Spicy Spanish Fetuccini

Iberico mortadella is an Italian-style sausage made of very finely chopped, cured pork and beef with cubes of white fat. The mixture is delicately spiced with garlic and anise. It is smoked at high temperature then air dried.

"Mortadella" is thought to derive from the word "mortaio", which is Italian for "mortar". Before, it is said that the mixture was produced by pounding with a mortar and pestle. Monks in Bologna would grind their meat till it achieved a fine consistency. The grinded meat is then stuffed into a casing and cooked to make sausage.

20 slices Iberico mortadella, cut into julienne strips
10 slices of honey-cured bacon, finely chopped
1/4 cup butter
1 cup button mushrooms, sliced
3 cups of bechamel sauce
2 tbsps. all-purpose cream
1 cup grated cheddar
1/8 tsp. basil leaves
salte and pepper
500 grams fetuccini noodles, cooked according to the package directions

Stir-fry the sausages, bacon and mushrooms in butter and bechamel sauce. Add the cream and half of the grated cheese. Season with bsil, salt and pepper. Simmer for a few minutes. Pour sauce on noodles. Top with the remaining grated cheese. Bake for 10 minutes.

Bechamel Sauce:

1/4 cup butter
1 tbsp. of all-purpose flour
3 cups broth
1 eggyolk
1/4 cup milk
1 1/2 tbsps. white wine, optional
1 1/2 tbsps. all-purpose cream
a dash of nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste

Melt roux out of butter and flour. Gradually add the broth, eggyolk, milk, white wine and cream. Continue stiring until thickened. Add nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste. Turn off the heat at once and set it aside.

Notes: This recipe was made by Senor Anastacio de Alba for Iberico Exclusive meats.