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Meat, Italy

Cima alla genovese with potato salad

Cima alla genovese is a veal breast stuffed with eggs, peas, parmesan and pine nuts, poached then served cold in slices. For 4 people, it takes about 2 hours 50 minutes total, including 1.5 hours of poaching, with medium difficulty and a cost of €4.60 per person. The key to success is pressing the roast under a weight while it cools, for clean, even slices.

Tonight, for the weekend menu, a cima alla genovese, stuffed veal breast, poached and served cold in slices, with a potato salad.

Cima alla genovese with potato salad
Total time
2 h 50
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€4.60
Calories per person
630 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Spring, Summer

Cima alla genovese surprises you the moment you cut into it, each slice reveals a green and golden mosaic of peas, hard boiled eggs, parmesan and pine nuts held in a soft filling, wrapped in veal breast. Served cold, it has that firm, dense texture of poached and pressed meats, slicing cleanly like a terrine while keeping the straightforward taste of the veal.

This is more of a weekend project than a weeknight dinner, the kind of recipe you make on Saturday to serve cold on Sunday at lunch, as a main course with the warm potato salad on the side. It works well for slightly festive family meals, for tables where people like discovering what's inside the slice, and it holds up nicely on a buffet if you cut it into smaller portions.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Veal breast with pocket 1 kg

Dairy

  • Eggs 4
  • Grated parmesan 60 g
  • Milk 10 cl

Frozen foods

  • Frozen peas 150 g

Bakery

  • Sandwich bread 2 slices

Pantry

  • Pine nuts 30 g
  • Capers 1 tbsp
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 4 tbsp
  • Vinegaroften in the pantry 1 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Fruits and vegetables

  • Flat leaf parsley 4 sprigs
  • Waxy potatoes 700 g

Allergens Gluten, Eggs, Lactose, Tree nuts

The step by step recipe

  1. Hard boil 3 eggs and shell them, then mix the 4 remaining raw beaten eggs with the bread soaked in milk, the peas, parmesan, pine nuts, parsley, salt and pepper. 10 min

    The filling should be thick, it shouldn't run when you stir it.

  2. Fill the pocket of the veal breast with the filling, tucking in the hard boiled eggs, then close it with kitchen string or secure it with picks.

    Fill it two thirds full, the filling expands as it cooks.

  3. Lower the cima into a large pot of simmering salted water and poach it gently without letting it boil. 1 h 30

    Poke it with a needle at the start so it doesn't burst.

  4. Remove the cima, press it between two plates under a weight, and let it cool completely. 30 min

    Press it while still warm, it holds its shape and slices well.

  5. Boil the potatoes, cut them into rounds, season with olive oil, vinegar, capers and parsley, and serve alongside the sliced cima. 20 min

    Season the potatoes while still warm, they soak up the dressing.

Our tips to get it right

  • Ask your butcher to cut the pocket into the veal breast, it's easier than slitting it yourself and the roast holds together better during cooking.
  • Close the pocket firmly with kitchen string or sturdy picks, filling that escapes during poaching clouds the broth and leaves the meat less generously stuffed.
  • Let the cima cool completely before slicing it, even one extra hour of patience makes a real difference in how clean the slices turn out.

The variations

  • Swap the pine nuts for chopped hazelnuts if you don't have any on hand, you'll keep the crunch even if the flavor shifts slightly.
  • For a quicker version, poach the cima the day before and let it rest overnight in the fridge under its weight, so all that's left to do is slice it and make the salad the same day.
  • If you're serving kids, cut back on the capers in the potato salad and taste before seasoning, their briny flavor is strong for sensitive palates.

What to serve it with

  • Warm potato salad, already part of the recipe
  • Crusty country bread alongside the slices
  • Cold sparkling water with lemon

Storage

Cima alla genovese keeps for 2 to 3 days in the fridge, well wrapped or in a sealed container. It doesn't freeze well because of the hard boiled eggs and the texture of the filling, which turn grainy once thawed. Always serve it cold or at room temperature, it's not meant to be reheated.

Questions about this dish

Can you make cima alla genovese the day before?

Yes, it's actually recommended. Poach the cima, press it under a weight, then let it rest overnight in the fridge. It slices better once fully chilled and the flavors develop as it sits.

Can you use a different cut instead of veal breast?

Veal breast is chosen for its natural pocket and because it holds up well through long poaching. A boned veal shoulder with a pocket cut by your butcher can work, but adjust the poaching time to the thickness of the cut.

Why do you need to poke the cima while it cooks?

Poking the meat with a thin needle at the start of poaching lets out the air and steam that build up inside the filling. Without this, the pocket can swell and burst in the water.

Can you freeze cima alla genovese?

It's not recommended. The hard boiled eggs and the tight texture of the filling don't hold up well to freezing and turn grainy once thawed. It's better to make it two or three days ahead and keep it in the fridge.

How long does it take to make a cima alla genovese with potato salad?

Count 2 h 50 in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “medium”.

How many calories are in a cima alla genovese with potato salad?

About 630 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a cima alla genovese with potato salad cost?

About €4.60 per serving, or €18.40 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten, eggs, lactose, tree nuts. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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