Recipe Background
Braciole combines tender steak, savory cheese, and herbs, easy to prepare and richly rewarding in taste and aroma.
Braciole is one of those Italian wonders that delivers both comfort and a bit of flair. When it greets you at the dinner table, the aroma of the rich tomato sauce intertwined with the savory steak fills the air. Flank steak, pounded thin, cradles a mixture of cheese, herbs, and breadcrumbs, a combination that evokes warmth and tradition. The first bite offers a blend of tender beef with melty provolone and parmesan, each component playing its part like a well-rehearsed symphony. As the flavors roll across your palate, you can taste the subtle hint of garlic and the earthiness of Italian parsley adding layers of interest to every mouthful.
Preparing braciole might seem daunting at first, but it’s surprisingly approachable. Pounding the steak is a stress relief exercise disguised as cooking, while the mixture of cheeses and breadcrumbs comes together effortlessly, whispering promises of deliciousness to come. Wrapping it up is like tucking a cozy blanket around a flavorful surprise, and as it bakes, it rewards patience with a tantalizing transformation—though no buzzwords, just sincere culinary delight. And when all is done, it’s a dish meant to be shared, spooned over with sumptuous tomato sauce, inviting stories and laughter around the table.
Ingredients
- 1-1 1/4 pounds flank steak
- salt to taste
- pepper to taste
- 1/3 cup parmesan grated
- 1/3 cup provolone grated
- 1/3 cup Italian breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons Italian parsley finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic pressed or finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup white wine
- 3 cups tomato sauce
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
- Use a meat mallet to pound the steak until it is as thin as possible, about 1 minute.
- Sprinkle both sides of the pounded steak with the salt and the pepper.
- In a bowl, mix the parmesan, the provolone, the breadcrumbs, the parsley, and the garlic together.
- Evenly spread the cheese mixture on top of the steak.
- Roll up the steak and tie it closed with 3-4 pieces of butcher's twine; tying the twine tightly so that the filling won't fall out as it cooks.
- In a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, melt the butter.
- Add the tied-up steak to the butter and cook, turning every 2 minutes, until it is browned on all sides, about 8 minutes.
- Add the white wine to the steak mixture and bring to a bubble.
- Pour the tomato sauce over the steak mixture.
- Cover the Dutch oven with a lid and transfer it to the oven.
- Roast the steak, basting every 30 minutes by spooning the tomato sauce over the top of the steaks, until the steak has reached an internal temperature of at least 130 degrees F, about 1 hour and 30 minutes.
- Transfer the Dutch oven from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes.
- Slice the steak while discarding the butcher's twine.
- Serve immediately after slicing and spoon with some of the tomato sauce on top.
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