Well today was a day of teaching my oldest daugter the old traditions and ways I was tought to cook by my Italian grandmothers and aunts. I taught her to make Braciole, which is a stuffed meat roll braised in a tomatoe based sauce.
Now the recipe is not really complicated, but is time consuming and really a 2-3 man job. I madke this on a rare occassion due to the time it takes. I usually make it alone, but with my daughters help we had it prepared and in the oven in 1 1/2 hrs, where it spends anothe 2-3 hours braising in the oven to make a very tender meat. I have enclosed pictures, and will provide my recipe. If you would like help with any of the steps feeel free to email me. I promise if you are feeling adventerous, this recipe is well worth it.
Braciole
1-2 lbs of round roast,(I have the buthcher slice it into 1/2"slices)
1 loaf day old It. bread cut or gound into a med course consistancy
1/2 c chopped fine fresh parsley
2-3cloves of chopped garlic
1/2 c ex. virgin olive oil
3/4 c grated Parm-Reggiano cheese
course salt & Pepper
-Pound out sliced meat into 1/8" thick slice(large enough to cut into 2 pieces, continue until all pieces are pounded
-Grind bread, add parsley, olive oil, cheese stir well
Brush meat with olive oil, season with salt & pepper, cover with bread mix and pat flat.
Roll into rolls and secure with toothpicks or butchers twine. Brown in olive oil, place in a large pan that is oven safe.
Sauce
-3- 28-35 oz Cans Quality Crushed Tomatoes
- 4 tbsp Tomato paste
-1 Med- Large sweet onion chopped
-2-3 cloves garlic chopped
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1/2-3/4 c Olive oil
-1 cup Red Wine
1/4- 1/2 cup white sugar
In sauce pan saute onions, and garlic 1 minute, add Crushed Tomatoes, Tom. paste, Parsley, wine, sugar. Simmer for about 30 min.
Add to pan with meat rolls, cover with sauce, cook at 350 for 2- 3 hours depending on size of pan. I usually make 20-40 rolls and let it cook a min of 2 hours.
Now I know this sounds like it is complicated, but I promise it is more time consuming. But the end results are worth every minute of it. Serve with Pasta of choice. You can also add or eliminate ingredients to taste.
It took my daughter an 1 and half hours from start to finish. We had fun, and I shared memories of cooking large pans of thos for our family's restaurant. There would be 5-6 of us preparing hundreds of these little rolls for our menu. They are very fond memories of a time of great tradition in my life. A way of life I miss and feels has been buried with my elders. The smells drew everyone into the kitchen last night as we cooked. The way it would when I was little. Funny how a smell can bring you bck to a time happiest in your ife, a time you felt like all wa sirght in the world and things would be that way forever. I miss those days. Growing up in an old fashioned Italian family, a family owned & runned restaurant, with all the ways of the old country, but with the new country mixed in. Memories I will cherish a life time. I did the best with the pics, I also forgot to get one when they came from the oven, but no one gave me a chance, the devoured them.
God Bless,
Kimmie<3
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| Place slice between plastic wrap |
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| Pound out thin without tearing meat. I like to use my wooden rolling p |
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| Meat pounded, cut into 2 pieces and being seasoned with O. Oil, S&P |
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| Browning pieces in olive oil |
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| With Breading prior to rolling |
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| Sauce simmering |
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| securing with toothpicks |
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| Grinding bread, also used for garic and parsley |
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| All the pieces in oven raedy roaster |
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| Covered in sauce and ready for the oven |
