Braciole di Vitello del Portinaio
Traditionally, the gatekeep of an apartment building in Napoli is a widow or a widower of a certain age, one of whose missions, as spiritual guardian of the palazzo, is to slot the mail—after fastidious palpating of its contents, lifting it to the light of the sun, trawling it for heretical intelligence, and generally shadowing the recipient’s movements by it, to diligently rouse, invent, and unbosom internal gossip. The good gatekeep only breaks from these industries to stir at or baste some one of his legendary little potions, all of which signal to the tenants as they cross the threshold what will be the old watchdog’s supper.
Recipe information
Yield
serves 6
Ingredients
Preparation
Lightly salt the prepared veal, laying a few of the slices out on a work space and stacking the remaining pieces nearby. In a medium bowl, combine the pine nuts, raisins, pecorino, and generous grindings of pepper. With a mezzaluna or a very sharp knife, mince the prosciutto, parsley, and garlic together to a fine paste. Add the aromatic paste and the egg to the medium bowl and blend the ingredients. Place a generous spoonful of the paste over each scallop of veal, spreading it to cover all but the outer 1/2 inch of its surface. Roll up the scallop tightly, securing it with butcher’s twine or toothpicks. Repeat, filling and rolling all the veal. In a large terra-cotta or enameled cast-iron casserole over a medium flame, heat the olive oil and sauté the pancetta for a minute or two before adding the onion and lightly sautéing it. With a slotted spoon, remove the onion and the bits of pancetta to a holding plate, then brown the braciole, crusting them well on all sides. Cook only as many at a time as will fit in the pan without touching. Remove the veal to the holding plate with the onions and pancetta. Add the tomato puree and the wine to the pan, stirring, scraping at the residue and permitting the sauce to reduce for 1 minute. Lower the flame, add the veal, the onions, and the pancetta to the casserole and bring to a gentle simmer. Cover the casserole tightly and braise the veal, its liquids barely simmering, for 1 hour. Permit the rolls to rest in the sauce for 1 hour or so before very gently reheating them, presenting them on a warmed platter with their sauce. Should you wish to serve pasta with a few tablespoons of the sauce before the veal, use the method on page 71.
