Choose comparable heads with broad, sound hearts. Keep the base intact and spread the filling between the ribs so it cooks evenly.
Make ahead Prepare the sauce and blanched celery earlier the same day, cool them and refrigerate separately. Keep the raw-meat filling cold until assembling; cook the stuffed heads without leaving them on the counter.
Stuffed sedano nero di Trevi
Prep 50 min · Cook 1 hr 30 min · Rest 20 min · Yield 2 stuffed heads (Each head serves 2, halved.) · Difficulty Hard
Method
Trim off the leaves and tough outer ribs, shortening the celery heads to about 18 cm while keeping each base joined. Weigh about 800 g usable celery in total. Open the ribs gently under running water and wash out any soil, especially near the base. Allow about 10 minutes. Start heating the blanching water.Trim off the leaves and tough outer ribs, shortening the celery heads to about 7 in while keeping each base joined. Weigh about 1¾ lb usable celery in total. Open the ribs gently under running water and wash out any soil, especially near the base. Allow about 10 minutes. Start heating the blanching water.
Chop the onion and carrot, about 5 minutes. Soften them in 30 ml olive oil for 5 minutes, add the passata, 100 ml water, 4 g salt and 0.3 g pepper, then simmer for 15 minutes. Spoon the sauce into the baking dish, first greased with 5 ml oil.Chop the onion and carrot, about 5 minutes. Soften them in 2 tbsp olive oil for 5 minutes, add the passata, ½ cup water, 4 g salt and 0.3 g pepper, then simmer for 15 minutes. Spoon the sauce into the baking dish, first greased with 1 tsp oil.
Add the 20 g blanching salt to the 3 liters of boiling water. Lower in the celery and simmer for about 10 minutes, until the ribs bend but remain attached. Lift out and drain upside down for about 15 minutes. Pat the heads thoroughly dry before filling and frying.Add the ¾ oz blanching salt to the 12⅔ cups of boiling water. Lower in the celery and simmer for about 10 minutes, until the ribs bend but remain attached. Lift out and drain upside down for about 15 minutes. Pat the heads thoroughly dry before filling and frying.
Mix the veal, sausage, 50 g beaten egg, breadcrumbs, 30 g filling cheese, 2 g salt and 0.2 g pepper, allowing about 10 minutes. Share the mixture between the heads, pressing small portions between the ribs from the base upward. Draw the ribs together and tie each head securely with kitchen string. Allow about 15 minutes for filling and tying.Mix the veal, sausage, 1¾ oz beaten egg, breadcrumbs, 1 oz filling cheese, 2 g salt and 0.2 g pepper, allowing about 10 minutes. Share the mixture between the heads, pressing small portions between the ribs from the base upward. Draw the ribs together and tie each head securely with kitchen string. Allow about 15 minutes for filling and tying.
Heat the frying oil to about 170°C in the high-sided pan; leave generous headroom and never fill above one-third. Dust the dry heads lightly with the flour, shake off excess and coat with the remaining 100 g beaten egg, about 10 minutes of preparation. Fry one head at a time, turning carefully with tongs, until golden on all sides, about 7–8 minutes per head. Drain on kitchen paper. Keep the string in place for baking.Heat the frying oil to about 350°F in the high-sided pan; leave generous headroom and never fill above one-third. Dust the dry heads lightly with the flour, shake off excess and coat with the remaining 3½ oz beaten egg, about 10 minutes of preparation. Fry one head at a time, turning carefully with tongs, until golden on all sides, about 7–8 minutes per head. Drain on kitchen paper. Keep the string in place for baking.
Heat the conventional oven to 180°C. Put the heads into the tomato sauce and spoon a little sauce over them. Scatter with the final 30 g cheese and bake for about 45 minutes, usually 40–50 minutes depending on thickness. Probe the meat filling at the center of each head: it must reach 75°C for 30 seconds. Continue baking if needed, shielding the top loosely if already browned. Rest for 5 minutes, remove every piece of string and halve each head lengthwise, serving one half per portion.Heat the conventional oven to 350°F. Put the heads into the tomato sauce and spoon a little sauce over them. Scatter with the final 1 oz cheese and bake for about 45 minutes, usually 40–50 minutes depending on thickness. Probe the meat filling at the center of each head: it must reach 167°F for 30 seconds. Continue baking if needed, shielding the top loosely if already browned. Rest for 5 minutes, remove every piece of string and halve each head lengthwise, serving one half per portion.
