Spiedini Recipe

This recipe for beef Spiedini is packed with Southern Italian flavors – from the fragrant bay leaves to sweet red onions and the cheesy breadcrumb stuffing.

📝 Ingredients

• 2 pounds eye of round beef (rump or fillet steak (1 kilogram) See Note 1)
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (divided)
• 1 onion (finely chopped)
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 1/2 cups fine bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 2 ounces finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese (60 grams See Note 2)
• 1 teaspoon salt (See Note 3)
• 1 red onion
• bay leaves ( fresh or dried as needed)
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil (more if needed)
• 1 cup fine bread crumbs (extra)
• lemon wedges and extra fresh chopped parsley

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1I buy a whole piece of beef whether it be eye of round, rump or fillet steak. Chill the piece in the freezer until starting to freeze and then using a sharp knife, slice no thicker than ¼ inch. If you don’t feel confident, ask your butcher. Be sure to specify that the beef needs to be thin!
2. 2Use a meat mallet to pound the beef between two sheets of plastic until thin (to about ⅛ inch). Then cut into small pieces approximately 2 inches x 4 inches. Sprinkle each with a little bit of salt and freshly ground black pepper and refrigerate until ready to roll spiedini.
3. 3--- For the stuffing ---
4. 4Fry small onion in 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil until translucent for 3 or 4 minutes. Add water and cook until softened 3-4 minutes. Add tomato paste. Fry a little.
5. 5Then add breadcrumbs. Stir to combine and toast over medium heat.
6. 6Remove from the heat. Cool then add remaining olive oil, parsley, finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese and salt to taste.
7. 7--- To assemble and bake ---
8. 8Preheat the oven to 350ºF/180ºC and have ready two large baking sheets. Peel and quarter the red onion. Separate the red onion layers. Set aside until needed.
9. 9Take one of the pounded slices of beef and lay on a work surface. Place about a tablespoon of the breadcrumb mixture on a short end of the slice of beef, roll up quite tightly, folding in the sides and sealing the filling in as you roll. Repeat with the remaining beef slices and breadcrumb mixture.
10. 10Thread four rolls onto a wooden skewer. Placing a bay leaf and piece of onion between each roll.
11. 11Pour the extra olive oil on a flat plate. Do the same with the breadcrumbs on a separate plate.
12. 12Dip all the skewered spiedini in olive oil then in the breadcrumbs. Press the breadcrumbs so they stick. Tap off any excess.
13. 13Arrange on a baking sheet and drizzle any leftover oil over the spiedini. You may need to use extra if there's no oil left.
14. 14Place in a preheated oven for about 20 minutes or until golden on the surface. Turn them halfway through cooking so as to have an even browning of the breading.
15. 15Alternatively, spiedini can be shallow fried in olive oil in a large skillet until cooked through.
16. 16Serve with lemon wedges and a sprinkle of fresh chopped parsley.