Polpettone Recipes

POLPETTONE TWO WAYS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the bread with 1/2 cup of the milk and break apart with your fingers. Mix well and allow the bread to soak for 5 minutes. Add the shallots, garlic, egg, prosciutto, Parmesan and 1/4 teaspoon salt and mix with a wooden spoon to evenly distribute the prosciutto. Add the turkey and parsley and mix well. Divide the mixture into 2 even oblong loaves.
• Heat 2 medium skillets over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter to each pan. Add a loaf to each pan and cook on all sides until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Divide the white wine between the two pans and cook until reduced by half. Add the remaining 2 cups milk and 1/4 teaspoon salt to one of the pans and bring to a simmer. Add the marinara to the other pan and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat under each pan to medium low and cover the pans. Braise until an instant-read thermometer registers 160 degrees in the center of each loaf, about 25 minutes, carefully flipping the loaves about halfway through.
• Remove the loaves from the pan and allow them to rest 10 minutes before slicing. Remove the marinara from the heat and stir with a wooden spoon. Simmer the remaining milk, uncovered, until it reduces by half. It will be slightly brown and look broken. Using an immersion blender, blend the milk until fully emulsified and creamy. Serve each polpettone with its respective sauce.

POLPETTONE WITH SPINACH AND PROVOLONE

Steps:

• Put bread cubes in a small bowl, cover with cream and set aside to soak until softened, about 10 minutes.
• Put beef, pork and veal in a mixing bowl. Season with salt, pepper, cayenne, nutmeg, rosemary, thyme, sage and parsley. Add Parmesan and, using hands, knead seasoning into meat. Combine soaked bread (and any remaining cream) with beaten eggs, then pour mixture over seasoned meat and knead until well combined.
• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12-by-18-inch baking sheet with parchment or foil. Press ground meat mixture evenly over parchment to make a flat rectangle slightly smaller than the baking sheet. Top with slices of mortadella. Scatter cooked spinach evenly over mortadella. Break provolone slices into rough pieces and distribute over surface. Finish with hard-cooked egg chopped into chunks.
• Using parchment to help, roll the meat into a long cylinder with filling on the inside. With the long side facing you, first lift parchment and use it to roll meat to the center, pressing down to keep it in place. Then lift parchment on the opposite long side, bringing meat just past the center to overlap itself slightly. Pinch the "seam" of the meat together to keep filling in place. Sprinkle with half the dry crumbs. You will now have a cylinder approximately 15 inches long. Twist ends of parchment to firm the mixture, then transfer to a deep-sided baking dish or roasting pan, and place it seam-side down. Carefully remove and discard parchment. With hands, press firmly to form cylinder into a long loaf with rounded ends. Dust top and sides with remaining bread crumbs. (The polpettone may be prepared to this point several hours, or up to 24 hours, in advance; keep refrigerated and bring to room temperature before baking.)
• Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until internal temperature is 140 degrees. Let rest for 10 minutes and cut into 1-inch-thick slices and serve. (Alternatively, cool to room temperature and refrigerate for up to 3 days. If serving cold, cut thinner slices.)