Common in any Italian family, these parcels are seldom seen in restaurants or described in English/American recipe websites… Yet, they are relatively quick to make, cheap and a guaranteed success! Fantastic also if left to rest for a day.
Ingredients:
600 gr of thinly sliced beef
200 gr Fontina cheese cut in slices (or other melting cheese such as Provola/Provolone)
200 gr cooked ham slices
Ground black pepper
Dry sage
1 tin of chopped tomatoes
3 pinches of dried oregano
3 pinches of dried basil (or a handful of chopped fresh basil)
1 white onion
Half a glass of white wine (red could also work)
Olive oil
A thick slice of butter
You will also need:
Cocktail sticks to close the parcels
A cooking hammer to flatten the meat down and break the fibres, or a rolling pin
Some cling film or baking paper
Method:
Lay down a single slice of meat, cover it with the cling film and gently hammer it a little to make it thinner and spread out - take care not to tear it and create holes, try to hammer it so that it keeps a good shape (square, rectangular)
Sprinkle the meat with black pepper and sage
Place in the middle of each slice one cheese slice and on top a slice of ham – trim both to size if you need to (leave a “border” of pure meat on all sides)
Fold the meat as shown and then roll it up. Close the parcel with 2 toothpicks.
Chop the onion in small pieces and place it in a large pan to soften up in olive oil and butter
When the onion is ready (soft and a little golden) add your parcels to the pan (tightly packed) and stir fry on high heat – 3 minutes then turn your parcels and continue for another 3 minutes
As soon as they take on colour, sprinkle with some oregano and basil, add the wine and let it evaporate
Lower the temperature to medium-low and add the tin of chopped tomatoes, spreading it evenly all over your pan. Cover the pan and let it simmer for 10 minutes
Turn the parcels over, mix the sauce a little, and let it simmer for another 10 minutes
Take the lid off the pan, and let it simmer until the sauce has thickened (it will mostly be absorbed by the parcels)
Your “involtini” are ready now – serve with boiled potatoes