Equipment
Ingredients
Filling
- 300 g celeriac, peeled and coarsely grated
- 150 g frozen baby peas, thawed
- 5 g garlic, minced
- 15 ml olive oil
- 100 g mascarpone cheese
- 30 g parmesan cheese, finely grated
- black pepper, freshly cracked
Wrapper
- 250 g flat pancetta, thinly sliced
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 156 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbohydrates
- 7 g
- Fat
- 14 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 2 g
- Sodium
- 211 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 3 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Cholesterol
- 2 mg
- Potassium
- 199 mg
- Calcium
- 63 mg
- Iron
- 0.5 mg
- Magnesium
- 12 mg
- Phosphorus
- 56 mg
- Zinc
- 0.5 mg
- Vitamin A
- 63 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 3 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.0 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin K
- 14 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.0 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.05 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.04 mg
- Niacin
- 0.4 mg
- Folate
- 10 mcg
- Water
- 33 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the grated celeriac and minced garlic. Sauté for 5 minutes until the celeriac is softened and fragrant.
Stir the thawed peas into the skillet with the celeriac. Cook for an additional 2 minutes just to heat through and evaporate any excess moisture, then transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl.
Allow the vegetable mixture to cool for 5 minutes. Fold in the mascarpone, grated parmesan, and black pepper until the mixture is cohesive and acts as a moldable binder.
Lay two slices of pancetta in a cross pattern on a clean cutting board. Place roughly 40g of the filling in the center where the slices intersect. Fold the ends of the pancetta over the filling one by one to enclose it completely in a tight, square parcel. Repeat to create 12 parcels.
Wipe the frying pan clean and return it to medium heat. Place the parcels seam-side down in the pan. Do not add extra oil, as the pancetta will render its own fat. Fry for 4 minutes until the bottom is deep golden brown and sealed.
Carefully flip each parcel and fry for another 3 to 4 minutes on the remaining sides until fully crispy all over. Ensure the internal temperature reaches at least 74C/165F to guarantee any cross-contamination from handling raw pork is neutralized.
Transfer the cooked parcels to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess fat for 1 minute before serving.
Chef's Notes
- Using flat pancetta rather than rolled pancetta (arrotolata) is crucial for this recipe as it lies flat and makes wrapping much easier.
- Grated celeriac oxidizes quickly. Prep it right before it goes into the pan, or toss it with a tiny splash of lemon juice if you need to hold it.
- If your pancetta is sliced extremely thin and tears easily, use three slices per parcel in a starburst pattern for extra security.
- These pair wonderfully with a sharp, acidic side salad, such as rocket dressed with lemon and olive oil, to cut through the richness of the pork and mascarpone.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container. The pancetta will lose its crispness when chilled.
Reheating: Reheat in an oven at 180C/350F for 8-10 minutes or use an air fryer to re-crisp the pancetta.
Troubleshooting
Parcels unravel during cooking
Cause: Placed seam-side up or flipped too early
Fix: Use a toothpick to hold them together until the pancetta crisps
Prevention: Always start seam-side down and do not touch until the fat has rendered and sealed the edges
Filling is watery and leaks out
Cause: Vegetables were not cooked long enough to evaporate moisture, or frozen peas released too much water
Fix: Cannot be fixed once assembled, but draining parcels on paper towels will help remove excess liquid
Prevention: Ensure the celeriac and pea mixture is cooked until dry before adding mascarpone
Cultural Context
This dish draws inspiration from the Italian tradition of involtini and saltimbocca, where thin cuts of meat or vegetables are stuffed and wrapped. Using pancetta as a casing acts as a protective layer that bastes the delicate vegetables inside with savory fat as it crisps.
