This is a dish that I learnt from my dad. He is from Palermo and all the dishes of Palermo that I know to cook, I have learnt from him. He has in turn learnt them from his mother and grandmother, so they are all family recipes, handed down from generation to generation. One of the reasons why I am writing this blog is to keep these traditions alive, so that my daughters (and all my readers) can learn them too. These rolls can be made with beef or pork meat and can either be baked or barbecued. They are really tasty and they are one of our family’s favourite meat dishes. I hope you enjoy the involtini.
Sharing this recipe with Hearth and Soul Hop by Alex.
Ingredients for 4-6 persons:
500 gms pork (or beef) sizzle steaks (0.5 cm thick to be flattened to 0.2 cm thick).
For the stuffing
1/4 medium onion, finely chopped
50 gms salami, chopped small
50 gms provolone piquant, cubed small
4 tbsp Parmigiano Reggiano, finely grated
1 cup breadcrumbs
2 tbsp tinned diced tomatoes
6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 pinch salt
For the skewers
Half an onion, cut in wedges and the layers separated
Bay leaves
Breadcrumbs and vegetable oil
Flatten the steaks till they become 0.2 cm thick. They need to be very thin, so they cook fast and you can get to taste the stuffing as well.
You need a 10×8 cm slice of meat for each involtino, so if your flattened sizzle steaks are bigger, then cut them accordingly and keep them aside.
To make the stuffing, put the chopped onion, chopped salami, cubed provolone piquant, grated Parmigiano Reggiano, breadcrumbs, diced tomatoes, extra virgin olive oil and salt in a bowl and mix well. You may have to add more extra virgin olive oil, depending on the breadcrumbs and how much they absorb the liquids. You need to obtain a soft enough stuffing so that when you press it with your hands, it retains the shape you give it and doesn’t crumble.
Now take one 10×8 cm slice of flattened meat and put some stuffing at the lower part of the slice. You should try and put at least 1 or 1 ½ tablespoons of stuffing per slice. Press the stuffing with your hands, so it becomes like a patty.
Now, roll the meat over the stuffing, trying to close the sides by tucking them in and roll it closed.
Repeat this for all the slices of meat and keep them aside.
Take a skewer and put one piece of onion, one involtino, one bay leaf, one involtino, one piece of onion etc. till the skewer is almost full. Repeat for other skewers until you have used all the involtini.
Put some vegetable oil in a plate and some breadcrumbs in another. Coat the skewered involtini with oil and then with breadcrumbs.
Bake in a preheated fan forced oven at 180°C for 20 minutes or until golden. Turn once after 10 minutes. Serve warm.
On another note, I am very happy to say that the picture of my Osso Buco alla Milanese has been published both by TasteSpotting and Foodgawker! And TasteSpotting has also published the picture of my Light Blueberry Muffins with a lemon sugar crust! I am soooo honored and happy about this! THANK YOU!!!! 🙂
This recipe is awesome!!! I want to go to Sicily!
I am looking forward to trying your recipe. It reminds me of a dish I make, using one big piece of flank steak, pounded, rolled with spinach stuffing, and baked – Involtini Florentine.
Family recipes are always the best, and I love how your family has kept the recipes going down through the generations. You have done a great tutorial here for a dish that sounds just scrumptious! (Excellent photographs too!) Thank you for sharing it with The Hearth and Soul blog hop.
Like I said before this dish looks very very tasty 🙂 Thanks Manu for sharing it with Hearth and Soul Hop !
This is a fabulous dish and I love that you are using this blog to document traditions. That is priceless!
These look GREAT. I first heard of involtini last night when I was watching my favourite TV show at the moment ‘My Kitchen Rules’. The ladies made a beautiful beef involtini in a rich tomato sauce. Very Interesting!
Shari from http://www.goodfoodweek.blogspot.com
Is it wrong to want these at 10.30 in the morning? This is going to be this evening’s meal – though I might have to have them for lunch instead as I’m not sure I can wait!
this recipe is very similar to one of Indian chicken recipe . It’s called shik kebab, not sure if you heard of those. 🙂 Your dish looks very tasty !
Looks like a lot of work but I’m betting it would be worth the effort. I am marvelling at your recipes.
This looks delicious!
Wow, wow, wow!! Bookmarked and have to try them soon!
Wow Manu this is so cool! Would never thought to make it this way! I have to do it tomorrow for lunch, I think that my family will love it! Awesome tutorial, thanks for sharing bit history behind those yummy rolls!
Oh my goodness your Involtini look amazing. I cannot wait to try these. I’m not much for skewers, I always manage to stab myself so I think I might bake these in a casserole dish. You have me excited to try it!
That would taste lovely too… another traditional way of making these is in tomato sauce… and you can also use the same tomato sauce for pasta! 🙂