ROLLATINI ROBIOLA

Steps:

• **I used Bosina Robiola, which is a lightly aged sheep’s milk cheese from the south Piedmont region of Italy, that comes in about 3/4”x4"x4" squares.
• Other varieties, all from northern Italy, may be made from cow, sheep or goat milk and may have a thicker round shape like a small Brie or a cube shape.
• All of the aged Robiola cheeses tend to have a creamy yellow interior and have a white, yellowish, or pinkish rind.
• If you can’t find Robiola, feel free to use an aged Brie or Camembert cheese, including part of the crust, or Stracchino (ripened version of Taleggio) or Bel Paese or Fontina.
• The flavors are fairly similar.
• The main thing is that you want a fairly pungent cheese.
• Pound each pieces of meat between pieces of plastic wrap until about 1/8” thick, being careful not to tear it any more than necessary.
• It helps to sprinkle the meat with a little water before placing between plastic sheets.
• Season meat fairly generously on both sides with granulated garlic, seasoned salt, black pepper, and oregano.
• Sprinkle generously with balsamic vinegar, rub in spice, and marinate at room temperature for 1/2 hour or in the refrigerator for several hours.
• When ready to stuff meat rolls, cut chilled cheese into batons about 3/4” square and 3" long, making sure you get some of the rind with each piece, reserving any leftover cheese for the sauce.
• Wrap each piece of cheese with sage leaves, and with optional prosciuto, if desired, to minimize leaks later on.
• Place a wrapped piece of cheese on each piece of meat, and roll the meat around the cheese bundles, folding in the ends as you go.
• Tie each meat roll with kitchen string, or pin them shut with toothpicks, and dredge them lightly in seasoned flour, coating all over, and shaking off excess flour.
• Refrigerate meat rolls until ready to cook.
• Chop remaining sage leaves, and set aside.
• Coarsely chop sage stems.
• Place cream in a medium saucepan over medium heat, and add sage stems, half of the chopped garlic, and a couple tablespoons of the chopped onion.
• Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for about 20 minutes to infuse flavors.
• Add remaining Robiola cheese scraps, including rind, and simmer about 5 minutes longer or until cheese has melted, strain cream mixture, pressing on solids to get out as much liquid and soft solids as possible, and set aside.
• Heat about 1/4 cup of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, saute meat rolls until well browned on all sides, and set them aside.
• Discard oil, except for about 2 Tbsp, and saute remaining onions and garlic until onions are just beginning to brown around the edges.
• Add mushrooms, increase heat to high, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Saute until mushroom have given up their moisture, and most of the moisture has evaporated.
• Add seasoned cream, and 1/2 cup Stravecchio or Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, and stir until cheese is melted.
• If desired, add flour-water mixture and bring to a boil to thicken.
• Remove string or toothpicks from meat rolls and bury them in the mushroom sauce mixture.
• Cover, and simmer until heated through.
• To serve, slice each meat roll in 4-5 pieces, and serve alongside hot noodles or rice.
• Spoon mushrooms and sauce over meat and noodles.
• Serve with a nice vinaigrette salad and hot crusty French bread with cold butter.