How to make it: Gemma Di Meo's involtini di manzo recipe

Learn how to make this traditional Italian beef rolls dish

By Gemma Di Meo
Published 17 Aug 2018, 19:00 BST, Updated 14 Jul 2021, 16:53 BST
Photograph by Susan Wright

Serves: 4
Takes: 2 HRs 20 mins

Ingredients
1 large carrot
1 large celery stalk
10 slices of beef (rump or chuck are ideal), approx. 3mm thick, flattened using a meat hammer or cling film and a rolling pin
2 x 400g tins plum tomatoes
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
125ml white or red wine

Method
1 Julienne the carrot and celery to get thin batons roughly as long as the beef is wide. Take a slice of beef, lay it flat on the work surface and season with salt and pepper. Place a bundle of carrot and celery (about three of each) along the edge of the beef slice and tightly roll, tucking in the sides. Secure with a cocktail stick. Repeat for the rest of the meat.
2 Very finely chop the tomatoes or blitz in a food processor. Warm the olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat, add the beef rolls and brown on all sides. Add the wine, increasing the heat until it sizzles and evaporates.
3 Add the tomatoes and stir.Reduce the heat and simmer, turning the rolls a couple of times, until the meat is cooked through and tender (1½–2 hrs). Add a little more wine or water if the sauce dries out. Rest the rolls for 15 mins before serving.

Read the feature about Gemma's dining family traditions here.

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