Catherine Spadaccino's Foggia Beef Roll
5 pounds round steak, ground (I substitute a pound of veal for a pound of the beef)
2 cups dry bread crumbs
4 leaves of fresh basil, chopped
1 tablespoon of Italian parsley, chopped
7 fresh eggs, beaten
1 cup grated Romano cheese
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly grated black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 four-inch long Italian sweet sausage links (I use two hot, two sweet)
4 hard cooked eggs
4slices provolone cheese
4 cups of basic tomato sauce (recipe follows)
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 pound of spaghettini
butter
Parmigiano Reggiano, grated
Pre-heat oven to 400 F.
Blend together the beef, bread crumbs, basil, parsley, beaten eggs, 1/2 cup of the Romano, salt and pepper. Spread the tablespoon of oil on the board or table where you will make the roll. (I place plastic wrap on the board first) Reserve one cup of the meat mixture for patching the roll later. Place the rest of the meat mixture on the oiled board. Flatten it out into a large oval (a rolling pin works best for this) 1/2-inch thick.
Broil (or bake, or fry) the sausages.Place the sausages whole on the flat meat; place hard cooked eggs between the sausages, and surround this with the sliced provolone. Sprinkle the remaining half cup of grated Romano over everything, mill on more black pepper, sprinkle on more salt.
Now, carefully roll the meat until you have a firm, tubular roll. If there are holes or open places in the roll use the reserved cup of meat to patch them.
Slide the roll into a oiled pan or casserole; bake at 400-degrees until the roll is firm and brown, about 45 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat the basic tomato sauce. Thicken it with two tablespoons of drippings from the meat pan, stir and simmer.
Lower the oven heat to 300 F. Cover the beef roll with the sauce. Lightly sprinkle the roll with the sugar, cinnamon, and oregano. Bake the meat roll and sauce together for another 30 minutes, spooning sauce over the meat occasionally.
Remove the meat to a hot platter and let it rest to become firm and slightly cooled for easier slicing. (Serves 6-8)
Shortly before the meat is done cook the spaghettini. When it is al dente, remove it from the water with a fork or tongs, draining it over the pot and place it in a warm bowl with butter and grated Parmigiano Reggiano and toss. Then serve the pasta in individual bowls with a spoonful of the sauce over each serving.
Next, bring the beef roll to the table and slice it there, serving each slice on an individual plate. Pass the remaning sauce to be spooned over the meat roll.
basic tomato sauce -- Pommarola
3 pounds of very ripe plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced, (or substitute an equivalent amount of canned plum tomatoes with basil leaf)
1 clove garlic
2 tablespoons of virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
a liberal amount of freshly grated black pepper
1 tablespoon of dried basil
can choose to run the ripe tomatoes through a food mill rather than dice them if you choose. You should put the canned tomatoes through a mill, without the included basil leaves, which should be reserved.
Peel the garlic and cut it into three pieces, then place it into a deep skillet with the olive oil and simmer it over a low flame until the garlic is just brown (don't burn it). Press the pieces of garlic flat in the pan and swish them around in the oil before removing and discarding them. Now, in a swift, definite movement (don't pour slowly or the oil will flare and geyser all over the place) dump the tomato into the pan. Add the salt and pepper, and the dried basil and the leaves from the canned tomatoes. Keeping the flame low, stir the sauce frequently with a wooden spoon until it is well blended and bubbling. (I always add a half cup of red wine.) Keep the flame low for ten minutes, then raise iot slightly, enough so the sauce is cooking well, but not bubbling all over the stove. Continue to cook in the uncovered pan until the water has evaporated and the sauce thickens. This should take about 30 minutes.
This recipe makes seven cups.
From The Complete Book of Pasta
By Jack Denton Scott
