Known locally as braciole or involtini alla Lucana, this pasta with pork involtini in tomato sauce is a rich Sunday dish from Basilicata. Thin pork loin or shoulder slices are stuffed with pancetta, pecorino cheese, garlic, and parsley, rolled into parcels, browned, and slow cooked in a rich tomato sauce. The resulting slow-simmered meat sauce dresses local pasta like orecchiette or cavatelli or strozzapreti.
Where is Basilicata?
Basilicata is a mountainous region in Southern Italy, located in the instep of the Italian boot between Puglia, Calabria and Campania. It has two short coastlines, one along the Tyrrhenian Sea to the west and the other on the Ionian Sea to the south. Originally occupied by the Romans, Basilicata was then named Lucania.
What does ‘alla Lucana’ mean?
The name Lucania dates back to the ancient Lucani people and Roman times, long before the territory was officially named Basilicata during the Byzantine era. While the region is now called Basilicata, the culinary use of lucana (or cucina lucana) was kept in honor of ancient local traditions, hence the use of ‘alla Lucana’ to describe recipes like this pasta with pork involtini alla Lucana.
Italian Sunday lunch pasta traditions.
Traditionally, Italians serve pasta as a first course or primo before the main course. This is particularly true on Sundays, holidays and other special occasions. However, many traditional Italian Sunday pasta recipes are actually one recipe divided into two courses.
This means that instead of having a rich and filling pasta sauce filled with different cuts of meat, many Italians use the sauce on pasta and then serve the meat separately as a main course. This pork involtini alla Lucana is often eaten that way too. However, you can also serve it with the pork involtini sliced (as I did) or whole alongside the pasta.
For more traditional Sunday pasta ideas do check out my collection of 21 Italian Sunday lunch pasta recipes
Ingredients in this pasta with pork involtini (braciole)
The pasta: I used ready-made fresh strozzapreti for this recipe. This is an elongated, hand-rolled pasta shape typical of Central Italy and parts of Southern Italy. It was the pasta called for in the Italian recipe I followed.
However, other recipes for this dish have orecchiette or cavatelli instead. Any of these Southern pasta shapes are perfect. But, you can also use a normal short pasta like penne or ziti.
The meat: In Basilicata, this recipe is made with pork, either pork loin or boneless shoulder. I used the latter as I think it has more flavor. However, braciole made from pork shoulder take longer to cook. If you don’t eat pork, you can make this recipe with veal or beef.
For the savory filling: The involtini are filled with pancetta, pecorino, fresh parsley, garlic and a pinch of nutmeg. Some recipes call for cinnamon instead of nutmeg or alternatively, lemon zest. You can also use bacon or prosciutto slices instead of pancetta and Parmigiano Reggiano instead of pecorino.
The tomato passata: Traditionally this pasta with pork involtini involves cooking the meat in a tomato sauce made with passata (tomato puree). I used a passata rustica, meaning passata that’s not smooth. Of course, you can use a smooth passata instead.
The wine: This recipe calls for the addition of red wine to the involtini whilst they are cooking. I used a local Valpolicella classico from the area I live in. You can also use a dry white wine.
Step by step instructions.
Prep: Peel and chop the garlic finely and wash and chop the parsley.
1) With a meat hammer or rolling pin, pound the pork slices gently so they stay tender but have an even thickness that’s thick enough to hold their shape.
2) Lay a slice of pancetta over the middle of each of the thin slices of meat. Sprinkle a little chopped garlic, chopped parsley, and grated pecorino over the pancetta. Then, season with freshly ground black pepper and a pinch of grated nutmeg (or cinnamon powder)
3) Roll the meat tightly into pork rolls and secure them with wooden toothpicks or kitchen string.
4) Brown the rolls in a deep skillet or Dutch oven with olive oil over a medium-high heat until golden brown each side.
5) Pour in the red wine and allow the alcohol to evaporate over a medium heat.
6) Pour in the tomato passata and simmer partly covered on a low heat for 45 minutes to 1 hour. If you have any remaining garlic, you can add it to the sauce. Taste test for doneness.
6) Remove the pork involtini from the sauce. Once cooled remove the string and if required cut into slices.
7) Cook the pasta in boiling salted water according to the package instructions. Save a cup of pasta cooking water. Drain the pasta and add it to the tomato sauce.
8) Mix the sauce and pasta together and plate the pork involtini sliced or whole with the pasta and tomato sauce. Sprinkle with fresh parsley before serving.
Chef’s tip: This pork involtini alla Lucana can be enjoyed without pasta. Serve the involtini with creamy polenta or a potato purée for an equally delicious family meal!
What to do with leftovers.
If you have leftover pork involtini in tomato sauce you can keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can also freeze them for up to 3 months. Pasta mixed with tomato sauce and sliced involtini can also be kept in the fridge. However, I don’t recommend freezing the pasta mixed with tomato sauce.
To reheat, you can bake or use the microwave or gently simmer in a skillet with a bit of butter or a little olive oil.
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Let me know what you think.
Although this pasta with pork involtini alla Lucana requires a number of steps and about an hour to an hour and a half of cooking, it’s not a difficult dish to make. The involtini filling is simple and the sauce is only tomato passata. However, it makes a great family Sunday lunch meal, whether you serve it as two courses or one.
If you make this sunday lunch pasta recipe, I’d love to hear how it turns out and if you liked it. Please leave a comment here on the blog or on The Pasta Project Facebook page.
Looking forward to hearing from you!
Buon Appetito!
Pasta with pork involtini in tomato sauce alla Lucana.
Known locally as braciole or involtini alla Lucana, this pasta with pork involtini is a rich Sunday dish from Basilicata. Thin pork loin slices are stuffed with pancetta, pecorino cheese, garlic, and parsley, rolled into parcels, browned, and slow cooked in a rich tomato sauce. The resulting slow-simmered meat sauce dresses local pasta like orecchiette or cavatelli or strozzapreti.
Ingredients
- 1.3 pounds pork loin or boneless shoulder cut into 4 slices
- 1.45 pints tomato passata about 3 cups.
- 4 slices pancetta or bacon
- 3.5 ounces Pecorino cheese grated
- 2-3 cloves garlic peeled and finely chopped
- 1 handful fresh parsley chopped
- 0.5 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg or cinnamon powder.
- 2.5 fluid ounces red wine or white
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil.
- salt for pasta and to taste
- freshly ground black pepper.
- 14 ounces orecchiette or strozzapretti or cavatelli
Instructions
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Prep: Peel and chop the garlic finely and wash and chop the parsley.
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With a meat hammer or rolling pin, pound the pork slices gently so they stay tender but have an even thickness that’s thick enough to hold their shape.
-
Lay a slice of pancetta over the middle of each of the thin slices of meat. Sprinkle a little chopped garlic, chopped parsley, and grated pecorino over the pancetta. Season with freshly ground black pepper and a pinch of nutmeg (or cinnamon powder)
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Roll the meat slices tightly into pork involtini and secure them with wooden toothpicks or kitchen string.
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Brown the rolls in a deep skillet or Dutch oven with olive oil over a medium-high heat until golden brown on each side. Pour in the red wine and allow the alcohol to evaporate over a medium heat.
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Pour in the tomato passata and simmer on low heat for 45 minutes to 1 hour. If you have any remaining garlic you can add it to the sauce.
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Remove the pork involtini from the sauce and when cooled slightly, remove the string and if required cut into slices.
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Cook the pasta in boiling salted water according to the package instructions. Save a cup of pasta cooking water. Drain the pasta and add it to the tomato sauce. if the sauce seems dry or too thick, add a little pasta water.
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Mix the sauce and pasta together. Plate the pork involtini sliced or whole with the pasta and tomato sauce. Sprinkle with chopped parsley before serving.
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Notes
Cook’s Tip: Pork loin cooks faster than boneless shoulder. If using loin, you may not need to cook the involtini for a full hour. Check for doneness after 40 minutes.
You can use veal or beef instead if you don’t eat pork. Then leave out the pancetta or use turkey, beef or lamb bacon.
NB Nutritional values are calculated for 4 portions but this recipe can easily serve 6.
Nutrition
Calories: 895kcalCarbohydrates: 92gProtein: 59gFat: 31gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 0.02gCholesterol: 128mgSodium: 518mgPotassium: 1611mgFiber: 7gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 1068IUVitamin C: 20mgCalcium: 330mgIron: 6mg
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