Grilled Mortadella Focaccia Sandwich with Pistachio Pesto & Burrata
By Andrew Zimmern
A little char on mortadella goes a long way. At least my friends and family think so whenever they try this at my house,
Put it on the grill until the edges get crisp, pile it onto toasted focaccia with pistachio pesto, burrata, grilled onions, arugula and Calabrian chile oil.
And PLEASE don’t ruin it at the finish line. A good serrated knife matters. My Shun bread knife cuts cleanly through the focaccia without crushing everything you just built because it is designed perfectly.
Salty, creamy, crunchy, spicy, smoky, cool, crisp, warm… Exactly what a sandwich should be.
Grilled Mortadella Focaccia Sandwich
Ingredients
For the pistachio pesto
- 1/2 cup shelled roasted pistachios
- 1 packed cup fresh basil leaves
- 1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
- 1 cup arugula
- 4 ounces parmesan, sliced or grated
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Kosher salt
For the sandwich
- 1 large square or rectangular focaccia, about 10 to 12 inches across
- Extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing
- 1 large onion, sliced into 1/2-inch-thick rounds
- Kosher salt
- 12 to 16 ounces thickly sliced mortadella
- 8 ounces burrata, drained
- 2 cups loosely packed baby arugula
- Calabrian chile oil, to taste
- Red wine vinegar, to taste
Instructions
Make the Pistachio Pesto
Combine the pistachios, basil, parsley, arugula, parmesan, olive oil and lemon zest in a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped but still textured, adding a little more olive oil as needed to make a loose, spreadable pesto. Season with salt.
Grill the Focaccia, Onions and Mortadella
Prepare a grill for medium-high heat.
Slice the focaccia horizontally through the middle. Grill, cut side down, until crisp and lightly charred. Don’t walk away from it—the bread can go from toasted to burned quickly.
Brush the onion rounds lightly with olive oil and season with salt. Grill until tender and browned on both sides. Remove from the grill and separate into rings or roughly chop.
Grill the mortadella until warmed through, lightly charred and crisp around the edges.
Assemble the Sandwich
Place the bottom half of the focaccia on a cutting board and spread generously with the pistachio pesto.
Layer on the arugula, grilled mortadella, followed by torn pieces of burrata, and the grilled onions. Drizzle with Calabrian chile oil and a splash of red wine vinegar.
Place the top half of the focaccia over the sandwich and press down gently.
Using a sharp serrated bread knife, cut the sandwich into squares. Use a sawing motion and let the knife do the work rather than pressing down, which keeps the focaccia and filling from getting crushed.
