Italiano
Beef roulade skewers with stringy Agnone caciocavallo cheese
Ingredients for 4 people:
600g of thinly sliced beef, 200g semi-aged Agnone* caciocavallo cheese, 200g breadcrumbs, 2 tablespoons of unsalted Salina capers, 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel, 50g grated Grana Padano cheese, 100g extra-virgin olive oil, the juice of ½ a lemon, ½ glass water, extra-virgin olive as needed and salt as needed.
Directions:
Pound the meat lightly and separate into pieces that are about 10cm long.
In a bowl add the lemon juice, ½ glass of water, a demitasse cup of extra-virgin olive oil and an ample pinch of salt and mix everything together with a fork.
Prepare the breading by mixing together the breadcrumbs, grated Grana, grated lemon peel, chopped capers, 100g extra-virgin olive oil and a pinch of salt.
Soak the meat slices in the liquid mixture then bread and place a piece of cacciocavallo in the middle of each before rolling them up and sealing the edges of the roulade to hold the cheese in.
Skewer five or six roulades on to each spit and cook on a non-stick pan or a grill with a trickle of oil at a medium heat for 10-15 minutes turning them over to ensure all sides are done.
Serve with a fresh mixed green salad dressed with a trickle of extra-virgin olive oil and salt if needed.
*A stringy cheese of ancient origin that has been produced since the time of Magna Graecia using cow’s milk exclusively from the mountain village of Agnone in the southern region of Molise. It has a clear, straw-yellow color that varies in intensity depending on how aged it is. The flavor becomes sharper with age.
Wine to pair:
Bricco del Perg Barbera d'Asti Superiore Docg Poderi dei Bricchi Astigiani
Barbera is the most widely planted grape variety in Asti area, in Piedmont, and here it finds its finest expression. Original and versatile, it can produce – with careful fermentation and aging – both fresh and fragrant young wines or rich, full-bodied, and long-lived offerings. Bricco del Perg belongs to this second kind of wines. Brilliant and very intense ruby red color. Elegant and complex notes of red fruits, with hints of flowers and sweet spices. To the palate is harmonious and structured with balanced acidity.
Production area: hills around Repergo village, Isola d'Asti.
Grape variety: Barbera 100%.
Winemaking system: low yields per hectare and good selection of the grapes. Ageing of 12 months in big barrels and 10 months in bottle. At its best after 4 to 6 years after harvest, can last for a decade.
Alcoholic content: 14% vol.
Serving temperature:18°C.
Food pairing: pasta and rice dishes of a certain complexity, roasts, white meat and salami.
