Recently, the brand Citterio reached out to me to ask if I had any interest in becoming an ambassador to their company and collaborating together. Considering that I had at least 2 of their products in my refrigerator at the time that I read their email, I jumped at the opportunity. Being, what I consider to be, a starting out and small-time food blogger, I had decided early on that I would only want to work with companies and brands that I love. And I love the brand Citterio. If you’ve ever used their products, then you know that the quality is supreme. If you haven’t used their products, you definitely need to give them a whirl. And so when they sent me this amazing Mortadella Fresco, I knew one dish that I wanted to make with it right away… a Mortadella Carbonara.

Carbonara is a traditional Italian pasta dish. It’s origins trace back to the city of Rome. It is made with hard cheese, eggs, cured pork, and black pepper. The ingredient list is small compared to most pasta dishes these days, so the ingredients should be first-rate. Typically carbonara is made with prosciutto or pancetta. Or maybe even bacon. But instead of those, I chose mortadella for my carbonara.

Although mortadella is absolutely tender and delicious right out of the package, I like to do more with it than to throw it into a sandwich or have it get lost in a sea of meats and cheeses on a charcuterie board. Mortadella is a cooked cured sausage, made from ground pork and seasoned with black pepper. Citterio’ s Mortadella Fresco is also seasoned with sea salt and fresh garlic and slow roasted in brick ovens. Which makes pan-frying these thin slices insanely delicious for topping pasta with. The mortadella is slightly crispy, a little salty, and a little peppery. Heavenly. You have to give this Mortadella Carbonara a try!

Let me show you how I made this Mortadella Carbonara 👇🏻

Meet the Cast:

4 Oz Citterio Mortadella Fresco
8 Oz Spaghetti (or other pasta)
3 Large Eggs
2/3 Cup Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
2 Garlic Cloves
Olive Oil
Not pictured: Salt, Pepper, Crushed Red Pepper Flakes, Starchy Pasta Water

Getting Started

This pasta moves really quickly. So you want to make sure that you have all of your ingredients prepped and ready to go.

Start a pot of water to boil for your pasta. Salt the water before adding the pasta. Cook your pasta according to package instructions. Before draining the pasta, reserve at least 1/2 cup of the salty, starchy water.

Creating the “Sauce”

While your pasta is cooking, add 3 large eggs, 2/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, and a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes to a large bowl.

Whisk it up really well and set aside.

Cooking the Mortadella and Garlic

In a large, non-stick skillet, add 4 oz (rolled and sliced) Citterio Mortadella over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mortadella is slightly brown and crispy, about 5-7 minutes.

Then add in 2 minced garlic cloves and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. (If there isn’t any oil from the mortadella in the skillet, add a tsp of olive oil before adding the garlic.)

Remove from heat.

Tempering the Eggs

When the pasta is done cooking, remove 1/2 cup of the water before draining the pasta. Slowly add 1/4 cup of the pasta water to the egg-parmesan mixture while whisking to temper the eggs.

Finishing the Pasta

Then add the pasta to the bowl and toss quickly and fiercely to coat the pasta in the “sauce”. The sauce should thicken and become creamy. If the pasta is a little dry, add a little more of the pasta water (a tbsp or two at a time until you reach the right consistency) to loosen it up.

Now add the mortadella and garlic to the party and toss.

Divide the pasta into bowls and top with a little extra parmesan cheese.

So delicious!! The mortadella gives the pasta so much flavor. Seriously, give this one a try.

Enjoy!!

These are the recommended products that I used to make this delicious recipe! These are not only products that I use, but products that I love.

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Mortadella Carbonara

A spin on a classic Italian pasta dish! This Mortadella Carbonara features delicious mortadella, adding so much flavor to a quick and simple meal that everyone will love!

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 10

Servings 4 Servings

Author Maggie @ Cupcakes and Sarcasm

Ingredients

4 Oz Citterio Mortadella Fresco, rolled and sliced
8 Oz Spaghetti + 1/2 cup reserved pasta water
3 Large Eggs
2/3 Cup Parmesan Cheese, freshly grated + More for serving
2 Garlic Cloves, minced
1/2 Tsp Salt
1/2 Tsp Black Pepper
Pinch Crushed Red Pepper Flakes

Instructions

Bring a pot of water to boil to cook your pasta. Salt the water before adding the pasta and then cook according to package instructions.
While the pasta is cooking, in a large bowl, combine the eggs, parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes. Whisk really well to combine.
In a large, non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, add the mortadella. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mortadella is slightly browned and crisp, about 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic to the skillet and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove from heat.
When the pasta is done cooking, reserve at least 1/2 cup of the salty, starchy water before draining the pasta.
Slowly add 1/4 cup of the water to the egg-parmesan mixture while whisking to temper the eggs. Add the drained pasta and toss quickly and fiercely until the pasta is coated in the sauce.
The sauce should thicken and become creamy. If the pasta looks dry, add a little more pasta water (one or two tbsps at a time) until it loosens to desired consistency.
Add the mortadella and garlic to the bowl and toss until combined.
Divide the pasta between bowls, topping with a little extra parmesan cheese. Enjoy!!