Roast with Speck and Herbs

I will be happy to guide you in preparing a delicious roast with speck and herbs. This dish combines the succulence of roast meat with the smoky flavor of speck and the freshness of herbs. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients

• 1 piece of roast meat (beef, pork, or veal according to your preference), about 1 kg
• 200 g of thinly sliced speck
• 300 g of mixed herbs (such as spinach, chard, parsley)
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 100 ml of white wine
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Kitchen twine

Preparation

1. Prepare the meat: tie the piece of meat with kitchen twine to maintain its shape during cooking.
2. Clean and wash the herbs. Drain them and chop roughly.
3. In a pan, lightly sauté the garlic in extra virgin olive oil. Add the chopped herbs and let them wilt for a few minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then set aside to cool.
4. Trim any excess fat from the meat and lay out the slices of speck on a work surface so that they slightly overlap, forming a sort of ‘carpet’.
5. Evenly distribute the cooled herb mixture on the speck.
6. Place the meat on the speck and herbs, then gently roll it up, making sure the speck wraps around the meat. Use additional kitchen twine if necessary, to keep the roll tight.
7. In a large roasting pot, heat a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and brown the meat wrapped in speck on all sides until golden.
8. Deglaze with the white wine and allow the alcohol to evaporate.
9. Transfer the roast to a preheated oven at 180 °C for about 1 hour and 30 minutes, or until the desired doneness is reached, basting occasionally with the cooking juices.
10. Once cooked, let the meat rest for a few minutes before cutting, then remove the twine and slice the roast.

Sprinkle the roast slices with the cooking juices before serving. This rich and flavorful dish pairs well with a side of roasted potatoes or a simple salad.

Curiosity

Using speck to wrap the roast not only adds flavor but also helps to keep the meat juicy during cooking. Speck is a smoked cured ham typical of the cuisine of Northern Italy, especially from Trentino-Alto Adige, and adds a distinctive note to this delicious preparation.