Recipe of the Week - Italian Beef Braciole

Growing up in an Italian American household meant lots of Italian meals. No meal was more special then Sunday “gravy,” red sauce, meatballs, spicy sausages, rolled pig skin and, on special occasions, beef braciole! Beef braciole are comprised of a very thinly pounded cut of beef, typically flank steak, stuffed then rolled with cheese, herbs and breadcrumbs. The beef is then tied with kitchen twine and lightly fried in olive oil until just brown all over, then put into the Sunday gravy to cook until dinner time. What you get is a delectable, melt in your mouth beef dish with all the flavors of Italy! Here is my recipe - primary change from my mom and Grandmother’s recipe is I roast the meat before putting it in the sauce.

Ingredients

2 - 2 1/2 pounds flank steak

salt and pepper to taste

1 /2 cup grated parmesan

1/2 cup grated provolone

1/2 cup Italian breadcrumbs (you can substitute gluten free or Panko)

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Olive Oil

Sunday “gravy” - see previous Blog post for more, or use your own sauce recipe!

Steps

1. In a bowl, mix together the garlic powder, cheeses, bread crumbs, and parsley. Drizzle with a few teaspoons of olive oil and add some salt and black pepper to taste

2. Lay the flank steak on a clean surface or cutting board and pound flat with a meat tenderizer. Work from the middle outward to get as thin as possible without tearing the meat. This process also helps tenderize the flank steak. Sprinkle both sides with the salt and pepper.

3. spread the cheese filling on the flank steaks and roll, beginning on the short end, all the way up like a jelly roll. Tie the rolls closed with butchers twine to secure the braciole.

4. Place braciole on a baking pan and rub the outside of the beef with olive oil. Cook in a 400 degree oven for about 10-15 minutes, until it begins to brown. You can also choose to use your broiler, keeping the beef about 6 inches from the elements and broil all sides evenly, until browned (if using this method, I recommend soaking your twine in water prior to tying your beef as so it does not burn). Remove the braciole from the oven and allow it to cool for about 5 minutes.

5. Add your tomato sauce/gravy to a medium sized pot and turn the heat to medium low. Once warm and starting to simmer, add the braciole (NOTE: you may need to cut the roll in half to fit in the pot). Cover and cook for about an hour.

6. Braciole can be sliced and served with your favorite pasta, warm Italian bread and a great Brunello wine!