Salted tronchetto with seafood

Here’s a recipe that captures that concept:

🐚 Salted Tronchetto with Seafood (Seafood Roulade)

Serves: 4–6

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Chill Time: 1 hour

Ingredients

For the sponge base:

4 eggs, separated
½ cup (65 g) all-purpose flour
½ cup (50 g) cornstarch
½ tsp salt
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp milk

For the filling:

1 cup (200 g) cooked shrimp, chopped
½ cup (150 g) cooked crab or lobster meat, chopped
½ cup (120 g) ricotta cheese
2–3 tbsp mayonnaise or light cream
1 tsp lemon zest
1 tsp Dijon mustard (optional)
1–2 tbsp chives, finely chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste

For garnish:

Fresh dill or parsley
Lemon wedges
Optional: caviar or fish roe

Instructions

1. Prepare the sponge base

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 10×15-inch jelly roll pan with parchment.
Whisk egg yolks with olive oil and milk until smooth.
In a separate bowl, beat egg whites with salt until stiff peaks form.
Gently fold flour and cornstarch into the yolks, then fold in egg whites carefully to keep it airy.
Spread evenly on the prepared pan. Bake 10–12 minutes, until lightly golden and springy.
Remove from oven, turn onto a clean kitchen towel dusted with powdered sugar or flour, and carefully roll sponge with towel inside. Let cool.

2. Prepare the seafood filling

In a bowl, combine shrimp, crab, ricotta, mayonnaise, lemon zest, mustard, and chives.
Season lightly with salt and pepper. The mixture should be creamy but not too runny.

3. Assemble the tronchetto

Unroll the cooled sponge.
Spread the seafood filling evenly, leaving a small border on the edges.
Carefully roll the sponge again, this time without the towel, forming a log.
Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour to set.

4. Serve

Unwrap the tronchetto and place on a serving platter.
Garnish with fresh herbs, lemon slices, and optionally caviar.
Slice gently with a serrated knife and serve chilled or at room temperature.

💡 Tips

Alternative fillings: Smoked salmon with cream cheese, or a mix of cooked scallops and crab with light herb mayonnaise.
Make it ahead: This roulade can be made the day before — flavors meld beautifully overnight.
Presentation: Slice thin rounds for an elegant appetizer or thicker slices for a main dish.

If you want, I can also give you a more Italian fine-dining version with lobster mousse and truffle accents, which is stunning on a festive table. Do you want that version