Cima alla genovese
A traditional Genovese dish known as cima alla Genovese is actually a meat loaf consisting of a veal breast stuffed with a huge number of ingredients. Here are just some of them: onions, pork fat, ground veal, pistachios, various offal, peas, hard-boiled eggs, carrots, garlic, and crustless white bread.
The whole concoction is flavored with spices such as bay leaves, parsley, and black pepper. The dish is a typical representation of the cucina povera, and in the past it was prepared as a frugal way to use leftovers. Today, it is a rare, but very sought after dish
Ingredients for 4 people:
Veal bacon 500g
veal sweetbreads 200 g
pork fillet 200g
lard 50 g
2 spring onions
½ clove of garlic
breadcrumbs
1 egg
2 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese
1 celery
1 carrot
peas 250g
milk
a few leaves of marjoram
bay leaves
1 tablespoon of butter
salt and pepper.
PREPARATION
With a very sharp knife open in two parts the veal bacon so as to obtain a pocket open on one only side.
Boil for a few minutes the sweetbreads in boiling water, remove the outer cuticle and put them to fry in a pan with a tablespoon of butter, onion and garlic chopped finely.
Cut the sweetbreads into very small pieces and place in a bowl; chop finely the lard and pork tenderloin, and add them to the bowl with the bread crumb, egg, grated cheese, shelled peas and marjoram. Season with salt and pepper and mix well the mixture.
Fill with the mixture veal bacon then sew the opening with strong wire giving a rounded shape.
Place on fire a pan full of water in which you add a few bay leaves, carrot, celery and remaining onion, a pinch of salt and pepper; when boil immerse the stuffed meat into the pot and cook for about 2 hours.
After this time drain it and place the meat between two plates, covered by a weighty object so that the interior is well pressed.
Serve hot or cold, cut into slices.
