Fried Mortadella & Provolone Sandwich – Bourdain’s Fave

Every now and then it’s time for guilt-free indulgence! That’s where this fried Mortadella and Provolone sandwich fits in perfectly. It was one of Anthony Bourdain’s favorites so you know it has to be worth the splurge. It’s ridiculously easy to make with just a few quality ingredients and it is one of the most delicious sandwiches you’ll ever eat.

If there’s such a thing as luxury bologna, this is it. Mortadella laced with green pistachios is a beautiful sight.

You can find quality Mortadella at your local deli. The slices should be very thin and almost translucent for the best melt in your mouth texture. I went with fairly thin slices of Provolone that melted quickly and didn’t over power the flavor of the Mortadella. But if you want lots of cheese, by all means use thicker or additional slices.

Good mayonnaise and Dijon mustard are a must, along with a fresh roll or bun of your choice. I used homemade Pinsa bread which is light, soft and has a pleasant chew. You can use a Kaiser roll, another type of sandwich roll, or sliced sourdough. Skip extra chewy, hard and dense bread.

The bread is lightly toasted on one side in a pan until it takes on a little color but remains soft. If using sourdough sandwich bread, you might want to toast both sides.

When frying the Mortadella, twist the slices so they loosely drape over and around each other. You want to avoid pressing down or compacting the meat.

It will take just a minute or so for the first side to brown and get some crispy edges.

Flip each stack and drape with Provolone. Cover and let the cheese melt allowing the underside of the Mortadella to brown a bit. Place the two stacks on your prepared roll and devour immediately.

This one has a crispy golden “cheese skirt” elevating the texture and flavor of the sandwich.

Fried Mortadella and melty cheese on a buttery toasted bun is out of this world.