It is now almost a year since we first knocked on the door of the pizzeria La Gatta Mangiona, in search of the wise advice of its owner, Giancarlo Casa, who has turned it into one of Rome’s iconic places of taste, thanks to a philosophy that focuses on high quality ingredients and curious and unusual combinations.

At each episode we proposed an iconic product selected by Valsana and he built three different pizzas on top of it, creating tasty combinations all to be tried. ‘I’ve been doing this job for twenty-five years,’ explains Giancarlo, ‘and what has always guided me in the combinations is my endless passion for food and the pleasure of experimenting with new flavours.

We have now reached the end of our taste itinerary: in this last episode we gave Giancarlo the Mortadella di Prato, Slow Food Presidium since 2000 and PGI product since 2016. Once again he has managed to surprise us, extracting from his magic cylinder three proposals that will leave you speechless.

THE PROTAGONISTA

We are in Tuscany to introduce you to a unique cured meat product that traces its roots back to the Middle Ages and owes its fame to its sweet and delicate flavour, spicy notes and the addition of an ancient-tasting liqueur, alchermes. Mortadella di Prato PGI is a charcuterie product made in the municipalities of Prato and Agliana by using Italian pork meat: shoulder, ham trimmings, capocollo, guanciale, lard and pancetta.

The meat is minced and kneaded together with lard and then mixed with spices: the secret of this cured meat lies precisely in the seasoning, consisting of salt, black peppercorns, crushed garlic pulp and a specific spicing of cinnamon, coriander, nutmeg and cloves. Alchermes is added to this, which contributes to its special colouring and unique taste.

This is the result of the contrast between the warm, pungent flavour of the spices, garlic and salt and the sweet, delicate flavour of the alchermes. Once the mixture is stuffed into a natural pork casing, it is cooked in a steam oven for 10-12 hours, then cooled in the blast chiller.

GIANCARLO'S ADVICE

What do you like about Mortadella di Prato? "It is a much more complex product than the classic Mortadella Classica from Bologna, with its very strong flavour. So I looked for combinations with ingredients that would allow the product to be enjoyed while balancing its excesses."

How do you use it? "It tends to be raw. If I have to put it in the oven, I try to protect it from direct heat, which would make it a bit sharp on the palate. So in the ‘Melting Pot’ pizza I use it raw, in the ‘Prato d’Inverno’ - that means Prato (the tuscan city) in winter - half cooked and half raw, in order to try two different flavours of the same ingredient, and in the third proposal I cook it inside a calzone."

How do you store it? "If I think I am going to finish it quickly, I just cover it with film, but if I plan to use it more rarely, I prefer to vacuum-pack it to prevent it from oxidising. To keep it at its best, however, it should be kept in the fridge at a constant temperature of 4 °C."

How do you cut it? "In the ‘Melting Pot’ pizza, where the Mortadella is raw, I cut triangles to be arranged on the base as it comes out of the oven. In the ‘Prato in Winter’ pizza, on the other hand, I cut it into strips and use half during cooking and half when coming out of the oven. Finally, in the Calzone ripieno ‘Roma Prato’ I grind it together with Fiordilatte."

In which season is it most suitable? "It is perfect for all seasons, but because of its strong flavour I prefer to use it in the cold seasons."

What combinations have you studied and why? "I propose you the ‘Roma Prato’ stuffed Calzone, in which Roman Ricotta, with its sweetness, dilutes the savouriness of Mortadella. A new entry, the ‘Melting Pot’ Pizza, which boldly combines ingredients from different culinary traditions, including soy sauce, as a tribute to the large Chinese community living in Prato. Finally, the ‘Prato d’Inverno’ pizza, which plays with the contrast between a very savoury base of Mandarone and cooked Mortadella di Prato IGP and the refreshing note of the misticanza, with a more elegant return of savouriness given by the raw Mortadella."

THE MENU OF PIZZE

• Calzone ripieno "Roma Prato"

Ingredients: Fiordilatte Latteria Molise 60 g (0,56€); Mortadella di Prato IGP 60 g (0,95 €); ricotta romana 70 g (0,76€)

Food Cost: 2,27 € + dough cost

Chef’s notes: "Grind the Fiordilatte and Mortadella together, preferably with a julienne processor. Take the disc of dough and place the mixture on half of the base, along with a few flakes of Ricotta Romana, which helps to soften the flavour of the Mortadella, thus making the bite more delicate. Close the calzone without poking holes in it and put it in the oven."

• Pizza "Melting Pot"

Ingredients: Mandarone Recco 80 g (1,48€); Mortadella di Prato IGP 50 g (0,79 €); chickpea hummus 100 g (1,51€); soy sauce to taste qb (0,04€)

Food Cost: 3,82 € + dough cost

Chef’s notes: "This is a recipe I like because of the multi-ethnic mix of flavours. The hummus can be made at home, even with pre-cooked chickpeas. On top of the hummus base you put the Mandarone in flakes, then bake it. When coming out of the oven, add the Mortadella di Prato IGP cut into triangles and the soy sauce, to be dosed carefully to liven up the mixture without making it too savoury."

• Pizza "Prato d'inverno"

Ingredients: Agricansiglio raw milk caciotta 80 g (0,79€); Mortadella di Prato IGP strips 40 g (0,63 €); misticanza 50 g (0,44€); Piqual EVO oil 515 g (0,62€); pink pepper 8 g (0,22€)

Food Cost: 2,70 € + dough cost

Chef’s notes: "The base, before baking, is enriched with sliced caciotta and strips of Mortadella. When it comes out of the oven, the misticanza is added, seasoned with a little olive oil and pink pepper, and then more strips of Mortadella di Prato are added raw."