Veal Rollatini is an interesting dish, not only because it is delicious, but because of the name. Veal, chicken or eggplant rollatini dishes are common on the menus of Italian-American restaurants. As the word rollatini might imply, these dishes consist of the main ingredient stuffed and rolled up. However, if you look in an Italian dictionary the word rollatini is nowhere to be found. The correct term is involtini, so in Italy a dish made in this style might be called Veal Involtini a la Marsala (or something of that nature).
I’m not sure where the term rollatini originated. Perhaps, some early Italian-American chef thought the name would be more intuitive to American diners. Or it could be dialect from a specific area in Italy. Regardless, while living in the small suburb of Seabrook, Texas back in the 1970s (many of you might remember the legend of HJ Leggie and my chicken recipe), I used to frequent Mario’s Flying Pizza. One of the pizza cooks was also fairly accomplished at a variety of Italian dishes like spaghetti, lasagna and even some veal and chicken dishes. One in particular, Veal Rollatini Marsala became an instant favorite of mine. The velvety smooth, slightly sweet wine sauce and the tender veal really resonated with me.
Since that time, I’ve come up with a slightly different version whereby I roll thin veal scaloppini with Prosciutto di Parma and Fontina cheese which is then braised in a classic marsala wine sauce. It’s a fairly fast and easy recipe which hits way above its weight class. The sauce can be combined with a number of chicken, beef, veal, even eggplant dishes which I hope to share soon. Enjoy one of Troutman’s favorite Italians, Veal Rollatini Marsala!!
Veal Rollatini Marsala
Course. Lunch or Dinner.
Cuisine. Italian-American
Makes. 2 to 3 servings
Takes. 40 minutes prep, 45 minutes cooking time
Ingredients – Rollatinis
5-6 (6-8 ozs.) Milk-fed Veal cutlets or scallopini (cutlets pounded or sliced very thin)1
6-8 ounces Fontina or Mozzarella cheese sliced thin
5-6 (4-5 ozs.) Prosciutto di Parma sliced very thin (Serrano ham is an excellent substitute)
Butchers twine or tooth picks
Flour for dredging
3 counts cooking oil like avocado
1 Note on the Veal. Try to source good veal sliced thin from either the top round or even the tenderloin. It’s expensive but you’re only buying about half a pound at the most so its worth the expense. Cheap veal cutlets found in most supermarkets tend to be too tough and need to be tenderized. If you can't source veal try using chicken breasts cut and pounded thin as an excellent substitute.
Ingredients – Marsala Wine Sauce
2-3 bacon slices cut into lardons
1/2 pound white or cremini mushrooms sliced thin
4-5 garlic cloves finely chopped
1 cup Marsala wine (I prefer sweet but dry works just as well)
1 cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons corn starch dissolved in 1/4 cup water for thickening
4 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons chopped parsley (1 for cooking the other for garnish)
2 tablespoons freshly grated Romano cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions – Rollatinis
Once again ... Trout is Out !!!!!!
I’m not sure where the term rollatini originated. Perhaps, some early Italian-American chef thought the name would be more intuitive to American diners. Or it could be dialect from a specific area in Italy. Regardless, while living in the small suburb of Seabrook, Texas back in the 1970s (many of you might remember the legend of HJ Leggie and my chicken recipe), I used to frequent Mario’s Flying Pizza. One of the pizza cooks was also fairly accomplished at a variety of Italian dishes like spaghetti, lasagna and even some veal and chicken dishes. One in particular, Veal Rollatini Marsala became an instant favorite of mine. The velvety smooth, slightly sweet wine sauce and the tender veal really resonated with me.
Since that time, I’ve come up with a slightly different version whereby I roll thin veal scaloppini with Prosciutto di Parma and Fontina cheese which is then braised in a classic marsala wine sauce. It’s a fairly fast and easy recipe which hits way above its weight class. The sauce can be combined with a number of chicken, beef, veal, even eggplant dishes which I hope to share soon. Enjoy one of Troutman’s favorite Italians, Veal Rollatini Marsala!!
Veal Rollatini Marsala
Course. Lunch or Dinner.
Cuisine. Italian-American
Makes. 2 to 3 servings
Takes. 40 minutes prep, 45 minutes cooking time
Ingredients – Rollatinis
5-6 (6-8 ozs.) Milk-fed Veal cutlets or scallopini (cutlets pounded or sliced very thin)1
6-8 ounces Fontina or Mozzarella cheese sliced thin
5-6 (4-5 ozs.) Prosciutto di Parma sliced very thin (Serrano ham is an excellent substitute)
Butchers twine or tooth picks
Flour for dredging
3 counts cooking oil like avocado
1 Note on the Veal. Try to source good veal sliced thin from either the top round or even the tenderloin. It’s expensive but you’re only buying about half a pound at the most so its worth the expense. Cheap veal cutlets found in most supermarkets tend to be too tough and need to be tenderized. If you can't source veal try using chicken breasts cut and pounded thin as an excellent substitute.
Ingredients – Marsala Wine Sauce
2-3 bacon slices cut into lardons
1/2 pound white or cremini mushrooms sliced thin
4-5 garlic cloves finely chopped
1 cup Marsala wine (I prefer sweet but dry works just as well)
1 cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons corn starch dissolved in 1/4 cup water for thickening
4 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons chopped parsley (1 for cooking the other for garnish)
2 tablespoons freshly grated Romano cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions – Rollatinis
- Lay the veal scallopini out flat on a work surface. If using cutlets cover them with plastic wrap and pound very thin and to a uniform thickness.
- Season the veal with salt and pepper. Lay two slices of the cheese down first. Try to keep the cheese within the confines of the width of the veal to avoid losing too much during cooking.
- Next lay a thin slice of the Prosciutto down on top of the cheese. Grab the stack and roll into a tight little tube away from you. Use a thin piece of butcher twine or lace in a toothpick to cinch the roll tight.
- Apply salt and pepper to the outside, set aside and do the rest in similar fashion. Dredge the rolls in flour shaking off the excess prior to browning.
- Take a large stainless or CI skillet and add the cooking oil. When the oil is shimmering hot add the rolls and brown all sides. Some of the cheese will tend to escape but not to worry, there will be plenty left inside the rolls.
- Plate the browned-off rolls and loosely cover.
- In a clean pan add the bacon lardons and fry until golden. Once done add one count of the cooking oil and two tablespoons of the butter until melted. Add and fry the mushrooms until they release all their water and are golden brown.
- Add the garlic and continue cooking until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
- Next add the Marsala wine stirring while allowing the alcohol to cook off. Follow that by adding the chicken stock. Continue to stir and bring to a slow boil. Allow to reduce by about 1/3 and thicken.
- If there doesn’t seem to be enough sauce simply add additional wine and stock in equal measure. Continue to reduce about 6-8 minutes or so.
- Once the sauce has good consistency its time to thicken. Add the remaining butter and bring to a boil. Drizzle in small amounts of the corn starch slurry, a couple of tablespoons at a time and continue to stir. Be sure the sauce is at a boil and the viscosity should immediately change. I like mine thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. If too thin add more slurry, if too thick add a little more stock.
- About a minute or so before the sauce is done, add half of the chopped parsley. Taste for salt and pepper content.
- Finally add the rollatinis back into the pan and spoon over with the thickened sauce. Reduce the heat and continue to braise for about 10 minutes warming and further cooking the veal. Turn a couple of times for even heating, pouring the sauce over the tops with each turn.
Once again ... Trout is Out !!!!!!
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