Funghi Imbotitti

     Italian 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 Italian flavor combination for veal stuffed mushrooms.
    
     Funghi Imbotitti Recipe:
     This recipe makes 1 appetizer portion!  
     Portabella are a species of common Italian field mushrooms that grow worldwide in temperate climates.  Portabella are not a variety of common white button cave mushrooms.  Small portabella were once marketed as crimini mushrooms in America, but that was just an illegal marketing scheme to charge more money for the same mushroom.  Now the word crimini is no longer used to describe small size portabella mushrooms.  
     Pop the stems off of 4 small portabella field mushrooms.  (Each portabella should be about 2" wide.)
     Reserve the stems for later in this recipe.
     Carefully scrape the black gills off of the inside of the mushroom caps with a spoon.
     Heat a saute pan over medium heat.
     Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
     Saute the mushroom caps, till they just barely start to become tender.  (al dente)
     Remove the mushroom caps from the pan and set them aside.
     Heat a saute pan over medium/medium low heat.
     Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
     Add 1 tablespoon of finely chopped pancetta.
     After the pancetta is cooked to a golden color, add 2 cloves of chopped garlic.
     Add 1 teaspoon of minced shallot.
     Add 1 tablespoon of finely chopped onion.
     Finely chop the reserved mushroom stems and add them to the pan.
     Saute till the onions turn clear in color.
     Place the saute ingredients into a mixing bowl
     Add about 5 ounces of finely minced veal or ground veal.
     Add 1/2 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice.
     Add 1/2 tablespoon 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.
     Add 3 tablespoons of freshly grated parmesan cheese.
     Set the mushroom caps gill side up on a baking pan that is brushed with vegetable 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 plain fine Italian bread crumbs over the stuffed mushrooms.
     Bake the stuffed mushrooms in a 350 degree oven, till the stuffing turns a golden brown color.
    
     Presentation:
     Place the stuffed mushrooms on the center of a plate.
     Place thin slices of lemon halves around the stuffed mushrooms.
     Place 1 1/2 tablespoons of virgin olive oil in a small mixing bowl.
     Add 1/2 tablespoon of fresh squeezed lemon juice.
     Add 3 pinches of chopped Italian parsley.
     Stir the ingredients together.
     Spoon the lemon, parsley and olio d'oliva 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!  Small portabella mushrooms are great for stuffing.  Yummy!  Ciao Baby!  ...  Shawna