Funghi Imbotitti

     Funghi Imbotitti translates to stuffed mushrooms.  This veal stuffed portabella mushroom appetizer is delicious!  Lemon, virgin olive oil, garlic, shallots, onion and parmesan cheese are a classic flavor combination for veal stuffed mushrooms.
     Recipe:  Pop the stems off of a few small portabella field mushrooms. 
     Reserve the stems for later in this recipe. 
     Scrape the black gills off of the inside of the mushroom caps with a spoon. 
     Heat a saute pan over medium heat.
     Add a splash of olive oil.
     Saute the cleaned mushroom caps, till they are cooked al dente. 
     Remove the mushroom caps from the pan and set them aside.
     Leave the saute pan on the heat.
     Add 1 tablespoon of finely chopped pancetta to the hot olive oil that is in the hot saute pan. 
     After the pancetta is cooked to a golden color, add 2 cloves of chopped garlic.
     Add a small spoonful of minced shallot. 
     Add 1 tablespoon of finely chopped onion.
     Fine chop the reserved mushroom stems and add them to the pan.
     Saute till the onions turn clear. 
     Add about 5 ounces of finely minced veal or ground veal.
     Saute till the veal turns "white." 
     Add a generous squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
     Add a small splash of virgin olive oil.
     Add sea salt and black pepper.
     Add 2 pinches of oregano.
     Add 2 pinches of chopped sage. 
     Add 2 pinches of chopped Italian parsley. 
     Take the pan off of the heat.
     Stir a small handful of freshly grated parmesan cheese into the veal stuffing.
     Set the mushroom caps gill side up on a baking pan that is brushed with oil. 
     Form one small "meat ball" shape with the veal stuffing for every mushroom cap. 
     Set one veal stuffing meatball on each mushroom cap. 
     Gently press the stuffing onto each mushroom cap.
     Sprinkle a small amount of fine bread crumbs over the stuffed mushrooms. 
     Bake the stuffed mushrooms in a 450 degree oven for a few minutes, till the stuffing turns a golden brown color.
     Set the stuffed mushrooms on the center of a plate. 
     Place thin slices of lemon halves around the stuffed mushrooms on the border of the plate. 
     Mix a splash of virgin olive oil, fresh squeezed lemon juice and chopped Italian parsley together in a small bowl.
     Spoon the lemon, parsley and olive oil mixture over the stuffed mushrooms and onto the plate.
     Simple and delicious!  This is a very light veal stuffed mushroom appetizer that has a classic Italian lemon flavor!  The rich flavored portabella mushrooms are great for stuffing.  Yummy!  Ciao Baby!  ... Shawna