parmigiano shortbreads with mortadella and ricotta

3 hours ago
2 min read

When I was visiting Bologna, I stopped into a bakery and noticed savory shortbreads in the window. I loved the floral shape of them. They were dainty and so memorable that I just had to recreate them at home! Some may call the whipped mortadella and ricotta topping “mortadella mousse,” but to be honest, I’ve learned that scares some people away from trying it. You can also call it “spuma,” which is Italian. The whipped topping idea came to me after I ate tortellini en brodo, a dish with stuffed tortellini (typically mortadella or prosciutto) served in a flavorful broth. The filling was salty, rich and dreamy. Is it my favorite flavor profile, and perhaps it will become yours, too. Both recipes are made in the food processor, and both recipes can be doubled. These parmigiano shortbreads with mortadella and ricotta are a breeze to make! You may make both the topping and the shortbreads ahead of time, but just wait til last minute to assemble them, and let the filling sit at room temperature for 15 minutes if you are using a piping bag. Drizzle with Olinda olive oil if you're feeling fancy.

parmigiano shortbreads with mortadella and ricotta

Whipped Ricotta and Mortadella (Spuma)

1 cup ricotta, fresh or store-bought, drained in a fine mesh strainer

1/4 cup finely grated Parmigiano

0.25–0.30 lbs mortadella

Cracked black pepper, to taste

1 tablespoon olive oil

In a food processor, combine all ingredients besides the olive oil. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the sides of the processor. With the processor running, drizzle in the oil and blend until super smooth. You can transfer the mixture to a piping bag fitted with whichever tip you prefer, or just transfer it to a bowl.

Parmigiano Shortbreads

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup cornmeal

3/4 cup grated Parmigiano plus 1/4 cup for garnishing before baking

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Cracked black pepper, to taste

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes, chilled

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment.

In a food processor, pulse together the flour, cornmeal, Parmigiano, salt, and black pepper. Add the butter and mix just until completely combined. Add more flour if needed.

Flour your work surface and roll the shortbread dough out until 1/4 inch thick. Dust with flour. Using a cookie cutter or biscuit cutter of your liking, cut out as many shapes as you can. Place them on the prepared baking sheet about one inch away from each other and grate parm over top of each shortbread. Bake for 15–20 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool on a wire rack.