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Classic Sicilian Meat Roll with Prosciutto & Mozzarella

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Classic Sicilian Meat Roll

 

Though I do love my Farmhouse Meatloaf, sometimes I do long for another classic type of meatloaf called a “meat roll”.  The one I’m sharing today, the Classic Sicilian Meat Roll, is a simple, but company-worthy way to make a “meatloaf”, that is filled with heavenly goodness and all rolled up jellyroll-style into a beautiful, and elegantly-filled pinwheel!

Wait! Please don’t leave! I know what some of you may be thinking. One: “It’s going to be too hard”. And, Two: “I can’t afford prosciutto!”

Okay, okay, slow down. Deep breath. It’s VERY easy to make. PINKY swear. So easy, that you’ll be proud of yourself, wonder why you were worried, and look like a rock star when it’s done.

Secondly. About the prosciutto. Hell yes it’s expensive. But. BUT. When you’re only buying a few paper-thin slices, not a whole entire POUND of the stuff, it’s only a buck or two, and money WELL spent. Plus, you can always use a very good ham. No one is going to call the food police.

So, if those were your concerns, they’re debunked. Over. Done. Now let’s just make it. You got this!!

Get out your nice big mixing bowl, add your egg and give it a whisk to break up the yolk and mix the yolk and white together until they aren’t separate anymore. Add all of the next ingredients, up to the bread, and whisk again to mix everything. Tear the bread into tiny pieces right over the bowl, and stir them in when done. Takes less than a minute. You can add the crust if you want, but I usually peel that away first, and tear it up for the birds. They get hungry, too!

Crumble in your ground beef, give it a good stir, folding, until it starts to get mixed, then finish up with your hands. Seriously, just get in there. Fold in with your palm and press in with your fingertips a few times to make sure everything is incorporated but not over-mixed into pâté.

Line a baking sheet with foil, lightly spray right down the middle where the meat roll will go, and set aside.

Tear off another sheet, lightly spray the whole thing. Plop the meat onto the center and press out into a rectangle keeping the meat about 3/4 – 1 inch thick. Lay your slices of prosciutto over the top, keeping them 1 inch away from the edges. Sprinkle the top with 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese evenly.

Working from long end, using the foil to help hold it and peel away as you go, roll up into a log. You may need to press a few spots together that are big cracks, but don’t fret too much over it. It will all come out fine in the wash.

When it’s all rolled, seal the edge and ends well. Then place it, rolling it off of the foil, onto your prepared baking sheet, making sure it’s seam side-down.

WHEW!!! And the so-called “hard part”, is done. A BREEZE. Hello!!! Seriously, not kidding. It’s easy and fun to do.

The last thing that I like to do, no matter if it’s a meatloaf, a meat roll, or even meatballs, is give the outside a nice sprinkling of coarse ground black pepper. Once you do this once, you’ll do it every single time, too.

Then pop this baby into the oven, and in about 1 hour, your house will be smelling so good that you’ll be dancing in the kitchen saying, “Yay me, I did this, I did this, yay me!” And you’ll deserve it. It’s going to be soooooo good.

Okay, lastly, you just take it out, top it with the last of the cheese, pop it back in until melted (only about another 5 – 10 minutes depending on the quality of the cheese), and dinner is DONE. (Cheaper brands of cheese may melt faster or slower that higher quality cheeses, so just watch after 5 minutes).

Let it rest a bit before slicing so that you don’t slice into it and have all of the juices run out, and then just serve with your heart’s desire. This goes well with anything from pasta or a good, homemade mac’n cheese, to creamed spinach, rice pilafs, risottos, oven-roasted vegetables, or just a nice, plain garden or caprese salad and a hunk of bread and real butter.

 

Classic Sicilian Meat Roll with Prosciutto

 

Please do give this recipe a shot sometime soon. It’s simple-easy, but sooo very good. And please do go ahead and have your grocery deli slice you a few slices of prosciutto for this. It truly IS worth it, and depending on the size, you may need only 4 – 6 paper-thin slices.

I know that you’ll really love this one!
Take care, and appreciate and enjoy every minute that you have to the fullest.

 

 

Classic Sicilian Meat Roll

Classic Sicilian Meat Roll

Ingredients

  • 1 extra-large egg, lightly beaten
  • 1 Tbl. tomato paste
  • 1 Tbl. milk (or beef broth if you have some handy)
  • 1/2 tsp. italian seasoning
  • 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
  • 2 (small to medium-sized) garlic cloves or 1 large, very finely minced
  • 1/2 tsp. seasoned salt, I use Johnny's
  • 1/2 Tbl. finely chopped fresh parsley (or 1/2 tsp. dried)
  • 1 slice white bread, crusts removed and bread torn into very tiny pieces
  • 1 lb. lean ground beef, 85% works well
  • 6 - 8 paper-thin slices prosciutto
  • coarse ground black pepper
  • 2 cups quality shredded mozzarella cheese, (can also use a mozzarella & provolone blend), [i]divided[/i]

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, combine first 8 ingredients.
  • Crumble ground beef over mixture and combine well.
  • On a piece of heavy duty aluminum foil, press meat into a rectangle, about 3/4 inch thick.
  • Evenly lay prosciutto over meat to within 1 inch of edges.
  • Sprinkle 1 cup mozzarella over prosciutto.
  • Roll up, jellyroll-style, removing foil as you roll.
  • Seal all edges completely.
  • Place seam side-down onto foil-lined and sprayed baking sheet, and sprinkle with coarse ground black pepper to taste. Bake at 350°F for 1 hour.
  • Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup shredded cheese.
  • Bake 5-10 minutes longer or until cheese has fully melted.
  • Let rest at least 5 minutes before slicing and serving.

  •  

    Camilla

    Thursday 14th of September 2023

    Can this be frozen and cooked later? Or frozen and reheated?

    Deborah

    Tuesday 30th of January 2018

    Fabulous and easy! Love love love!

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