Non-VegetarianPugliese cuisine Main Course

Bombette Pugliesi

Name: Bombette Pugliesi
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Pugliese
Ingredients: 600 g pork neck (capocollo); 150 g caciocavallo cheese; 100 g pancetta; 15 g fresh flat-leaf parsley; 1 clove Garlic; 4 g Fine sea salt; 2 g Black pepper; 15 ml Extra virgin olive oil

Succulent pork neck parcels stuffed with caciocavallo cheese and parsley, grilled until charred outside and melting inside. A Valle d'Itria classic.

🇮🇹Italy· Apulia

Prep: 25 min
Cook: 15 min
Total: 40 min
Servings: 4
Difficulty: Medium
Calories: 510 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 8 gathered

Servings

600 g pork neck (capocollo) — sliced thinly into 12 small cutlets
150 g caciocavallo cheese — semi-aged, cut into 12 small batons
100 g pancetta — thinly sliced
15 g fresh flat-leaf parsley — finely chopped
1 clove Garlic — very finely minced
4 g Fine sea salt — to taste
2 g Black pepper — freshly cracked
15 ml Extra virgin olive oil — for brushing

Equipment

•Meat mallet
•Wooden or metal skewers
•Barbecue grill or ridged cast iron grill pan
•Basting brush
•Chopping board

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 510 kcal
fat: 39 g
carbs: 1 g
fibre: 0 g
protein: 38 g
calories: 510 kcal

Instructions

1
Place the pork slices between sheets of baking paper and pound gently with a mallet until evenly thin.
2
Season both sides of each pork slice lightly with fine sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
3
Lay a thin slice of pancetta over each piece of pork.
4
Scatter the chopped parsley and minced garlic evenly over the meat.
5
Place a baton of caciocavallo cheese near the bottom edge of each pork slice.
6
Fold the side edges inwards over the cheese and roll the pork tightly to form a neat parcel.
7
Thread three to four parcels closely onto each skewer, pressing them tightly together so the ends seal.
8
Brush the skewered bombette lightly with extra virgin olive oil.
9
Cook over hot barbecue coals or in a smoking hot ridged griddle pan for twelve to fifteen minutes.
10
Turn the skewers every few minutes until the pork is deeply browned, sizzling, and the cheese is molten inside.
11
Rest for two minutes and serve immediately while hot.

Chef's tips

Use well-marbled pork neck rather than loin so the rolls remain juicy under high heat. Pack the bombette tightly against one another on the skewer to prevent the melted cheese from escaping onto the grill.

Ingredient substitutions

caciocavallo cheese → semi-mature provolone or unsmoked scamorza
pancetta → thinly sliced unsmoked streaky bacon or lardo

Storage

Store leftover cooked bombette in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days.

Reheating

Reheat on a baking tray in an oven preheated to 180°C (160°C fan) for eight minutes until heated through and molten.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Rolling the meat too loosely, allowing the cheese to leak entirely onto the grill.
•Using lean pork cuts like loin, which dry out quickly and turn tough.
•Grilling over violent open flames instead of steady glowing charcoal, burning the outside before the meat cooks through.

Serving suggestions

Serve hot straight from the skewer with crusty Pugliese durum wheat bread.Pair with a fresh salad of thinly sliced fennel, rocket, and lemon.Accompany with a glass of robust Pugliese red wine such as Primitivo.