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1
Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven, and heat to 425.
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2
Using a food processor, mince the sage, rosemary, garlic, 1/4 cup of the olive oil, and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt into a fine-textured pestata.
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3
Put the potato slices in a large bowl; sprinkle on top 1 teaspoon salt, 2 tablespoons olive oil, and 1 tablespoon of the pestata.
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4
Toss well to coat the slices with the seasonings.
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5
With a sharp knife, slice the beef across the grain into 3/4-inch-thick slicesif using a top-blade roast, slice it crosswise.
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6
As you did with the potatoes, put the meat slices in a bowl and toss them with seasonings until well coated, using 1 teaspoon salt, 2 tablespoons olive oil, and 2 tablespoons of the pestata.
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7
Brush the roasting pan with the remaining olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter.
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8
Arrange half of the potato slices in a single layer on the pan bottom, spread half the cabbage shreds evenly over the potatoes, and season with 1 teaspoon salt.
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9
Distribute all the beef slices, in a single layer, over the cabbage.
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10
(The pan should be about half full: press down on the beef if it looks like you need more room for the rest of the vegetables.)
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11
Dot the top of the beef with small mounds of butter, using another 3 tablespoons in all.
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12
Lay the remaining potato slices on top of the beef slices, spread the rest of the cabbage evenly over the slices, and season with the remaining teaspoon of salt.
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13
Stir all of the remaining pestata into the white wine, and pour the wine all over the cabbage shreds.
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14
Finally, dot the top with the rest of the butter.
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15
Tent the baking dish with a sheet of aluminum foil, arching it above the food and pressing it against the sides of the pan.
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16
Set the dish in the oven, and bake about 2 1/2 hours, until the meat and vegetables are all very tender and almost all of the liquid has been absorbed.
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17
Remove the foil, and sprinkle the shredded fontina over the top of the potatoes and cabbage (which will have sunk down in the pan).
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18
Bake another 15 to 20 minutes, until the fontina has melted, bubbled, and browned into a crusty topping.
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19
Let the casserole rest for 10 minutes.
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20
Set the roasting pan on a trivet at the table, and serve family-style, spooned onto dinner plates.
