A special and remarkably tasty recipe discovered during our travels in Veneto: beef filled with radicchio, Parmigiano Reggiano and slices of porchetta, cooked on a hot grill. Serve it with grilled vegetables, a simple salad or roast potatoes for a memorable meal.
This Tramezzino di Carne is a unique take on a Veneto classic. Tramezzini are typically small white bread sandwiches with fillings, popular throughout the region. In this version, ground beef is seasoned and flattened to make a parcel that is layered with wilted radicchio, thin Parmigiano slices and porchetta, then grilled until charred and the cheese melts. The combination of bitter greens, nutty cheese and savoury porchetta makes for an outstanding flavour profile.
Below are ingredient notes, helpful tips and the full recipe written clearly so you can recreate this Venetian favourite at home.
Ingredient notes
- Radicchio – fresh radicchio can be hard to find outside specialist shops. Similar bitter chicories, red or white, work well as substitutes. Mild bitter greens can also be used; if you choose those, sauté until just wilted and squeeze out excess moisture so the filling stays compact.
- Porchetta – thin slices of porchetta are used like ham. If porchetta isn’t available, use a high-quality Italian-style ham, either plain or herb-flavoured.
- Parmigiano Reggiano – part of the cheese is finely grated into the meat mixture for seasoning, and the rest is sliced to form a melty filling.
- Breadcrumbs – use plain fine breadcrumbs to help bind the meat. Unseasoned breadcrumbs are best so you can control the seasoning yourself.
A quick note on tramezzini
Traditional tramezzini sandwiches are often triangular, but for this beef preparation rectangles work best. Cutting the chilled beef into rectangles gives you two sealed edges to hold the filling in. Triangles are trickier to seal and are more likely to lose filling during cooking.
What to serve it with
Serve slices of the grilled stuffed beef alongside roast potatoes, grilled zucchini or mixed grilled vegetables. A simple salad of arugula with lemon and olive oil or a crisp green salad balances the richness of the meat and cheese.
More Italian beef recipes to try
Antipasti
Classic Beef Carpaccio
Mains
Italian Beef Ragu – A Classic Recipe
Mains
Italian Beef Braciole (Braciole al Sugo Pugliesi)
Italian Ragu and Stews
Italian Beef Stew with Potatoes (Spezzatino di Manzo)
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Step by step photos are shown above.
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Tramezzino di Carne (Stuffed Beef with Radicchio, Cheese and Porchetta)
By Emily
Equipment
- Baking parchment
- Rolling pin
- Griddle pan or barbecue
Ingredients
- 1 lb (450 g) ground beef
- 60 g Parmigiano Reggiano (10 g finely grated for the mix, 50 g sliced for the filling)
- 3 tablespoons fine breadcrumbs, unseasoned
- 1 large egg
- 12 oz (350 g) radicchio or chicory (see notes)
- 3.5 oz (100 g) porchetta, thinly sliced
- Salt and pepper
- Olive oil
Instructions
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Trim the radicchio: cut each head in half, remove the thick white core (you can save it for a salad or discard), and roughly chop the leaves into medium pieces. Rinse well.
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Pat the chopped radicchio dry. Heat about 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the radicchio and cook until it just wilts. Transfer to a sieve or colander and press gently to remove excess water. Allow to cool completely.
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In a bowl combine the ground beef, egg, 3 tablespoons of fine breadcrumbs, 10 g (about 1/4 cup) finely grated Parmigiano and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly until evenly combined; using your clean hand works best to get everything evenly distributed.
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Place a sheet of baking parchment on your work surface. Shape the meat mixture into a ball and put it in the centre of the paper. Cover with a second sheet of parchment and press to flatten, then use a rolling pin to roll the meat into an even rectangle roughly 11 x 15 inches (about 28 x 38 cm), about 1/4 inch (0.5 cm) thick.
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Remove the top sheet of parchment. On one half of the meat rectangle layer half the porchetta slices, then half the cooled radicchio, then slices of Parmigiano. Add the remaining radicchio over the cheese and finish with the remaining porchetta so the fillings form a neat stack.
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Fold the empty side of the meat over the filling like closing a book, using the parchment to help. Press firmly along the edges to seal, trimming any uneven edges with a knife. Rewrap the parcel in parchment and then plastic wrap to keep it tight. Chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour to firm up before slicing.
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Remove the chilled parcel from the fridge, unwrap and cut into four even pieces. Each piece will have two sealed edges and two open edges; this shape keeps the filling contained while cooking.
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Preheat a heavy griddle pan over high heat or prepare a hot barbecue. Brush the parcels lightly with olive oil and cook for about 3 minutes per side until well charred and the cheese inside has melted. Serve immediately with your choice of sides and a fresh salad.
Notes
- Radicchio and chicory alternative – bitter greens such as escarole or other chicories can be substituted. Make sure they are cooked until just wilted and well drained before using so the filling doesn’t become soggy.
- Prep in advance – the assembled meat parcel can be prepared and stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. You may also freeze the raw parcel for up to 3 months; fully defrost in the refrigerator before cooking.
- Reheating – to reheat cooked parcels, warm them on a tray in a preheated oven at 180°C (350°F) for about 10 minutes or until heated through.
Helpful Info for All Recipes
- Extra virgin olive oil is used unless otherwise noted.
- Vegetable sizes referenced are medium unless stated otherwise.
- Recipes are tested using a fan (convection) oven unless noted.
- Nutrition information provided is an approximation and intended as a guideline.
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 9 g |
Protein: 34 g |
Fat: 32 g |
Saturated Fat: 13 g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation only.
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