Sedano Ripieno-stuffed Celery

Ingredients

• 10 celery (large ribs cut into 4 inch pieces)
• ¾ cup milk
• 2 slices bread (remove crust and cut into bite sized chunks)
• 4 oz mortadella
• 4 oz veal (lean)
• 2 oz prosciutto
• 2 jumbo eggs
• ¼ cup parsley (any variety desired)
• 1 tsp garlic (minced)
• ¼ tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• ½ cup locatelli cheese
• 1 cup tomato sauce (any variety) better with homemade

Directions

1. Bring a med sized pot full of water to a boil and set the celery in it.
2. Cook only until barely tender when pierced with a knife, about 7 to 10 minutes.
3. Drain and dry well.
4. Meanwhile warm the milk in a small saucepan, add the slices of bread, and cook at a very low simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is creamy and oatmeal-like.
5. Set aside to cool.
6. Grind the mortadella, veal and prosciutto in a meat grinder or food processor outfitted with the steel blade.
7. In a med sized mixing bowl, beat together the eggs, parsley, garlic, nutmeg, salt and pepper, and ¼ cup of the cheese.
8. Stir in the ground meats and the milk mixture to make a creamy filling.
9. Preheat the oven to 400 °F. Lightly oil a 9 or 10" baking dish.
10. Spoon a thin layer of the tomato sauce over the bottom, and cover with a layer of celery.
11. Spread the filling over the celery, then the rest of the tomato sauce, and finish by sprinkling with the remaining grated Parmesan. (if you have enough for a second layer, repeat the steps but set the celery stalks at a 90-degree angle to the first layer, so they form a woven pattern. Cover with filling and sauce and finish with grated Cheese.)
12. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until the top is dappled golden brown and is brown at the edges. Serve hot or at room temperature. Ciao