I have such fond memories of our family dinners when I was a child. My mother would make a variety of Italian dishes and the most delicious were the recipes where there were surprise ingredients, like cheese and prosciutto, stuffed or rolled up in the middle. These grilled beef involtini reminds me of those delicious dishes my mother used to make.
Involtini is an Italian word for “rolls”. There are many variations such as beef, zucchini, eggplant or chicken stuffed with some sort of cheese and other tasty fillings. I love making these with beef and I’m filling them with pesto, prosciutto and provolone cheese. I’m using provolone because I love the taste and it melts perfectly. You can also use standard bamboo skewers if you don’t have long metal ones (just be sure to soak them in water to prevent burning). Don’t worry if the rolls don’t look perfect after they’re rolled up – the skewers will help hold them together so they won’t unravel when you’re grilling. Using two parallel skewers prevents the rolls from spinning around when you turn them on the grill.
This dish is hearty and delicious so a simple green salad is all you need to complete the meal. I hope your family enjoys this recipe as much as mine does! Any leftovers make great next-day lunches as well!
Grilled Beef Involtini with Pesto Prosciutto and Provolone
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: Serves 8 1x
Ingredients
Pesto Sauce
¼ cup (60 mL) chopped fresh basil
1 tsp (5 mL) grated lemon zest
¼ tsp (1 mL) salt
⅓ cup (75 mL) extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp (30 mL) balsamic vinegar
Involtini
8 Beef Grilling Steak Cutlets/Fast-fry/Sandwich Steak, approx. ¼ inch (5 mm) thick, about 2 lb (1 kg) (e.g. Strip Loin, Top Sirloin, Rib Eye)
Salt and fresh ground pepper
8 tsp (40 mL) basil pesto, divided
8 slices prosciutto
8 slices provolone cheese
4 long metal skewers or soaked bamboo skewers
Olive oil
Instructions
- Pesto Sauce: Stir together basil, lemon zest, salt, olive oil and vinegar in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Involtini: Place beef cutlets in a single layer on a cutting board. Season both sides with salt and pepper to your taste. Spread 1 tsp (5 mL) of the basil pesto over each cutlet with a spoon. Set any remaining pesto aside. Layer 1 slice of prosciutto and 1 slice of provolone cheese on top. Starting at one narrower end, roll up each cutlet tightly, jelly roll-style. Set aside with the seam side down.
- Holding 2 skewers parallel to each other and about 3 inches (7.5 cm) apart, thread 1 roll onto skewers, crosswise and inserting the skewers near the edge of the seam portion to secure the rolls. Push the involtini to the bottom the skewers. Thread 3 more involtini crosswise onto the skewers, spacing them slightly apart like rungs on a ladder. Repeat with the remaining 4 involtini and 2 skewers. Drizzle and brush the rolls lightly with olive oil.
- Grill in closed preheated barbecue over medium-high 400°F (200°C), turning twice or more, for about 10 minutes or until grill marked. Reduce heat to low (250°F/120°C) and cook with the lid closed, turning once, until a digital instant-read thermometer inserted sideways into each involtini reads 145°F (63°C) for medium-rare doneness, about 10 minutes.Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes.
- Remove involtini from skewers and arrange on a platter; drizzle with reserved Pesto Sauce.
Notes
If steaks are thicker, you can pound them with the flat side of a meat mallet or back of a skillet to make them a thinner/cutlet steak.
