Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking - Marcella Hazan [175]
6. Add the Marsala to the pan, bring it to a lively simmer for about 2 minutes, and while it is reducing use a wooden spoon to loosen cooking residues from the bottom and sides. Return the veal rolls to the pan, turn them gently in the sauce 2 or 3 times, then transfer the entire contents of the pan to a warm serving platter and serve at once.
Veal Roll with Spinach and Prosciutto Stuffing
A SINGLE, large slice of veal is covered with spinach, sautéed with onion and prosciutto, rolled up tightly, and pan-roasted with white wine. When it is sliced, the alternating layers of veal and stuffing make an attractive spiral pattern, but what is more important is that it is juicy and savory, tasting as good as it looks.
To produce the dish, you need a single, large, one-pound slice of veal, preferably cut from the broadest section of the top round, and flattened by your cooperative butcher to a thickness of no more than ⅜ inch. The breast of veal, which is usually employed to make large rolls, does not lend itself well to this recipe because of its uneven thickness.
For 4 servings
1½ pounds fresh spinach
Salt
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons onion chopped very fine
¼ pound prosciutto OR pancetta chopped very fine
Black pepper, ground fresh from the mill
A 1-pound slice of veal, preferably from the top round (see remarks above), pounded flat to a thickness of ⅜ inch
Thin kitchen twine
½ cup dry white wine
⅓ cup heavy whipping cream
1. Pull the leaves from the spinach, discarding all the stems. Soak the spinach in a basin of cold water, dunking it repeatedly. Carefully lift out the spinach, empty the basin of water together with the soil that has settled to the bottom, refill with fresh water, and repeat the entire procedure as often as necessary until the spinach is completely free of soil.
2. Cook the spinach in a covered pan over medium heat with just the water that clings to its leaves and 1 tablespoon of salt to keep it green. Cook for 2 minutes after the liquid shed by the spinach comes to a boil, then drain at once. As soon as it is cool enough to handle, squeeze as much moisture as you can out of the spinach, chop it very fine with a knife, not in the food processor, and set it aside.
3. Put 1 tablespoon of butter, 1 tablespoon of oil, all the onion, and all the prosciutto or pancetta into a small saute pan, and turn on the heat to medium. Cook the onion until it becomes colored a rich, golden brown, and add the chopped spinach and several grindings of pepper. Stir thoroughly to coat well, and cook for 20 or 30 seconds, then remove from heat. Taste and, if necessary, correct for salt.
4. Lay the veal slice flat on a work surface. Spread the spinach mixture over it, spreading it evenly. Lift one end of the slice to look for the way the grain of the meat runs, then curl up the veal tightly with the grain parallel to the length of the roll. When you slice the roll after cooking, you will easily obtain even, compact slices because you will be cutting across the grain. Tie the roll securely into a salami-like shape with kitchen twine.
5. Choose a pot, oval if possible, in which the roll will fit snugly. Put in the remaining butter and oil, turn on the heat to medium high, and as soon as the butter foam begins to subside, put in the veal roll. Brown it deeply all over, then sprinkle with salt and pepper, turn the roll once or twice, and add the wine. When the wine has simmered briskly for 15 or 20 seconds, turn the heat down to low, and cover the pot with the lid set slightly ajar.
6. Cook for about 1½ hours, turning the roll from time to time, until the meat feels very tender when prodded with a fork.
Uncover the pot, add the cream, turn the heat up, and use a wooden spoon to loosen cooking residues from the bottom and sides of the pot. Remove from heat as soon as the