Grilled Beef Rolls with Pecorino, Currants, and Pine Nuts
Braciolettine Arrostite
Region: Italy, Sicily
Category: Beef-Grilled
Season: Summer
Difficulty: Medium Difficulty

These beef involtini are popular fare in the summertime around Palermo in Sicily.  The stuffing is a well-seasoned combination of currants, pine nuts and pecorino cheese, typical Sicilian flavors of Arab influence, that is, the folkloric style of cooking known as cucina arabo-sicula.  Serve with Grilled Vegetable Platter.

[photos: Clifford A. Wright]

Yield: Makes 4 to 6 servings
Preparation Time: 45 minutes

12 large bay leaves, preferably fresh

1 tablespoon currants

1 3/4 pounds beef round or flank, butterflied, and cut into twelve 3 x 5-inch slices

6 tablespoons dry bread crumbs

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus additional for basting

2 tablespoons freshly grated pecorino cheese

1 tablespoon pine nuts

6 tablespoons finely chopped onion

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Twelve 8- to 10-inch wooden skewers

1 large onion, peeled, quartered, and separated

1. Prepare a hot charcoal fire or preheat a gas grill for 15 minutes on high.

2. If using dried bay leaves, soak them in tepid water for 30 minutes and drain.  Soak the currants in tepid water for 15 minutes.

3. Place the beef slices between 2 pieces of wax paper and flatten with a mallet or the side of a heavy cleaver until they are about 1/16 inch thick.

4. In a small frying pan, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium-high heat.  Add the bread crumbs and cook, stirring, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes.  Remove the pan from the heat.  Drain the currants and add to the bread crumbs with the pecorino, pine nuts, onion, and salt and pepper to taste.  Mix thoroughly and set aside.

5. Double skewer all the ingredients: place a roll-up on a surface and slide a bay leaf, an onion slice, and a beef roll-up onto each set of skewers, keeping the skewers parallel to each other about 1/2 inch apart.

6. Place the skewers on the grill close to the fire if possible and baste with olive oil.  Cook until golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes on each side.  Serve hot.

Variation: 

Note: 

Posted: 12/12/2006

Referenced Recipes:

Grilled Vegetable Platter