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Sliced Italian-style Beef Wellington with prosciutto and porcini duxelles on a festive table

Italian-Style Beef Wellington

Our Beef Wellington gets an Italian twist, with a porcini and prosciutto duxelles wrapped around tender fillet for a festive centre piece that's distinctly our own.
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Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings: 6
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Festive, Italian-Influenced
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Beef:
  • 1 kg beef fillet trimmed and tied
  • 3 tbsp Wilson’s Extra Virgin Olive Oil divided
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
For the Mushroom Duxelles:
  • 30 g dried porcini mushrooms soaked in 200 ml hot water
  • 400 g brown mushrooms finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
  • 1 small onion finely chopped
  • 100 g prosciutto finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp Wilson’s Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
  • 60 ml dry white wine
  • 30 g finely grated Parmesan
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
For the Pastry Wrap:
  • 8–10 slices prosciutto thinly sliced
  • 500 g all-butter puff pastry rolled out
  • 2 large egg yolks beaten with 1 tbsp water
  • Extra flour for dusting

Method
 

  1. Pat the beef fillet dry and season generously with salt and pepper.
  2. Heat 2 tablespoons of Wilson’s Extra Virgin Olive Oil in a heavy pan over high heat. Sear the fillet on all sides until deeply browned, about 6–8 minutes total. Remove and set aside to cool. Brush all over with the Dijon mustard once cooled.
  3. Drain the soaked porcini, reserving the liquid, and chop finely. In the same pan, heat the remaining olive oil and cook the onion and garlic over medium heat until soft, about 4 minutes.
  4. Add the fresh mushrooms, porcini, and prosciutto to the pan. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring often, until the mixture is dry and deeply golden, about 12–15 minutes.
  5. Pour in the white wine and 2 tablespoons of the reserved porcini liquid. Cook until fully evaporated. Stir through the thyme and Parmesan, season to taste, and leave the duxelles to cool completely.
  6. Lay a large sheet of cling film on the counter. Arrange the prosciutto slices in an overlapping layer, large enough to wrap the fillet. Spread the cooled duxelles evenly over the prosciutto.
  7. Place the seared fillet in the centre and use the cling film to roll the prosciutto and duxelles tightly around it, twisting the ends to seal. Chill for at least 20 minutes to firm up.
  8. Roll out the puff pastry on a lightly floured surface. Unwrap the beef and place it in the centre of the pastry. Brush the pastry edges with egg wash, then fold and wrap fully around the beef, trimming excess and sealing the seams.
  9. Turn the parcel seam-side down onto a lined baking tray. Brush all over with egg wash and score a light pattern across the top with a sharp knife. Chill for 15 minutes.
  10. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Brush the pastry with a second coat of egg wash and bake for 35–40 minutes, until the pastry is deep golden and a meat thermometer inserted into the centre reads 50–52°C for medium-rare.
  11. Rest the Wellington for 10–15 minutes before carving into thick slices with a serrated knife.

Notes

  • Make-ahead: The wrapped, unbaked Wellington can be assembled up to a day ahead and kept chilled, tightly wrapped, until ready to bake.
  • Storage: Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
  • Freezing: Freeze the assembled, unbaked Wellington for up to 1 month. Thaw fully in the fridge overnight before baking.
  • Resting and carving: Always rest before carving — this keeps the juices in the meat rather than on the board. Use a sharp serrated knife and a gentle sawing motion to keep the pastry from crushing.