Fillings are an easy way to make a simple slice of meat, fish or vegetables seem much more appetizing. Meat, vegetables and cheese are all ingredients that, together with eggs, give shape to recipes that can be spread or inserted as a filling – adding taste to plenty of dishes and making it a new and special something – vegetarian or otherwise, depending on the combination. And the combinations? Endless. Have fun experimenting!
Savoy cabbage filling
A filling made only of vegetables, bread and cheese – for a delectable result. First, take half a savoy cabbage, peel it, wash it and reduce it to thin strips. Boil it for ten minutes in plenty of salted water and drain. In a frying pan, brown a clove of garlic and a sliced shallots in a little oil. Once golden-brown, add the cabbage and cook for a few minutes. In another pan, fry a dozen crumbled taralli in extra virgin olive oil. Turn off the heat and add the cabbage, a beaten egg and 60 g of Parmigiano Reggiano. Use this stuffing in squids or on a slice of turkey (that you can simmer with a clove of garlic and some sage leaves).
Cauliflower and bacon filling
For this filling, cook the cauliflower florets in boiling water for a few minutes and then drain. Put florets in a bowl and blend. Melt a knob of butter in a pan and then cook bacon until golden. Turn off heat and add the cauliflower florets, two tablespoons of parmesan cheese, an egg and as much béchamel sauce as you need to make the mixture soft. This is an ideal filling to stuff a veal, spinach or zucchini – baked in the oven.
Anchovies and breadcrumbs
Perfect for squid and vegetables like bell peppers, this stuffing also goes well with meat. Take some Sicilian bread and remove excess crumbs. Cut it into small pieces and brown in a pan with oil and a clove of garlic. Smoke it with white wine and then turn off heat. In another pot, sautée some anchovy fillets in a little butter. When the fillets are reduced to a paste, add it to the breadcrumbs. Add some chopped parsley, a lightly beaten egg and mix everything together with a little salt. The filling is now ready to stuff peppers or squids that you’ll bake in the oven with a little oil and a splash of white wine.
Sicilian-style filling
This stuffing’s name is called Sicilian-style because it is made with typical ingredients of Sicilian cuisine such as caciocavallo cheese and sultanas. It goes very well with slices of meat, but also with fish. First, soak the sultanas for 20 minutes. In a pan, fry a red Tropea onion in a little oil. Once golden-brown, add the caciocavallo cheese (cut into thin pieces), dried raisins, some breadcrumbs and pine nuts. Mix well and add some extra-virgin olive oil.
Pistachios, mint and pine nuts
A nutty combination ideal for fish such as squid or veal. It is a filling that will be ready in just a few minutes: blend pine nuts and pistachios together (strictly not toasted and not salted), add plenty of parmesan cheese and fresh mint leaves. Mix everything with extra-virgin olive oil, season with salt and stuff your veal slices or squid. You can close the filling with a toothpick. Prepare plenty of it, and then sprinkle the baking sheet containing either the meat (or fish) before putting it in the oven to cook.