The Italian Deli Meat Anthony Bourdain Used For His Famous Sandwich (It's Like Bologna But Fancier)

There's no denying that Anthony Bourdain knew what he was talking about when it came to food. With that in mind, if you're a foodie, it's a good idea to try some of Bourdain's favorite foods to expand your culinary experiences. When it comes to sandwiches, Bourdain loved mortadella. He included this sandwich, which requires only five ingredients, in his 2016 book, "Appetites: A Cookbook."

For anyone unfamiliar, mortadella is kind of like bologna, but fancier. As we explain in our guide to what exactly mortadella is, it's a sausage that is made from a combination of ground pork and pork fat pieces, as well as peppercorns. Although, despite being a sausage, it is sliced and treated as a deli meat, like turkey or ham. In many cases, there are also pieces of pistachios, truffles, or olives blended in.

Bourdain's mortadella sandwich consists of mortadella slices, as well as provolone cheese, mayo, and Dijon mustard on a sandwich roll (such as a kaiser roll). This is a toasted sandwich, so you'll need to prepare it on the stovetop. Toast the roll first, then toast the pile of mortadella, flipping when it browns. Add the cheese on top of the mortadella until it melts. Finally, add the mayo and mustard to the rolls and assemble.

The first time you make Anthony Bourdain's mortadella sandwich, stick to his recipe exactly so you can experience it as the late chef intended. But after you've tried it once, there's nothing wrong with experimenting a little and customizing the dish to your liking.

In fact, Bourdain himself got his mortadella sandwich recipe by altering a sandwich that he ate while in Brazil. In "Appetites: A Cookbook," Bourdain explains that he was inspired by a sandwich he had in São Paulo at a place called Bar do Mané. The original sandwich was quite similar but uses yellow cheese instead of Bourdain's choice of provolone, as well as a Portuguese water roll. The original also didn't have any mustard; that element is also Bourdain's addition. So, if you want to try the sandwich a slightly different way, make the original version Bourdain tried in Brazil. You can also try using your favorite type of bread — focaccia, for example, could make for an interesting choice.

For other variations, we have a couple of mortadella recipes you can use for inspiration. Consider a mortadella and fig sandwich with asiago — perhaps try using a fig jam as a spread on Bourdain's sandwich for a hint of sweetness to balance out the savory. You could also try a mortadella panino with ricotta cheese and spicy peppers for a spicier version. There's no shortage of variations to try if you want to enjoy Bourdain's favorite sandwich.