Video and recipe by Sayeh Soltani
Mortadella, known as “Kalbas” in Persian, is a large Italian delicacy made from finely hashed or ground meat-cured pork. It incorporates at least 15% small cubes of pork fat and is traditionally flavored with black pepper grains, although modern versions may also contain pistachios or myrtle berries.
In Persian markets, there are various types of Kalbas, including both pork-based and Halal varieties.
Ingredients:
- Two packs of country French bread from Costco
- Mayonnaise
- Mustard
- Fresh parsley lettuce
- Red onion
- Mortadella slices
- Persian pickles
- Tomatoes
- Kettle-cooked potato chips (optional, for extra crunch)
Instructions:
Prepare the French Bread:
Cut open the French bread and lay it flat.
Remove a good amount of dough from both the left and right sides. This creates more space for the filling and makes the sandwich less thick, making it easier to bite into.
Spread the Condiments:
- Spread a layer of mayonnaise all around one side of the bread.
- Do the same with mustard on the other side.
- Layer the Fresh Ingredients:
- Chop up fresh parsley lettuce and red onion.
- Layer the lettuce and red onion onto the sandwich.
Add the Mortadella:
- Layer the mortadella slices on top of the lettuce and onion. Add as little or as much as you’d like.
Pickles and Tomatoes:
- Chop up pickles and tomatoes.
- Start by adding the tomatoes to the sandwich, followed by the Persian pickles.
Close Up the Sandwich:
- Place the other half of the French bread on top to complete the sandwich.
Chop It Up:
- Cut the sandwich into smaller portions for serving.
Enjoy!
