Vitello Contadina
Submitted by wilma
Italian veal roast stuffed with pancetta, porcini, rosemary, and bay, then braised in white wine and vermouth with toasted almonds. Rustic Northern Italian Sunday dinner.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
45 minCOOK
70 minREADY
130 minVitello contadina translates as “peasant’s veal," though nothing about this dish feels humble. A 3½-pound veal top round gets butterflied open like a book, layered with pancetta, rosemary, bay leaves, nutmeg, pepper, and rehydrated porcini mushrooms, then rolled tight and tied into a stuffed roast.
The cooking method is classic Northern Italian. Butter melts in a deep casserole, three garlic cloves brown to golden and get discarded (garlic-infused butter, without any lingering bite), then the stuffed roast sears on all sides for 15 to 20 minutes. White wine and dry vermouth deglaze the pan, and the roast braises covered on low heat, basted occasionally.
Halfway through, coarsely chopped almonds and the strained porcini-soaking liquid go in. The almonds add unexpected texture to the sauce, which reduces down into something glossy and complex. Rest the roast a full 10 minutes before slicing into ½-inch rounds.
Pro Tips
- Strain the porcini-soaking liquid through a paper towel or fine mesh. Mushroom grit can sneak in and ruin the sauce.
- Tie the roast lengthwise first, then cross-wise every 2 inches. Loose ties mean stuffing leaks during braising.
- Don’t rush the garlic-golden-then-discard step. You’re building flavored butter, not burning garlic.
- Reduce the final sauce aggressively if it looks thin. A spoonful clinging to the back of a spoon is the right consistency.
Variations
- Use pork loin if veal isn’t available. Adjust cook time up by 15 minutes.
- Swap vermouth for Marsala for a sweeter, deeper sauce.
- Serve over polenta to catch the almond-porcini sauce.
Ingredients
Directions
Make a deep incision down the center of the veal, being careful not to cut all the way through; gently open it out flat as you would a book.
Trim off and reserve any irregular pieces of meat along the edges, leaving a neat, compact shape.
Place rosemary along the center of the meat.
Top the meat with half of the pancetta, overlapping the slices.
Sprinkle with parsley and top with remaining pancetta, bay leaves, nutmeg and pepper.
Drain the porcini mushrooms, reserving and straining the liquid.
Rinse the porcini in cool water, drain again, chop coarsely and place on the top of the meat.
Top with any reserved meat trimmings.
Close up meat compactly and tie with kitchen twine, going once around lengthwise and several times around crosswise.
Pat dry.
Melt the butter in a deep casserole over medium heat.
Add garlic and cook until golden, about 6 minutes, then discard the garlic.
Add the stuffed roast, season with salt, and cook until lightly golden on all sides, 15 to 20 minutes.
Add wine and vermouth, basting the meat.
Cover the casserole, lower heat to medium low and cook, turning and basting occasionally, for 15 minutes.
Stir in the almonds and ½ cup of reserved mushroom-soaking liquid.
Cook, turning and basting occasionally, until tender, about 15 to 20 minutes longer.
Transfer the meat to carving board and let it stand for 10 minutes or longer.
Boil the sauce until lightly reduced.
Cut the roast into ½-inch-thick slices; if necessary, reheat the slices in the casserole.
Spoon sauce over and serve.
Comments