Authentic Braciole Recipes

BRACIOLE

Steps:

• Stir the first 5 ingredients in a medium bowl to blend. Stir in 2 tablespoons of the oil. Season mixture with salt and pepper and set aside.
• Lay the flank steak flat on the work surface. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture evenly over the steak to cover the top evenly. Starting at 1 short end, roll up the steak as for a jelly roll to enclose the filling completely. Using butcher's twine, tie the steak roll to secure. Sprinkle the braciole with salt and pepper.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in a heavy large ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Add the braciole and cook until browned on all sides, about 8 minutes. Add the wine to the pan and bring to a boil. Stir in the marinara sauce. Cover partially with foil and bake until the meat is almost tender, turning the braciole and basting with the sauce every 30 minutes. After 1 hour, uncover and continue baking until the meat is tender, about 30 minutes longer. The total cooking time should be about 1 1/2 hours.
• Remove the braciole from the sauce. Using a large sharp knife, cut the braciole crosswise and diagonally into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Transfer the slices to plates. Spoon the sauce over and serve.
• In a large casserole pot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until soft and translucent, about 2 minutes. Add celery and carrot and season with salt and pepper. Saute until all the vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, basil, and bay leaves and reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot and simmer for 1 hour or until thick. Remove bay leaves and taste for seasoning. If sauce tastes too acidic, add unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, to round out the flavor.
• Pour half the tomato sauce into the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth. Continue with remaining tomato sauce.
• If not using all the sauce, allow it to cool completely and then pour 1 to 2 cup portions into plastic freezer bags. Freeze for up to 6 months.

ITALIAN BEEF BRACIOLE

Steps:

• For the Filling: Combine all ingredients in a small bowl.
• Pound the beef slices until they're about ¼ inch thick. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Lay a slice of Parma ham on each slice of beef, followed by ½ slice of Provolone and then place 2 tablespoons of the filling in the center. Slightly fold in the sides of the beef, lengthwise, fold one of the ends in, then starting with the other end roll up the slices of beef, pressing firmly so that's it's good and tight. Secure either with toothpicks or wrap the rolls "gift package" style with some thread. (Remember to remove them before serving!)
• Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the beef rolls, seam side down to seal the rolls. Generously brown the beef on all sides. Transfer the rolls to a plate and set aside.
• Add the onions and garlic to the Dutch oven and saute until they're soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the red wine and bring to a boil, cooking until most of the wine is evaporated, about 3-4 minutes, deglazing the bottom of the pan.
• Add the crushed tomatoes, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and simmer for 2 minutes. Return the beef rolls and add just enough water to the pot until the beef rolls are submerged and covered. Return to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 3 hours or until fork tender.
• Add the parsley and basil and simmer for another 2 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.
• To serve traditional-style, boil some pasta and serve with the sauce either as a first course, followed by the beef rolls and a leafy green salad.

MY MAMA'S BRACIOLE

Steps:

• Season meat with salt and pepper. Top each slice of meat with a slice of prosciutto. In a medium bowl, moisten bread crumbs with milk. Add grated cheese, onion, parsley, arugula, salt and pepper to the crumbs and combine well. Spread a thin layer of stuffing down the center of each beef slice and roll tightly. Fasten rolled meat with plain toothpicks.
• Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add oil to a hot pan along with garlic. Set meat into pan and brown on all sides, 6 minutes. Remove the meat from the pan. Add butter to the pan. Add mushrooms to the melted butter. Saute mushrooms 5 minutes. Add flour to the pan and cook 2 minutes. Whisk wine into the flour and mushrooms and scrape up pan drippings. Reduce wine 1 minute, then whisk in beef broth and tomato paste. Set meat back into sauce and reduce heat to medium low. Partially cover pan with a cover left ajar an inch. Simmer meat in sauce 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer beef rolls to a platter, removing toothpicks. Pour pan gravy down over the beef rolls and serve.

BRACIOLE

Steps:

• Flatten steak to 1/2-in. thickness. Rub with 1 tablespoon oil. Combine the bread crumbs, parsley, cheese, garlic, oregano, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Spoon over beef to within 1 in. of edges; press down. Roll up jelly-roll style, starting with a long side; tie with kitchen string. , In a Dutch oven, brown meat in remaining oil on all sides. Add onion and cook until tender. Stir in the tomato sauce, water, Italian seasoning, sugar and remaining salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 70-80 minutes or until meat is tender. , Remove meat from sauce and discard string. Cut into thin slices; serve with sauce and If desired, spaghetti and additional grated Parmesan cheese and minced fresh parsley.

AUTHENTIC BRACIOLE RECIPE

Steps:

• Make your butcher (or do it yourself, if you have the meat mallet) beat the meat to flatten the slices.
• Sprinkle them with a pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper.
• Peel and finely chop the garlic clove, 1 tablespoon of parsley, the raisins, and pine nuts.
• Divide the result between the meat slices and spread it evenly on one side, leaving borders clean.
• Dice the caciocavallo cheese in small pieces and place them in the center of each slice.
• Roll up the slices and fix them with a few toothpicks (seal all sides as best as you can to not let the filling come out).
• Peel and finely chop the onion, the carrot, and the celery stalk.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a medium pan, add the meat rolls and pan-fry them a few seconds on every side, making sure you are sealing the entire surface.
• Remove the meat and set it aside.
• If necessary, add a tablespoon of olive oil. Add the onion, carrot and celery stalk trite, and cook, medium heat, for about 5 minutes.
• Return the meat rolls to the pan, cook them a few minutes, and add the tomato passata and the tomato paste.
• Add a pinch of salt and pepper. Mix and taste for salt.
• Cover, lower heat to the minimum (the lowest heat available on your stovetop), and cook braciole two hours (check and add water if needed).
• Serve braciole hot with a few tablespoons of the sauce and sprinkled with the remaining, chopped, parsley.
• Cook pasta according to package directions and season it with the remaining tomato sauce.