2000s Recipes + Menus

Rollatini di Vitello al Pomodoro (Veal Rolls in Tomato Sauce)

For4 persons
FROM THE CLASSIC ITALIAN COOK BOOK BY MARCELLA HAZAN
October 2008
  • 1 pound veal scaloppine, very thinly sliced and pounded flat
  • 1/4 pound rolled pancetta, sliced very thin
  • 5 tablespoons freshly grated parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • Salt to taste
  • Freshly ground pepper, about 4 twists of the mill
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste with just enough warm water to dilute it
  • If the scaloppine are unusually large, cut them down to about 5 inches in length and 3 1/2 to 4 inches in width. (If some pieces are irregular it doesn’t really matter; it is better to use them than to waste them.) Over each scallopina lay enough pancetta to cover. Sprinkle with grated cheese and roll up into a tight, compact roll. Fasten each roll with one or two toothpicks. Insert the toothpicks not across the roll, but into it along the length, so that the roll can turn in the pan.
  • In a heavy skillet, heat up 3 tablespoons of butter and all the oil over medium-high heat. When the butter foam subsides, add the veal rolls and brown quickly on all sides. Transfer the veal to a warm platter, remove the toothpicks, and season with salt and pepper.
  • Add the wine to the skillet, turn the heat to high, and boil briskly for about 2 minutes, scraping up and loosening any browning residue stuck to the pan. Add the diluted tomato paste, stir, turn the heat down to medium, and cook for several minutes, until the tomato separates from the cooking fat. Return the veal rolls to the skillet and warm them up for a minute, turning them in the sauce. Off heat, swirl in the remaining tablespoon of butter. Transfer to a very warm serving platter and serve without delay.
Note
  • This dish can be prepared entirely ahead of time and refrigerated for a few days in its sauce. When making ahead of time, do not remove the toothpicks at the end of Step 2. You will need them to hold the veal rolls together while they warm up.
  • To reheat, remove the meat from the sauce and allow time to return to room temperature, meanwhile preheating the oven to 325°. Add 1 tablespoon of water to the sauce and bring it to a simmer on the stove. Return the meat to the pan, cover, and warm up in the oven. Turn the rolls once or twice while reheating.
  • Rollatini take some time to heat up inside. They must be hot through and through before serving. Remove from the oven when they feel quite hot at the touch of a finger.
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