Beef Braciola
(Braciola di Manzo)
Ingredients:
Twelve 6 by 4 inch slices boneless beef chuck, pounded to 1/16 inch thickness
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
Two (28 oz) cans whole, peeled tomatoes in juice, crushed by hand
5 tbsp. chopped parsley
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/4 cup finely grated Parmigiano cheese
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup red wine
1/2 tsp. red Chile flakes
1 bay leaf
Directions:
To make the filling, mix together 4 tbsp parsley, pine nuts, Parmigiano cheese, and garlic in a bowl.
Set aside.
Place a slice of beef on a work surface perpendicular to you.
Season with salt and pepper, and place about 1 tbsp filling on the bottom half.
Starting with the filled half, roll beef up around the filling into a tight cylinder.
Secure roll with toothpicks, and repeat with remaining beef and filling.
Heat olive oil in a 6 quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
Working in batches, add beef rolls, and cook, turning as needed, until browned on all sides, about 5-6 minutes.
Transfer to a plate and set aside.
Add onion to pot, and cook, stirring, until soft, about 5 minutes.
Add wine, and cook, stirring to scrape bottom of pot, until almost evaporated, about 5 minutes.
Stir in chile flakes, tomatoes, and bay leaf, and then return beef rolls to pot.
Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to medium-low.
Cook, covered partially and gently stirring occasionally, until meat is cooked through and tender, about 2 hours.
Remove meat rolls from sauce, remove toothpicks, and transfer to a serving platter.
Continue cooking sauce until reduced and thickened, about 20 minutes.
Pour sauce over meat rolls, and sprinkle with remaining parsley. Serves 6.