mortadella sf. [dal lat. myrtatum, condito con mirto] salsicciotto di carne di maiale, drogata con finochio o con altre sostanze. [From Palazzi Novissimo dizionario della lingua Italiana, 1979]

mortadella feminine noun. [< Latin myrtatum 'seasoned with myrtle(berries)'] a large sausage made of pork, spiced with fennel or other substances.

Thanks sjmaxq for the link. It seems that mortadella, like most sausages and laws, can be made with almost anything.

I seem to remember that Roman salami was made with donkey or horse meat. Regional cuisine introduces all kinds of variables. When I lived in Bonnm I discovered tha "authentic" (i.e., now hard to get) Sauerbraten is made with horse meat. There was at least one butcher in that town who sold horse meat, and one restaurant that served authentic Rhenish Sauerbraten.