Farsumagru

A classic rolled steak from Sicily

‘False lean’ is the direct translation of Farsumagru. A classic roll steak from Sicily filled with minced meat and eggs to resemble a roast.

Most farsumagru recipes prescribe round steak or brisket for the beef, but after some experiments I’ve come to the conclusion that flank or flap steak works better. It is easy to cut open like a butterfly to obtain a thin, square slice of meat. It becomes tender after cooking less than 1 hour. There are no sinews that make the meat fall apart. And it has lots of flavor, making farsumagru as pleasing main dish to the palate and to the eyes.

Ingredients

600 g flank steak
100 g prosciutto cured ham
200 g minced beef
1 egg
3 tbsp grated pecorino
1 tbsp bread crumbs
1 clove of garlic
Salt and pepper
Fresh thyme and rosemary
2 boiled eggs
Olive oil
2 tbsp thick tomato paste
500 ml red wine
3 bay leaves

Preparation

Butterfly the steak and pound it to a large slice of meat
Mix minced beef with fresh egg, bread crumbs, crushed garlic, grated cheese, thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper.
Place slices of cured ham on top of the flank steak
Spread the minced beef mixture evenly on the pounded meat and place the peeled, boiled eggs lengthwise in the middle.
Roll the meat tightly and tie with string, tooth picks or metal meat skewers
Heat up the olive oil in a large saucepan and brown the meat all over:
Remove the meat from the saucepan and add tomato paste instead.
When the tomato paste starts to stick add wine, bay leaves and more fresh thyme and rosemary.
Return the meat to the pan and leave it to simmer over low heat for about an hour.
Serve slices of this classic rolled steak from Sicily with the tomato sauce.