Equipment
Ingredients
Veal
- 1500 g boneless veal breast, pocket cut by butcher
- 30 ml olive oil
- 120 ml dry white wine
- 10 g salt
- 5 g black pepper, freshly ground
Italian Sausage Stuffing
- 450 g mild italian pork sausage, casings removed
- 100 g dairy-free breadcrumbs
- 150 g yellow onion, finely diced
- 3 garlic, minced
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 15 g fresh parsley, chopped
- 15 ml olive oil
Roasted Potatoes
- 800 g yukon gold potatoes, cut into thick wedges
- 30 ml olive oil
- 10 g fresh rosemary, leaves chopped
- 5 g salt
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 1437 kcal
- Protein
- 67 g
- Carbohydrates
- 130 g
- Fat
- 70 g
- Fiber
- 10 g
- Sugar
- 8 g
- Sodium
- 1782 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 24 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 36 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 8 g
- Cholesterol
- 260 mg
- Potassium
- 2348 mg
- Calcium
- 174 mg
- Iron
- 6.0 mg
- Magnesium
- 161 mg
- Phosphorus
- 811 mg
- Zinc
- 8.5 mg
- Vitamin A
- 27 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 11 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.2 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 2.3 mg
- Vitamin K
- 51 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 1.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.9 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.50 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.37 mg
- Niacin
- 10.3 mg
- Folate
- 66 mcg
- Water
- 272 g
- Alcohol
- 2 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat the oven to 165°C/330°F. Ensure the oven rack is placed in the lower-middle position.
Heat 15ml of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté the finely diced onion and minced garlic until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a mixing bowl and allow to cool completely.
Add the sausage meat, dairy-free breadcrumbs, beaten egg, and fresh parsley to the cooled onion mixture. Mix gently with your hands until just combined. Avoid overmixing to keep the stuffing tender.
Open the pocket of the veal breast. Gently pack the sausage stuffing into the pocket in an even layer. Do not overstuff. Sew the opening closed with butcher twine or tie at 2-inch intervals.
Rub the exterior of the stuffed veal breast with 30ml of olive oil and season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Sear in a large roasting pan set over medium-high heat on the stovetop until browned on all sides.
Pour the white wine or chicken broth into the bottom of the roasting pan. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil. Roast in the preheated oven for 1.5 hours to tenderize the veal.
While the veal is roasting, toss the potato wedges in a bowl with the remaining 30ml of olive oil, chopped rosemary, and salt until evenly coated.
Remove the foil from the roasting pan. Increase the oven temperature to 190°C/375°F. Arrange the seasoned potatoes around the veal in the pan juices. Roast uncovered for 45 minutes, stirring the potatoes once half-way through, until the meat is tender and the stuffing reaches an internal temperature of 74°C/165°F.
Transfer the veal breast to a cutting board. Tent loosely with foil and let it rest for 20 minutes. Leave the potatoes in the turned-off oven to stay warm.
Carefully remove the butcher twine. Carve the stuffed veal breast into thick slices and serve alongside the roasted potatoes, spooning any remaining pan juices over the top.
Chef's Notes
- Ask your butcher to cut a deep pocket into the veal breast to save yourself significant prep time and ensure an even cavity.
- Do not skip the resting phase. Resting allows the meat fibers to relax and the stuffing to firm up, making slicing much cleaner and retaining juices.
- Tying the roast evenly with butcher twine ensures it cooks uniformly and holds its beautiful rounded shape during carving.
- If your roasting pan cannot be used on the stovetop, sear the veal in a large skillet first, then transfer to a standard baking dish.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store tightly wrapped or in an airtight container.
Freezer: 2 months — Slice before freezing for easier reheating.
Reheating: Reheat slices gently in a covered pan with a splash of broth to prevent drying out.
Troubleshooting
Stuffing spills out during roasting
Cause: The pocket was overstuffed or the meat was not tied securely enough
Fix: Scoop spilled stuffing back together in the pan and serve alongside the meat
Prevention: Leave a 2cm border empty around the pocket and tie tightly with butcher twine
Veal meat is tough and chewy
Cause: Not roasted long enough for the collagen to break down
Fix: Cover and return to oven at 150°C/300°F with a splash of broth for another 30 minutes
Prevention: Ensure slow roasting is not rushed, braising with liquid and foil helps tenderize
Potatoes are soggy instead of crispy
Cause: Too much liquid in the pan or potatoes were overcrowded
Fix: Transfer potatoes to a separate baking sheet and broil for 3-5 minutes
Prevention: Ensure the liquid from the first roasting phase has mostly reduced before adding potatoes
Cultural Context
Stuffed veal breast (often seen as Cima alla Genovese or Punta di Vitello Ripiena) is a traditional Italian Sunday roast. It is particularly cherished in regions like Liguria and Piedmont, where transforming an economical, tough cut of meat into a celebratory centerpiece through slow cooking and resourceful stuffing is a highly valued culinary art.
