Involtini al Pomodoro

Cooking trends chase each other like waves, and those who follow the fashions accuse people who prefer traditional regional cuisines of granite immobility. Rather than that, you’ll agree that Italian regional cooking displays continuity, and when the current finger food fad or fusion sushi fashion is long forgotten, people will still be enjoying the traditional family dishes. Like for example, involtini.
Involtini are made all over Italy. But this very easy meat recipe from le Marche is one of my favorite regional unfailing meat roll-ups.

Image courtesy of Forchettina

• 12 veal or tender beef cutlets, flattened (total weight 500 gr = 1.1 lb)
• 150 gr (3/4 cup) prosciutto, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, thinly cut into slivers
• 400 gr (2 cups/14 oz) unseasoned canned tomatoes, crushed
• 1 glass dry, white wine
• A small bunch of Italian flat leaf parsley, finely chopped OPTIONAL
• A bunch of fresh basil
• 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• Salt & pepper

If your veal cutlets are more than 1 cm (1/3”) thick, gently flatten them out with a meat tenderizer or the blade of your kitchen knife laid flat.
Take the prosciutto, chopped parsley (if you're using it) and a slivers of garlic and combine them, seasoning with salt and pepper. Spread the “filling” over the slices of veal and roll them up, using a couple of toothpicks to hold each involtino shut.

In a skillet large enough to hold all the involtini in a single layer, sauté them in olive oil over a gentle flame, turning them carefully.
When the involtini are evenly browned, pour in the wine and let it evaporate. Add the tomatoes and cook for 20 minutes. If necessary, reduce the tomato sauce by raising the temperature, but in that case remove the involtini from the pan to avoid overcooking. Right before serving them hot, sprinkle the involtini with freshly hand-torn basil leaves. Remember to remove toothpicks before devouring all with crusty bread to sop up the dribbly sauce.

Wine? A nice Conero red or–for those of you who are white wine lovers–a nice Verdicchio di Matelica.