Il Cucinologo
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Savory Sbriciolata with Mortadella and Pistachios

17/11/2023

The savory sbriciolata with mortadella and pistachios is a tasty rustic dish, ideal for an aperitivo or a picnic. Here’s how to prepare this delicious variant.

Ingredients

  • 250 grams of 00 flour
  • 150 grams of cold butter, cubed
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 1 pinch of salt
  • 100 grams of grated Parmesan
  • 150 grams of ricotta
  • 200 grams of sliced mortadella
  • 100 grams of shelled and chopped pistachios
  • Black pepper to taste.

Preparation

  1. Start by making the savory shortcrust pastry. In a bowl, pour in the flour and add the cold butter, cubed. Then work the dough with your fingertips until you obtain a sandy mixture.
  2. Incorporate the egg yolks and grated Parmesan, adding a pinch of salt. Form the dough into a ball, wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, mix the ricotta with a pinch of black pepper and, if you like, an extra touch of Parmesan. This will be the creamy base of the filling.
  4. Also prepare the mortadella by cutting it into strips or cubes and the pistachios by roughly chopping them.
  5. Take the shortcrust pastry from the refrigerator and divide it into two parts, one slightly larger than the other.
  6. Roll out the larger part between two sheets of parchment paper, shaping it into a round and creating the base of the sbriciolata that will go into a pan previously lined with parchment paper.
  7. Spread a layer of ricotta over the shortcrust base, followed by the mortadella and chopped pistachios.
  8. Roll out the second part of shortcrust pastry as well and crumble it over the filling.
  9. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 °C for about 30-35 minutes until the surface is golden and crispy.
  10. Let it cool slightly before serving.

Trivia

The sbriciolata is a rustic variant of the original sweet crumble, typical of Anglo-Saxon cuisine. Replacing sugar and fruit with savory ingredients yields a versatile dish suitable for any time of day. In Italy it can be considered a relative of the tortino or quiche, with one peculiarity: its “crumbly” topping that makes it unique! Mortadella and pistachio are a classic pairing in Emilian gastronomy, particularly from Bologna, where mortadella is a true institution.