the center. The form can weigh anywhere from 500 grams to over 100 kg.
When sliced, it releases an unmistakable aroma. The slice is light pink, soft, and studded with white cubes of fat. It is the star of the "schiacciatone bolognese" and the "tigella" emiliana.
