Involtini di Pesce Spada alla Messinese
Small swordfish rolls with savoury crumbs and cheese
Messinese swordfish braciolette rolled around breadcrumbs, pecorino, capers and caciocavallo, lightly coated and grilled.
Messina, Sicily
The regional version.
Messinese grilled braciolette with caper-and-cheese crumbs, without raisins or a tomato stew.
- Very thin swordfish slices form small braciolette.
- Oiled crumbs, capers, pecorino and melting cheese fill the rolls.
- The rolls are skewered and grilled rather than stewed in tomato sauce.
Technique: small swordfish rolls with savoury crumbs and cheese
Keep the filling modest so you can close the rolls without tearing the fish. Uniform small rolls cook more evenly; the crumb coating should colour without scorching.
The recipe
Involtini di Pesce Spada alla Messinese
Ingredients
Main
Method
- 1
Ask for thin swordfish slices suitable for rolling. Remove skin and flatten gently between sheets of baking paper if uneven.
- 2
Mix crumbs, pecorino, capers and parsley. Add about 50 ml oil, enough to make moist but loose crumbs, then taste for salt.
- 3
Put a small spoonful of crumbs and a few cheese cubes onto each slice. Fold in the sides and roll tightly.
- 4
Thread the rolls onto skewers, brush with remaining oil and coat lightly with the leftover crumb mixture.
- 5
Cook on a hot grill or ridged pan for about 3–4 minutes per side, turning carefully until fish is opaque through the centre.
- 6
Let stand for 2 minutes, remove skewers carefully and serve while the caciocavallo is still soft.
The version on this page
Messinese grilled braciolette with caper-and-cheese crumbs, without raisins or a tomato stew.
- Very thin swordfish slices form small braciolette.
- Oiled crumbs, capers, pecorino and melting cheese fill the rolls.
- The rolls are skewered and grilled rather than stewed in tomato sauce.
Cooking it well
Keep the filling modest so you can close the rolls without tearing the fish. Uniform small rolls cook more evenly; the crumb coating should colour without scorching.
Serving and planning
Serve with lemon wedges if desired and a Sicilian fennel-and-orange salad.
Explore the Sicilian cooking guide for related dishes and pantry notes.
Storage
Refrigerate cooked fish promptly in a covered container and use within 2 days.
Freezing
For best texture, prepare the fish freshly. Freeze any cooked sauce separately for up to 2 months and thaw in the refrigerator.
Reheating
Reheat only the portion required until piping hot throughout. Add a little water if the sauce has thickened.
Keep cooking
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