Involtini Recipes

INVOLTINI

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375 degrees. Place a ridged cast-iron skillet or other heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, brush eggplant slices on both sides with olive oil and cook, turning, until soft and (if using a ridged pan) crisscrossed with grid marks. Set aside and allow to cool.
• In a large bowl, combine feta, pine nuts, raisins, 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, bread crumbs, garlic, lemon zest, mint and parsley. Mix in egg, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Spread eggplant slices on a surface, and divide stuffing evenly among them, placing 1 to 2 tablespoons at one end of each slice. Roll up slices tightly to secure filling, and place in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish (or other shallow baking pan in which rolls fit snugly in a single layer).
• Pour crushed tomatoes on top of eggplant rolls. Arrange mozzarella slices in a line lengthwise down center of pan. Drizzle olive oil evenly over pan, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Bake until cheese has melted and eggplant is bubbling and fragrant, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to stand 5 to 10 minutes. Serve hot.

INVOLTINI DI MANZO

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 160ºC/gas 2½.
• Lay the beef between 2 sheets of clingfilm and bash with a rolling pin or meat mallet until really thin.
• Lightly toast the pine nuts in a dry frying pan. Peel and finely chop the garlic, then pick and finely chop the herb leaves.
• Combine the pine nuts, breadcrumbs, three-quarters of the chopped garlic, raisins, herbs, a pinch of sea salt and black pepper and a lug of oil.
• Divide between the beef, spooning into the centre of one end of each slice. Roll up tightly, sealing in the mixture, then secure with cocktail sticks or kitchen string.
• Heat a heavy-based ovenproof pan (just big enough to fit all of the rolls snugly) over a medium heat and add a drizzle of oil. Brown the beef rolls on all sides.
• Peel and finely slice the shallots, then add to the pan with the remaining garlic and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring a little to keep the shallot from catching.
• Add the wine to the pan and simmer for a few minutes, until evaporated by half. Add the tinned tomatoes, and season.
• Bring the sauce to the boil, then transfer the pan to the oven and let it bubble away gently for 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes, or until the beef is tender when you cut into it, and the sauce is thick and rich. Serve with a green salad.

SICILIAN VEAL INVOLTINI

Steps:

• Soak 4 wood skewers in water to prevent them from burning. Alternately, cover the ends of each skewer with foil.

GRILLED CHICKEN INVOLTINI

Steps:

• Preheat a charcoal grill to medium-high heat. Move the coals to the side so that one part of the grill has indirect heat.
• In a small bowl stir together the olive oil, parsley, lemon zest and salt. Set aside.
• In a separate small bowl, mix together the salt, oregano and red pepper flakes.
• Lay the chicken cutlets flat on a cutting board, lengthwise, and season all sides with the salt mixture. Place a piece of prosciutto on each cutlet. Fold each piece of provolone in half and place on top of the prosciutto. Follow with 1 sundried tomato.
• Working one at a time, roll the chicken up, in a continuous spiral roll, and seal by sticking 2 parallel skewers through the roll. Proceed with the remaining chicken, sticking 2 rolls on each pair of skewers for easy flipping. Drizzle the chicken with the olive oil and grill starting directly over the coals. Sear the chicken on all sides flipping as needed, until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Move the skewers to indirect heat and continue to cook until cooked through, about an additional 10 minutes or. Remove from the grill and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Remove the skewers from the involtini, slice and serve, drizzled with the parsley oil.

VEAL INVOLTINI

Steps:

• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.
• Spread bread crumbs in a shallow baking pan and toast, stirring once or twice, until golden, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Gently pound veal cutlets to slightly less than 1/8 inch thick between 2 sheets of plastic wrap with flat side of a meat pounder or with a rolling pin, then cut into roughly 4- by 3-inch pieces.
• Stir together parsley, garlic, 3/4 cup cheese, 1/4 cup oil, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper until a paste forms.
• Stir together bread crumbs, remaining 1/2 cup cheese, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
• Season cutlets lightly with salt and pepper and spread 1 side of each piece with 1 teaspoon parsley-garlic paste.
• Line a baking sheet with wax paper. Roll up veal pieces (paste sides up), starting from a short side. Put remaining cup oil in a bowl and dip each roll in it, letting excess drip off, then dredge in bread-crumb mixture, pressing gently to help crumbs adhere. Transfer to baking sheet.
• Thread 1 veal roll onto a skewer, then 1 piece of onion, leaving about 1/4 inch between. Repeat on same skewer 2 more times, then transfer skewer to baking sheet. Assemble 6 more skewers in same manner (last skewer will have only 2 rolls).
• Prepare grill for cooking. If using a charcoal grill, open vents on bottom of grill, then light charcoal. Charcoal fire is hot when you can hold your hand 5 inches above rack for 1 to 2 seconds. If using a gas grill, preheat burners on high, covered, 10 minutes, then reduce heat to moderately high.
• Grill veal on a lightly oiled grill rack, covered only if using gas grill, turning over once, until rolls are golden, about 6 minutes total.
• Remove veal and onion from skewers and serve immediately.