From Puglia ‘Bombette’ for Summer Grilling

The most typical filling for bombette is sliced pancetta and caciocavallo, but there are many variations. Butcher shops sell prepared bombette stuffed with diverse fillings such as sausage meat, salame, grilled eggplant, pesto, dried figs, spinach, mushrooms, roasted peppers and all kinds of cheese, ready to take home and cook.


Some cooks roll the bombette in breadcrumbs for a crusty coating before grilling, and others prefer to bake the bombette in the oven. Use your imagination and the ingredients you have on hand. Serve bombette at your next barbecue with a crisp arugula salad and a Primitivo wine from Puglia.                                                

Lay the pork slices on a flat surface. Gently pound each piece to an even thinness. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss together the parsley and gar- lic and sprinkle the mixture over the meat.      

Place a piece of pancetta on each slice and a piece of cheese on top. Roll up the pork slices, tucking in the ends to form neat rolls. Thread the rolls on skewers. Brush the rolls lightly with olive oil. Place a barbecue grill or broiler rack about 5 inches from the heat source. Preheat the grill or broiler.                       

Grill or broil until the meat is lightly browned and the cheese has melted, about 5 minutes on each side. Serve hot.

Serve 4              

1-1/4 poundS pork TenderLoin, cut inTo 16 Thin SLices

SaLT and freshly ground pepper

4 ounces caciocavallo, provolone or mild pecorino cheese, cut inTo 16 Sticks

8 Thin SLiceS pancetta or prosciutto, cut in half crosswise

2 Table Spoons chopped fresh parsley

1 garlic clove, minced

olive oiL