Italian
Stuffed Veal Belly with Mortadella
by Gambero Rosso · 452K subscribers on YouTube
A classic Italian dish: veal belly stuffed with a rich filling of mortadella, sausages, mozzarella, Parmesan, and herbs, then slowly braised with wine and aromatics.
- Cook
- 3h 30min
- Difficulty
- medium
Ingredients
20 items- MortadellaUse about 3–4 slices, not too thick or thin; preferably from Norcia or mixed with wild boar
- Pancia di VitelloWhole veal belly, opened flat
- Coarse SaltTo taste
- PaprikaA pinch
- Olive OilA drizzle
- Ritagli di Carne(optional) — Leftover meat trimmings
- SausagesA few sausages, skinned and crumbled
- Mozzarella AsciuttaDry mozzarella, preferably day-old
- Prezzemolo Comune e RiccioA mix of flat-leaf and curly parsley
- Parmigiano Reggiano 30 MonthsAged Parmesan, grated
- OnionA small piece for aroma
- Untreated Lemon ZestZest from an untreated lemon
- Ricotta di PergolaRicotta from Pergola (or a good quality sheep ricotta)
- CarrotFor the soffritto
- CeleryFor the soffritto
- GuancialeA few slices
- LardoA few slices
- WineA generous amount (white or red; to braise)
- PistachiosA handful, scattered around
- Pine NutsA handful, scattered around
Method
- Take several slices of mortadella (about 3-4 slices, not too thick nor too thin). Set aside.
- Open the veal belly flat on a work surface. Season the inside with coarse salt, a pinch of paprika, and a drizzle of olive oil.
- Roll the veal belly loosely and set aside temporarily.
- Prepare the filling: mince leftover meat trimmings, sausages, dry mozzarella (day-old), flat-leaf and curly parsley, 30-month Parmesan, a hint of onion (a small piece), and zest of an untreated lemon. Mix everything together.
- Unroll the veal belly and spread the filling evenly over it. Add dollops of ricotta (preferably from Pergola).
- Carefully roll up the veal belly, tucking in the ends, and tie tightly with kitchen string at intervals.
- Prepare the soffritto: finely chop carrot, onion, and celery. Sauté in a pan with a little oil. Add a few slices of guanciale and lardo.
- Place the tied veal roll on top of the soffritto. Season with coarse salt and paprika. Scatter pistachios and pine nuts around the roll.
- Pour a generous amount of wine around the roll, not directly on top. Cover and cook on low heat for about 2.5–3.5 hours, until tender.
- Slice the cooked roll and serve with the delicious cooking juices (the fond).
Gambero Rosso
Professional chefReviewer452K subscribers on YouTube155.8M total channel viewsIl canale YouTube di Gambero Rosso, la società leader in Italia e nel mondo nei settori del mangiare e del bere attraverso editoria, tv, eventi, formazione.
