SERVES 1 TO 3
Mortadella—or mortadell, as it’s called in our house—is basically Italian bologna. It’s a cold cut that you can find at almost any deli, and we always had some in the fridge. It fries up really nice. Fran’s mom would brown it in a pan, then add butter, eggs, and Muenster cheese, and scramble it up. You could eat it just like that, or butter some bread and make a fast sandwich. The grease from the mortadella and the butter means you don’t need any extra condiments, just a big glass of Tropicana OJ.
6 large eggs, plus 1 for good measure
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
¼ pound mortadella, sliced like bologna
4 tablespoons (½ stick) salted butter
4 slices Muenster cheese, torn into pieces
1 loaf of bread from your favorite Italian bakery
In a large bowl, beat the eggs with a whisk. Season with the salt, pepper, and parsley. Set aside.
Heat a large cast-iron frying pan or nonstick skillet over medium heat, then add the mortadella and let it brown. Turn the heat down to low and add 2 tablespoons of the butter.
Pour the eggs into the pan and fold in the cheese. Cook the eggs, turning them continuously with a fork or spatula, until they’re fluffy and scrambled but still a little soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat.
Slather some bread with the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, top it with the eggs and mortadella, and cut the sandwich into thirds. Go for the middle piece—always the best—and let the butter drip down your arm.