Tomaselle or tomaxelle are traditional genoese “involtini”, rolled-up slices of veal stuffed with a meat filling (minced or left over from other meals), breadcrumbs, dry mushrooms, eggs, cheese and marjoram.
They are cooked in tomato and so at the end you will have both an excellent second course and a pasta sauce. An old dish, which can no longer be found in restaurants… sadly! Typically eaten in the days following festivals, it allowed the leftover roast meat and bread to be used, avoiding waste in the kitchen.
There are various versions and each family has its secrets. Precisely because it is a dish devoted to recycling, different ingredients can be used: pine nuts, peas, garden vegetables, cold cuts, aromatic herbs and spices and cheeses, and it can be cooked with more or less tomato.
In Ligurian cuisine filling is often used to transform the small amount of meat available into something much more tasty and substantial, just think of Genoese stuffed belly of veal (cima) or stuffed rump tail (sabrina). The history of this dish says a lot about the character of us Genoese. Tomaxelle came into existence in Genoa during the 1800 siege and were given as food to a group of Austrian officers held prisoner.
Why on earth was such a delicacy served to the enemy? Because by doing so the Superba demonstrated that it could offer delicious meals even to those it had captured. The Genoese were making it clear that they were a long way from starvation and surrender.
See also:
Ingredients
Tools
Steps
Put the dried mushrooms to soak in warm water, then squeeze the water out and chop. Divide them in half, they will be needed for the filling and for the sauce.
Soak the dry bread in the milk. When it is soft wring it out.
In a bowl, mix the chopped meat by hand with the eggs, grated Parmesan cheese, marjoram, chopped garlic and parsley, bread, half the chopped mushrooms, salt and pepper. Blend the filling thoroughly.
Beat the slices of veal with the meat mallet and lay it on top of the mixture. Now close the side edge and roll up the slices. Secure them with one or more cocktail sticks.
Fry the tomaselle lightly in the frying pan with extra virgin olive oil, stirring with the tongs so as not to pierce or break them. Once they are golden, sprinkle with white wine.
Add the chopped onion, celery and carrot and the other half of the dried mushrooms. Simmer to add flavour for two minutes and then add the tomato purée, tomato paste and salt.
Cook over a low heat for about half an hour, adding stock if the sauce dries out too much and stirring the tomaselle every so often.
Turn off the heat, sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve the veal rolls with their sauce.
Prepare the bread to mop up the sauce!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What pasta format do you recommend to use this sauce?
Try using the sauce to dress tagliatelle or ravioli. You will see how good it is.
Varied doses for servings