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Meat, Italy

Messina style veal involtini with salad

Messina style veal involtini are small veal rolls stuffed with breadcrumbs, pecorino and pine nuts, threaded onto skewers with bay leaves and onion. This recipe serves 4, takes 45 minutes, has a medium difficulty level, and costs €4.40 per person. The key to success is cooking over medium heat, so the filling warms through without drying out the veal.

Tonight, little veal rolls stuffed with breadcrumbs, pecorino and pine nuts, grilled on skewers Messina style.

Messina style veal involtini with salad
Total time
45 min
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€4.40
Calories per person
700 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Summer, Fall

Involtini play on the contrast between thin, tender meat and a crisp, fragrant filling. Pecorino brings the salt, toasted pine nuts add crunch, and parsley with garlic keeps things fresh. Bay leaves tucked between the rolls perfume them as they cook, and a squeeze of lemon at the end wakes everything up.

This is a dinner for when you want something a bit more special than an average weeknight meal, without it being complicated. It takes a little hands on work, flattening, stuffing, rolling, which makes it a good recipe to cook with someone else, or to serve friends alongside a well dressed green salad.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Thin veal scallops 600 g

Pantry

  • Breadcrumbsoften in the pantry 60 g
  • Pine nuts 30 g
  • Bay leavesoften in the pantry 8
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 5 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Dairy

  • Grated pecorino 50 g

Fruits and vegetables

  • Flat leaf parsley 4 sprigs
  • Garlic 1 cloves
  • Onion 1
  • Green salad 1
  • Lemon 1

Allergens Gluten, Lactose, Tree nuts

The step by step recipe

  1. Flatten the veal scallops between two sheets of parchment paper, then cut them into rectangles.

    Pound with the flat side of the mallet, working from the center outward, without tearing the meat.

  2. Mix the breadcrumbs, pecorino, pine nuts, parsley, chopped garlic, 2 tablespoons of oil, salt and pepper.

    Toast the pine nuts dry for 2 minutes, it changes the flavor completely.

  3. Spoon some filling onto each rectangle, roll tightly, then thread the rolls onto skewers with bay leaves and pieces of onion.

    Don't overfill, the stuffing will spill out and burn in the pan.

  4. Brush with oil and grill the skewers in a grill pan or in the oven, turning them as they cook. 14 min

    Cook over medium heat so the filling heats through without drying out the veal.

  5. Dress the salad with oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper, and serve it alongside the skewers.

    Squeeze a little lemon over the involtini right out of the pan.

Our tips to get it right

  • Buy veal scallops that are already thin, or ask your butcher to slice them thin, to save time at the flattening step.
  • Roll the involtini tightly before threading them onto skewers, they hold together better while cooking and the filling stays put.
  • If you're cooking in the oven, preheat the broiler and set the skewers near the top so they brown without overcooking inside.

The variations

  • Swap the pecorino for parmesan if that's what you have, the flavor will be a touch milder but still good.
  • For a vegetarian version, replace the veal with thin grilled eggplant slices stuffed with the same filling.
  • For a quicker version, skip the skewers and just pan fry the rolls, holding each one closed with a toothpick.

What to serve it with

  • Grilled bread to soak up the lemon juice
  • Pan fried potatoes with garlic
  • A glass of dry white wine

Storage

Involtini keep for 2 days in the fridge in a sealed container. You can freeze them raw, stuffed and rolled, then cook them straight from frozen with a slightly longer cooking time. Reheat gently in a covered pan so they don't dry out.

Questions about this dish

Can you prep the involtini ahead of time?

Yes, you can roll and skewer them several hours ahead and keep them covered in the fridge. Take them out 15 minutes before cooking so they don't cool down the pan too much.

Can you substitute the pine nuts?

Sliced almonds or chopped walnuts work well in place of pine nuts. Toast them dry for a couple of minutes to get the same roasted flavor.

Do you need wooden skewers?

Wooden skewers make cooking and serving easier, but you can also close each roll with a toothpick and cook it flat. The result is the same, only the presentation changes.

What meat can replace veal here?

Thin pounded chicken or turkey cutlets work well instead of veal in this recipe. The cooking time stays about the same, just make sure the meat is cooked through.

How long does it take to make Messina style veal involtini with salad?

Count 45 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “medium”.

How many calories are in Messina style veal involtini with salad?

About 700 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 Messina style veal involtini with salad cost?

About €4.40 per serving, or €17.60 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

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

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