This dish is cheap, quick and easy to make. And vintage. It comes straight from the 1970s.
A few ingredients and an impeccable presentation. That’s all you need for a dish that is the best of Italian cuisine.
Do you know La Cucina Italiana? I am not referring to the heritage of recipes that have made Italian cuisine famous around the world, but to the magazine that, except for a short time, has been published since 1929.
On 15 December 2019, La Cucina Italiana, “Journal of gastronomy for families and gourmets”, turned 90: congratulations.
One of my favourite magazines.
It is a magazine that I have been reading for many years.
I bought it in my twenties when I was still at university, I cooked occasionally and the idea of a food blog wasn’t even on the horizon.
I remember taking part in a competition organized by the magazine, sending a recipe written by hand on a sheet of paper. A lifetime ago.
After getting married, I discovered that my husband’s grandmother left a small collection to my mother-in-law: an exceptional cook educated, gastronomically speaking, at the Simili’s courses. Signorine Simili are two Bolognesi sisters that have educated many generations of young ladies, newly married or engaged. Once upon a time, all young ladies had to learn to cook before getting married.
Each issue contained in-depth articles and table setting tips, stories and poems, a readers’ corner with advice, rules of etiquette and many, many recipes. That is why I continue to read old and new numbers with the same pleasure.
Eggs, cheese and salami.
In search of a tasty and versatile idea, I was leafing through old issues of the magazine. Having a dozen farmer’s eggs on hand, my attention was caught by the cover dish from the April 1979 issue (the year in which Cucina Italiana celebrated its 50th anniversary!).
It’s a simple recipe that anyone can make.
As I often say, the art of cooking is made up of practice, creativity, skill, improvisation and, last but not least, some good recipes. In this case, you just need to know how to cook a boiled egg!
Cheese and salami rolls recipe.
Perfect dish to serve as an appetizer or aperitif, at cold buffets or standing lunches. Also for a merenda.
The beauty of this dish is that it works well in any season and on any table: rustic and festive.
Obviously it is a dish that has no complicated steps. There is only one thing I would like to share with you and that is the celery leaves.
I tried to make the dish without the decoration of the leaves but… something was missing! Without celery leaves it changes completely.
From elegant to anonymous, it’s a moment.
Buona cucina (italiana), Monica
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If you are on Instagram, you find me as @tortelliniandco. If you cook with me, share your job on instagram and, please!, talk about my food blog and make word-of-mouth, I live on it. I know my English is not perfect, but the recipes are all truly traditional and tested. Thank you!
Food Tips
The original version of the rolls involves slices of mortadella.
I cut the hard-boiled eggs in half but you can cut them into thin slices. You will also need fewer eggs that way.
Cheese and Salami Rolls With Boiled Eggs
serves 6-8
Ingredients
eggs, 8 (4 if you cut the eggs into slices)
Milan or Hungarian salami, 8 slices
thin slices of cheese, 8
stuffed olives, 8
celery leaves for garnish
Directions
Put the eggs in a pan, cover with cold water, bring to the boil and cook for about 7 minutes. Turn off the heat, drain and run the eggs under cold running water for a couple of minutes before peeling them.
Cut the eggs in half, or into slices like washers, and keep to one side.
Gently wash and dry the celery leaves (you’ll need a lot of them).
Roll the salami slices into a cigar shape.
Place a slice of rolled salami in the middle of a slice of cheese, making sure that when closing the cheese on the salami, the ends of the cheese slice touch, as in the picture below.
Then close with an elegant toothpick with an olive on it.
Place the rolls in the centre of a plate (preferably rectangular) and surround with celery leaves and egg slices.
Keep the rolls in the fridge until serving.
