Mortadella with Pistachio – 100g Freshly Sliced

Pasta Rosa with Mortadella & Pistachios (Serves 4)

Ingredients

• 400 g pasta (penne, rigatoni, or fusilli work well)
• 150 g mortadella, diced or cut into strips
• 80 g shelled pistachios, roughly chopped
• 1 small onion or shallot, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 200 ml tomato passata
• 200 ml cooking cream (or mascarpone for a richer version)
• 50 g grated Parmesan cheese
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
• Optional: a pinch of chili flakes
• Fresh basil or extra pistachios for garnish

Method

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil and cook the pasta until al dente.
2. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onion or shallot and sauté until soft and translucent.
3. Add the mortadella and cook for 2–3 minutes until slightly golden.
4. Stir in the tomato passata and let it simmer for about 5 minutes.
5. Lower the heat and add the cream. Mix well until you obtain a smooth pink sauce (“rosa”).
6. Add half of the chopped pistachios and the Parmesan cheese. Season with salt, black pepper, and chili flakes if using.
7. Drain the pasta, reserving a little pasta water. Toss the pasta into the sauce and mix well. Add a splash of pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce.
8. Serve immediately with the remaining pistachios sprinkled on top, plus a little extra Parmesan and fresh basil if desired.

Tip

For extra flavour, lightly toast the pistachios in a dry pan before adding them to the sauce.

Buon Appetito!