Stuffed veal rolls found in Liguria, tomaxelle date back to when the Austrians besieged Genoa in the 19th century. The locals decided to cook veal rolls for their enemies instead of fighting them off, and tomaxelle were born.
The recipe yesterday and today
Tomaxelle were originally prepared with minced boiled meat, leftover roast, chard, eggs, and grated cheese, using a mixture of all these ingredients to stuff slices of veal.
The original version didn't contain tomatoes or mushrooms, which were added over the years to make them more flavorful.
How to prepare tomaxelle
Blanch 4 oz. of veal breast and 4 oz. of lean veal in boiling water, chop and add broth-soaked breadcrumbs, pine nuts, 2 oz. of dried mushrooms, that have been soaked in water, drained, and chopped.
Mix everything together, add two large eggs, grated cheese, parsley, marjoram, nutmeg, and cloves, stirring well until uniform.
Fill 8 slices of veal, beaten and thinned, roll them up and close them with toothpicks.
Dip the tomaxelle in the flour and brown them in butter with the white wine.
Complete cooking for 15 minutes in the tomato sauce. Cook over low heat, reducing the sauce with vegetable broth. Season with salt and pepper.
Browse the photo gallery for some useful tips on how to prepare tomaxelle!