Entree - Braciole - from Marjorie

Traditional Stuffing for Braciole

Total ingredients to serve four:

• 3 large eggs
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 2 Tbls. finely chopped fresh parsley
• 1/2 cup, more or less, seasoned bread crumbs
• Salt and pepper to taste

Step one: Combine ingredients

Place the eggs in a small bowl and beat lightly. Add minced garlic, grated parmesan cheese, and chopped fresh parsley. Mix well.

Step two: Finish the stuffing

Slowly drizzle in the seasoned bread crumbs while mixing constantly. Use only enough bread crumbs to bring the mixture to a soft, spreadable paste. Add salt and pepper to taste. Be careful with the salt because of the amount of parmesan cheese that is already in the stuffing.

Beef Braciole

Total ingredients to serve four:

• 1 lb piece of beef flank steak or slices of thin cut round steak
• 1 batch of traditional stuffing mix
• 1 Tbls. olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Step one: Prepare the beef

Place the meat between 2 pieces of waxed paper or plastic wrap and pound with a meat mallet until it is 1/8 inch thick and roughly rectangular in shape.

Step two: Stuff the braciole

Lightly brush the meat with olive oil. Season it lightly with salt and pepper. Spread the batch of traditional stuffing mix evenly over the surface of the meat. Leave 1/2 inch around the perimeter open. Tightly roll up the braciole longways. Tie both ends with a small piece of coarse kitchen string. Make several more ties every 3 inches over the length of the braciole.

Step three: Cook the braciole 

Lightly brown the braciole in the sauce pot when you start the red sauce, or brown lightly in a sauté pan and then add to red sauce. Stew for the 3 hours it takes to complete the sauce. When done, gently remove the cooked braciole and place on a cutting board. Remove the kitchen strings and slice on the diagonal. Serve with pasta.

Pork Braciole

Total ingredients to serve four:

• 8 pieces of boneless pork loin or pork chops, 2 to 3 ounces each
• 1 batch of traditional stuffing mix
• 1 Tbls. olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup red sauce
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1/4 cup red wine
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary

Step one: Prepare the pork loin

Place each piece of the meat between 2 pieces of waxed paper or plastic wrap, and pound with a meat mallet until it is 1/8 inch thick and rectangular in shape.

Step two: Stuff the pork braciole

Lightly brush the meat with olive oil. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Divide the batch of traditional stuffing mix into 8 portions. Spread each piece of pounded pork with a portion of the stuffing mix. Leave about 1/4 inch space around the perimeter of each piece. Tie both ends of each piece with a small piece of kitchen string. Make one additional tie in the center of each piece.

Step three: Cook the braciole

Lightly brown each piece in a sauté pan in a little olive oil. Place the browned pieces in a casserole dish. Place the red sauce, chicken stock, red wine and rosemary in a small bowl and mix well. Pour the braising liquid over the braciole in the casserole dish. Cover tightly with aluminum foil, place in preheated 225 degree oven, and braise slowly for two hours. When done, remove from braising liquid and remove the kitchen string from each piece. Serve 1 or 2 pieces, whole or cut in half, with a little of the braising liquid drizzled over the meat. Accompany with pasta.