When you think of cold cuts, you may think of the plain old turkey and cheese sandwiches that your mom used to pack for you in your lunch box. Or maybe you’re fancy and you think of a sophisticated charcuterie board. Here at Mortadella Head, cold cuts are an essential part of our menu. We like to take these traditional, Italian cured meats and elevate them to their highest potential in our sandwiches. Here are some of the cold cuts on our menu and why we use them!

Mortadella: Let’s start with the obvious one because it’s in our name (duh). Mortadella is a meat made of ground heat-cured pork which incorporates cubes of pork fat. It is traditionally flavored with black pepper grains and hails from Bologna, Italy. Clearly, we think it’s delicious. 

Capicola: This traditional Italian pork cold cut is made from the dry-cured muscle of the pig which runs from the neck to the fourth or fifth rib. It is typically thinly sliced and prepared with salt, herbs and other spices.

Salami: This one is probably the most famous one on our list and it may have snuck its way into your middle school lunch box. Salami is a sausage made with ground pork and cubes of fat, typically seasoned with garlic, salt, and spices. It’s basically pepperoni’s brother.

Prosciutto: This fan favorite is an Italian dry-cured ham. It’s usually thinly sliced and is known for its salty but delicious flavor and is always served uncooked. Not only delicious in our sandwiches though, you definitely want to try putting this one on your charcuterie board!

Pastrami: Alright, now we’re going to start veering away from the realm of traditional Italian meats into a new territory. Don’t worry though, it’s all still equally as delicious or else we wouldn’t put it in our food! Pastrami is a meat product usually made from beef brisket. It’s brined, partially dried and seasoned with herbs and spices. Then it gets smoked and steamed to give it the distinct peppery and smokey flavor that it’s known for. 

Roast Beef: Roast beef sandwiches are an essential part of any meat eaters diet. The best thing about this meat is how diverse it is. It can be served hot alongside some potatoes and vegetables for a classy meal. Or you can take the leftovers and put them into a hearty but tasty sandwich. The possibilities are basically endless.

Roasted Turkey: OK, I know we kinda made fun of turkey in the beginning of this article but hear us out. When it’s not just paired with a slice of crappy cheese in between some lackluster slices of bread, turkey can be amazing in sandwiches. I mean HELLO, Thanksgiving leftover sammies are the best! Which is exactly why we have a sub inspired by them on our menu. Cough, cough -- The Plymouth RockSTAR. 

Are you ready to meat your match? Let us know what your favorite cold cuts are in the comments!

When it comes to pizza, pepperoni is a right of passage and while the classics will never die, sometimes it’s fun to switch things up. That’s the beauty of pizza: the possibilities for toppings are endless. Here at Mortadella Head, we are constantly thinking outside of the pizza box to come up with new ideas for some tasty pies. Here are 6 different toppings that we like to put on our pizzas that maybe you’ve never tried before!

Broccoli Rabe - Vegetables might be the last thing you want to put on a pizza but hear us out -- broccoli rabe is tasty. On our Commendatore pizza, we pair it with aged mozzarella, porchetta, roasted peppers and grated pecorino for a perfectly balanced and tasty bite. You’ll forget you’re even eating veggies , but mom will be so proud. 

Boneless Buffalo Wings- The app of all appetizers meets the best food in the world: pizza. Buffalo wings are already amazing, but when you pair these two together you have the perfect dynamic duo. Our Buffalo Chicken Pizza features feta, aged mozzarella, boneless wings and creamy gorgonzola dressing. Perfect for your next football party or Netflix night!

Pulled Pork- Not just for backyard barbecues. Trade in your average pulled pork sandwich and upgrade it into a pizza. This is a perfect way to pack some protein onto your pie without having to sacrifice any flavor. The Pig Pen on our menu features BBQ pulled pork, bacon, pickles, aged mozzarella and fried onion strings. Now you can bring the BBQ to your living room. 

Pickles: Cheeseburger pizzas are becoming more and more popular, but oftentimes they’re missing this key ingredient. Pickles are an essential flavor in any classic cheeseburger, that’s why we put them on our burger inspired pizza, The Pig Mac. This pizza features ground beef, bacon, tomato, caramelized onions, american cheese, iceberg lettuce, 1000 island dressing and of course, pickles. No more need to fight over burgers or pizza for dinner. Why not both?

Fried Eggplant: Eggplant has a soft texture and mild flavor which is enhanced when breaded and fried. Frying most things is a great way to enhance in general. Eggplant parmesan is an overall classic italian dish. We took that and put our own MH twist on it. The Jimmy Two Times pizza features aged mozzarella, fried eggplant, ricotta, grated pecorino and fresh basil. You’re welcome.

Honey: It might seem weird to put something sweet like honey on your pizza but think about it... there’s a reason why chocolate covered pretzels are so delicious: sweet and salty is a killer combination. We use honey on one of our pizzas called The Shredder to help balance out some spice. The Shredder features aged mozzarella, pepperoni, jalapenos and honey and is sure to take your taste buds on a wild ride. 

It’s certainly okay to stick with the classics -- they’re still popular for a reason. But sometimes the best things are outside of your comfort zone and we’re here to help you with that. Still not convinced? Come on in and try one of these pies for yourself! You won’t be disappointed.

Growing up in an Italian family is the best. It may get loud and crazy, but at least you’ll never go hungry or ever have a boring holiday. If you grew up in an Italian family, you know these things to be true:

1. You always talk with your hands: You probably had friends joke around with you telling you to sit on your hands and talk. It’s okay to admit that it wasn’t easy. We get it. In fact, we think it’s weird when people don’t talk with their hands. 

2. Pasta is not always the meal: It’s also an appetizer. It’s a right of passage. Unless it’s Sunday, in which case it’s the meal accompanied by large amounts of meat, mostly in ball form. Holidays usually start with pasta as one of the first courses, not the main. 

3. You can never say no to food: Especially if it’s being offered to you by your grandmother. When she asks you if you’re hungry, it’s usually a rhetorical question because you know she will never take no for an answer. One does not simply go to their Italian grandmother’s house without an appetite, c’mon!

4. Your grandmother takes forever to sit down: Italian grandmothers are an entirely  different and beautiful breed. She spends hours making a giant meal for you and your 28 cousins and is always the last one to sit down and make sure everyone else enjoys it.  Italian grandmothers are the epitome of selfless love.

5. Sunday is the best day of the week: For most people, Sunday and Monday are the least loved days of the week. But if you say the word Sunday to someone who is Italian, just watch their face light up. Sundays are full of family and food. Enough said.

6. Low carb is not an option: Good luck telling your big Italian family that you’ve decided to try out the Keto diet. Carbs are the foundation of Italian food, they are almost as important as the Pope. Save yourself the embarrassment and keep the carbs in your life.

7.  There is no such thing as a quiet night: Your family is loud and proud. If you have a non-Italian come and join you for a meal, they may be scared that your family is arguing. And while they might be fighting over something silly, you know that your family has nothing but love for each other and you wouldn’t trade their loud, crazy selves for the world.

Growing up in an Italian family is anything but boring. You’ve never had to worry about leaving a family gathering hungry, even though you went in thinking you were “on a diet”. Food is just how us Italians show our love! If you were fortunate enough to grow up Italian, we salute you! If you didn’t grow up in an Italian family but now you’re obviously wishing you did, you’re always more than welcome to join ours for the night, capeesh?

We’re sure you’ve seen them: the photos of a grilled cheese or slice of pizza where the cheese pulls just so beautifully, it doesn’t seem real. While the cheese is (usually) real, it does take a little behind-the-scenes magic to help that pull reach the screen. But if you follow our tips, you too can perfect your cheese pull. 

First off, don’t be shy with the cheese. If you want the perfect pull, there actually has to be an abundance of cheese to pull. Shocker! Make your sandwich or pizza as is, but towards the end, add on some extra cheese with maximum pulling power. Some of the best and most melty cheeses for this are provolone, mozzarella and fontina. But remember, not all cheeses are created equal. For example, a slice from a ball of mozzarella is going to give a better pull than shredded mozzarella will. Also, when using provolone, make sure it’s mild and not sharp as the sharp does not really melt.

Now that we’ve introduced the cheeses, what about slicing them? When making a sandwich, there is one key component to help maximize your cheese pull. You’ll want to cut the sandwich in half before adding the cheese. After you’ve made the cut, pile the cheese onto the already sliced sammy. Then, once you’ve piled on the goods, throw the sandwich back in the oven until it gets hot and bubbly. The sooner you can perform the pull after it comes out of the oven, the better. Doing it in this order helps so that you don’t cut the cheese in half, and you allow it to stretch fully as you pull the sandwich apart. 

Like most good things in life, your cheese pull should not be rushed. Slow and steady wins the race here. Pull slow and strategically. It’s usually best to pull up and out rather than just straight apart. It’s all about those angles, baby!

Here’s another pro-tip for doing the perfect cheese pull for fried cheesy foods like mozzarella sticks: scoring. You want to take the stick of cheesy goodness and lightly cut an outline around the breading where you want to pull the stick apart. Be sure to only cut the breading and not the actual cheese or this tip will not work as well. Grab the stick from each end and pull one side up and out for as long as it may stretch. This will create a cleaner and possibly longer pull.

Whether you’re looking to perfect your cheese pull for food photography purposes, or simply to impress your friends the next time you’re out for pizza, we hope these tips helped. If you find yourself wanting to really hone in on your cheese pull skills, we’ve got plenty of cheesy menu items for you to practice with. Come stop on in and step up your game!

What (usually) comes from cows and tastes good on everything? If you guessed milk, you would be semi-correct. The answer is: CHEESE. Being an Italian joint, we obviously take our cheeses very seriously. Every cheese has its place and serves its own purpose. When it comes to our pizzas, each cheese is chosen to compliment the other toppings perfectly. 

La Margherita: This classic pizza is better than your average cheese pizza. The fresh mozzarella compliments the tomato sauce, extra virgin olive oil and fresh basil perfectly. Sometimes you have to leave the crazy  toppings aside and stick with simplicity. That’s probably why these fresh flavors have withstood the test of time. 

The Pig Mac: This pie is anything but simple. Think the pizza version of your favorite cheeseburger. Start with a base of tomato sauce and then load it up with ground beef, bacon, tomato, caramelized onion, iceberg lettuce, a thousand island, pickles and most importantly, american cheese. American cheese is the perfect choice to tie all of these flavors together and meld these two classic dishes into one. 

The Balboa: For this pizza, think a classic cheese steak with a twist. Topped with tomato sauce, grilled steak, roasted peppers, sauteed onions, roasted mushrooms, all tied together with aged mozzarella and fonduta cheese. Fonduta is a delicious, drippy and creamy blend of flavors that puts the “cheese” in cheese steak. 

Buffalo Chicken: This spicy favorite is becoming more popular by the minute. With tomato sauce, our juicy boneless buffalo wings, creamy gorgonzola dressing, aged mozzarella and feta cheese, this pizza serves up a delicious, spicy bite. The feta cheese and gorgonzola dressing balance out the spiciness of the mozzarella perfectly. 

La Mortazza: Peppers and onions are like the peanut butter and jelly of pizza toppings. This pizza is topped with tomato sauce, mortadella, vinegar peppers, onions, mozzarella and brie cheese. The brie is a great choice for this pizza because the creaminess of the cheese balanced out the tartness of the vinegar peppers. 

These are just a few of our mouth-watering specialty pizzas. And trust us, there is no shortage of cheese here at Mortadella head. Whether you prefer the classic pies, or like to live life on the edge, we have something to satisfy your taste buds. Comment below and let us know what your favorite cheese to put on a pizza is!