Beef Roll (Rocambole) Stuffed with Ham & Mozzarella

Ingredients

• 700 g ground beef (about 1.5 lb)
• 150 g sliced ham (about 5 oz, ~8 slices)
• 200 g sliced mozzarella (about 7 oz)
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 large egg
• 3 tablespoons breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) milk
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 tablespoons tomato sauce (for brushing)
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 200 °C (400 °F). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly grease with olive oil.
2. In a skillet, heat the butter with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and sauté the chopped onion and garlic until translucent; set aside to cool.
3. In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, egg, breadcrumbs, milk, parsley, salt, pepper and the cooled sautéed onion and garlic; knead until well blended.
4. On a large piece of plastic wrap, spread the meat mixture into a rectangle about 1.5–2 cm (1/2–3/4 in) thick, pressing firmly with wet hands.
5. Arrange the ham slices over the meat, leaving a small border; top evenly with the mozzarella slices.
6. Using the plastic wrap to help, roll the meat into a log (rocambole), pressing gently to seal the edges; transfer to the baking sheet with the seam side down.
7. Brush the roll with the tomato sauce and bake for 35–45 minutes, until browned and cooked through; if you like, brown the top an extra 5 minutes.
8. Remove from the oven and let rest 8–10 minutes before slicing. Serve warm with salad, rice, or mashed potatoes.

Tips

• To make slicing easier, let the roll rest a few minutes after baking so the cheese sets and doesn’t run as much.
• If the meat mixture is too wet, add 1 more tablespoon of breadcrumbs to firm it up.
• You can assemble the rolled meat on plastic wrap and freeze it raw; thaw in the refrigerator before baking.

Variations

• Add sautéed, well-drained spinach to the filling before layering the ham for a more vegetable-forward version.
• Replace the ham with crispy bacon slices for a smokier flavor.
• Add a layer of creamed cheese (requeijão-style) in the center with the mozzarella for an extra-creamy filling.

FAQ