Roast stuffed with chestnuts and prunes

The roast stuffed with chestnuts and prunes is a rich and autumnal dish. Perfect for a family Sunday or for the holidays. Here’s how to make it:

Ingredients

• 1 kg of pork or beef roast
• 200 g of boiled and peeled chestnuts
• 100 g of pitted dried prunes
• 2 sprigs of rosemary
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 glass of robust red wine
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• Kitchen twine for tying the roast

Preparation

1. Take the chestnuts and prunes and chop them roughly. Mix in a bowl, adding a pinch of salt and pepper.

2. If the roast has not already been prepared by the butcher, open the meat with a long horizontal cut to obtain a kind of “book” that can be stuffed.

3. Evenly distribute the stuffing of chestnuts and prunes inside the opened roast, leaving a free edge at the borders.

4. Close the roast back on itself, wrap it with kitchen twine to maintain the shape and the stuffing tightly in place.

5. In a large pan, heat a drizzle of oil and brown the roast with the sprigs of rosemary and the cloves of garlic, turning the meat to brown it on all sides.

6. Once the roast is well-browned, deglaze with the glass of red wine and allow the alcohol to evaporate.

7. Lower the heat, cover the pan with a lid, and let it cook for about 1 hour and 30 minutes. If necessary, add a little water during cooking to prevent it from drying out too much.

8. Once cooked, remove the roast from the heat, take it out of the pan and let it rest for a few minutes.

9. Slice the roast, removing the kitchen twine, and serve it with the cooking juices which you can reduce to obtain a thicker and more concentrated sauce.

Curiosity

This dish is an excellent way to appreciate the flavors of autumn. Chestnuts are a typically Italian ingredient and are often used in traditional cuisine recipes, especially in mountainous regions. Pairing the sweetness of chestnuts and prunes with the robust flavor of the roasted meat creates a pleasant contrast that delights the palate.