Traditional Italian Flavors, in a Bundle

*One familiar (but occasionally complex) Italian menu term is “involtini.” It usually refers to something rolled up around a savory filling. It could be eggplant slices, swordfish cut thinly, or pounded veal (or beef or pork) cutlets. The filling could be a mixture of onions, raisins and pine nuts; a blend of onions, herbs, ham and cheese; or any number of regional variations.

Involtini made with meat may be simmered in a sauce, grilled or baked in a hot oven, depending on the cook’s inclination and the meat’s inherent tenderness. In the United States, Sicilian-Americans refer to involtini as “braciole,” which are most often braised in a tomato sauce.

Stuffing a thin slice of meat is a frugal practice, since each piece may weigh only two or three ounces. It is a way to stretch the budget and give everyone in the family a little bit of something meaty and delicious.

Everyone makes involtini in Sicily, or you can buy them ready-to-cook in any butcher shop. They’re diminutive, no bigger than an egg, really. But one or two involtini with a juicy vegetable and a green salad makes a fine meal.

This version with prosciutto cotto and caciocavallo cheese is one I learned from my friend Fabrizia Lanza, who has a cooking school near Palermo. She taught me to thread the little bundles on skewers with bay leaves and bread slices, dust them with bread crumbs and bake them in a hot oven.'>>>

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/24/dining/involtini-recipe.html?