Cima alla Genovese
A classic Genoese dish of veal breast pocket filled with eggs, peas, sweetbreads, and marjoram, gently poached, pressed, and sliced cold.
- Prep
- 40 min
- Cook
- 120 min
- Total
- 160 min
- Servings
- 8
- Difficulty
- Hard
- Calories
- 390 kcal
Equipment
- •Large stockpot
- •Kitchen needle and thread
- •Chopping board
- •Heavy weight or press
- •Clean linen cloth
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 390 kcal
- fat
- 26 g
- carbs
- 4 g
- fibre
- 1 g
- protein
- 34 g
- calories
- 390 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Blanch sweetbreads in salted boiling water for 3 minutes, then peel and dice finely.
- 2
Sauté minced veal and sweetbreads in olive oil for 3 minutes until lightly coloured.
- 3
Whisk the eggs in a bowl with Parmigiano Reggiano, marjoram, garlic, peas, and pine nuts.
- 4
Fold the cooked meats into the egg mixture and season with salt and black pepper.
- 5
Fill the veal pocket halfway with the egg mixture to allow room for expansion.
- 6
Sew the open end tightly closed using a needle and sturdy kitchen thread.
- 7
Prick the pocket gently all over with a thin needle to release cooking steam.
- 8
Wrap the meat snugly in a clean linen cloth and tie the ends with string.
- 9
Place in a pot of cold salted water with the stock vegetables.
- 10
Bring to a bare simmer over low heat and poach gently for 2 hours.
- 11
Unwrap the meat, place between two boards, and press under a 2 kg weight until cold.
- 12
Slice thinly across the grain and arrange on a serving platter.
Chef's tips
Never fill the pocket more than halfway, as the egg filling expands substantially while poaching. Pricking the pocket all over with a fine needle is vital to stop the meat from splitting in the broth.
Ingredient substitutions
- veal sweetbreads → finely diced pork tenderloin or extra minced veal
- fresh marjoram → 1 teaspoon dried marjoram
Storage
Store the pressed meat wrapped in baking paper inside an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
Reheating
Cima alla Genovese is traditionally served cold or at room temperature, so reheating is not recommended.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Overfilling the pocket, which causes the seams to burst during simmering.
- •Boiling the stock vigorously rather than keeping it at a very gentle simmer.
- •Attempting to slice the meat whilst warm before it has fully pressed and set.
Serving suggestions
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