This classic Ligurian stuffed breast of veal is a standard feature of Genovese Christmas menus, but is also nice in the summer months, because it's served sliced, cold. The traditional recipe calls for ingredients that are now hard to find.
Paola Pasino has very kindly shared a more modern version of Cima alla Genovese that is easier to prepare, and also a recipe for salsa verde to go with it.
Paola Pasino has very kindly shared a more modern version of Cima alla Genovese that is easier to prepare, and also a recipe for salsa verde to go with it.
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours, 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1/2 k (2.2 pounds) breast of veal
- 1/4 pound (100 g) veal
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 tablespoon pine nuts
- A pinch freshly minced marjoram
- 1 cup grated Parmigiano
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup peas, boiled
- Day old bread, stripped of crusts, dipped in milk and well drained
- 1 carrot
- 2 onions
- 1 celery stalk
- 4 cloves
- Salt
- 1/2 glass dry white wine
Preparation:
The piece of meat should be thin and long, and Italian butchers will cut a pocket into it if requested.
The cut should go parallel to the grain and reach almost thought the meat to produce a sizeable pocket. Be careful not to puncture it.
In a deep pan put two liters of water, the onion punctured with the cloves, the carrot, a celery stalk and some salt. Boil for half an hour.
In a shallow pan heat up some olive oil and gently fry half an onion and a garlic clove finely chopped. Then brown quarter pound of veal, drain it well, and it on a cutting board. Finely chop the veal. Put the meat in a bowl, together with the boiled peas, pine nuts, marjoram, beaten egg, grated Parmigiano, and moistened bread crumb (a slice), the boiled carrot from the broth cut into cubes.
Gently mix everything together to avoid crushing the various ingredients, check seasoning, and use the mixture to fill the pocket. Sew the pocket shut with cotton thread.
Bring the broth back to the boil, add the tasca, and simmer it gently for an hour and a half or so, puncturing the pocket every now and then lest the filling swell and burst the pocket. When the tasca is cooked, take it from the broth, put it between two chopping boards with a heavy weight on top, and let it cool.
Serve thinly sliced hot or cold. Mr. Pradelli notes that the day after people take the slices, dredge them in beaten egg, then bread crumbs, and fry them in butter or oil.
If you serve the tasca cold you can accompany it with SALASA VERDE:
Ingredients:
Leave it rest for an hour before serving.
Hope this helps!
Paola Pasino
The cut should go parallel to the grain and reach almost thought the meat to produce a sizeable pocket. Be careful not to puncture it.
In a deep pan put two liters of water, the onion punctured with the cloves, the carrot, a celery stalk and some salt. Boil for half an hour.
In a shallow pan heat up some olive oil and gently fry half an onion and a garlic clove finely chopped. Then brown quarter pound of veal, drain it well, and it on a cutting board. Finely chop the veal. Put the meat in a bowl, together with the boiled peas, pine nuts, marjoram, beaten egg, grated Parmigiano, and moistened bread crumb (a slice), the boiled carrot from the broth cut into cubes.
Gently mix everything together to avoid crushing the various ingredients, check seasoning, and use the mixture to fill the pocket. Sew the pocket shut with cotton thread.
Bring the broth back to the boil, add the tasca, and simmer it gently for an hour and a half or so, puncturing the pocket every now and then lest the filling swell and burst the pocket. When the tasca is cooked, take it from the broth, put it between two chopping boards with a heavy weight on top, and let it cool.
Serve thinly sliced hot or cold. Mr. Pradelli notes that the day after people take the slices, dredge them in beaten egg, then bread crumbs, and fry them in butter or oil.
If you serve the tasca cold you can accompany it with SALASA VERDE:
Ingredients:
- 1 bunch of flat parsley
- Olive oil
- Red vinegar
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 slice of bread
- 1 tablespoon ketchup
- salt
- 1 anchovy
- 1/2 tablespoon capers
Leave it rest for an hour before serving.
Hope this helps!
Paola Pasino
