Pork Involtini

Tender pork wrapped around a delicious filling of spinach, mushrooms and cheeses then fried to perfection!

Ah, the dinner conundrum… A bunch of ingredients and no idea of what to do with them

Let’s see, we had some boneless pork chops and some random ingredients like spinach, mushrooms and ricotta cheese

Then it came to us…

Involtini!!!

What does involtini mean?

Basically involtini means an outer wrapper over an inner filling

The outer wrapper can be meat or vegetable and the inner wrapping can be up to your culinary taste and inspiration

A traditional involtini is typically veal, however you can certainly use chicken or in this case pork

We happen to have these beautiful boneless pork chops

Start by trimming any excess fat from the pork

Filet each chop in half

Cover the pork with plastic wrap

We are going to pound these out with a tenderizer and the plastic wrap will keep raw meat and liquid from flying around the kitchen

Tenderize one side then flip an tenderize the other side

You want it flattened but try to avoid breaking it down too much as they may fall apart

Now let’s work on the filling

We will need 1 large portabella mushroom, 10 ounces of frozen spinach (thawed and drained) and 4 garlic cloves

Remove the stem from the mushroom

Using a spoon remove the gills as well

Slice the mushroom and then dice it along with the garlic

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a pan over medium heat

Add in the mushrooms and garlic

Saute for 3-4 minutes

Next, add in the spinach and 1/2 teaspoon each of kosher salt, ground black pepper and crushed red pepper flakes

Cook another 3-4 minutes

 Then remove to a bowl and allow it to cool

Next we will need 3/4 cup of ricotta cheese and 1/4 cup of grated parmesan cheese

Fold the cheeses into the cooled spinach mixture

What do you mean by fold it in?

Folding is a method of combining two or more ingredients of different thickness and weight using a spoon or in this case a rubber scraper to gently to get them mixed together without ruining the integrity of the ingredients

Place the pork cutlets onto a sheet pan and put a tablespoon of the spinach mixture on each one

Use the back of the spoon to spread the mixture out over the pork

Add more mixture as needed until the cutlet is covered

Now as if there weren’t enough cheesy goodness going on here we are going to bring it to the next level with some fresh mozzarella

This was pre-sliced

Cut the slices in half and place a piece in the center of each cutlet

Starting at the thinner end of the cutlet roll it in towards the wider side

Repeat until they are all rolled

Next we will need 1/4 cup of grated parmesan cheese, 3 garlic cloves chopped, 1/4 cup of fresh parsley and 1 teaspoon each of kosher salt and ground black pepper

Add 1 cup of plain breadcrumbs to a pie plate

Chop the parsley and add it to the breadcrumbs along with the garlic, parmesan, salt and pepper

Mix until well combined

Next we will need 3 eggs and 1/4 cup of milk

Whisk the eggs and milk in a bowl

I like to use a large sheet pan as a dredging station

This will help keep the kitchen clean

Coat the involtini in the egg wash

Next roll it in the breadcrumbs until entirely coated

Repeat until they are all coated

Add about 2 inches of olive oil to a pan

Heat it until a pinch of breadcrumb sizzles when added to it

Add as many involtini to the pan as will fit without overcrowding them

Cook 6-8 minutes while turning them occasionally to ensure even cooking

Remove to a rack to allow the excess oil to drip off

Sprinkle each one with some kosher salt

Repeat with any remaining involtini until they are all cooked

Allow these to rest a few minutes before serving

We sliced these and served them over tomato sauce with an Heirloom Tomato Salad on the side!

Enjoy!!!

Tools used to make this recipe

Architec Gripperwood Cutting Board

ZYLISS Quik Blend Whisk

OXO Good Grips Meat Tenderizer

Pyrex Prepware 4-Quart Rimmed Mixing Bowl, Clear

Wilton Recipe Right Non-stick Cookie Sheet Set, 2-Piece

Pyrex Bakeware Scalloped Pie Plate

Lodge Cast Iron Pan

ZELITE INFINITY Chef Knife 10 Inch

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