Braciole
Ingredients
1.5 - 2lbs Flank Steak
Salt & pepper
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3/4 cup grated provolone cheese
3/4 cup Italian breadcrumbs
4 tablespoons finely chopped Italian parsley
8 cloves of garlic, minced
Thin sliced Prosciutto, optional
1 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
Kitchen twine
Sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 large onion, white or red
1.5 cups beef broth
1 box Pomi tomatoes
1 cup jarred marinara sauce
4 bay leaves
Kosher salt & pepper
Dash crushed red pepper flake, optional
4 tablespoons basil, plus extra for garnish
Heat oven to 325°F
Start by pounding the flank steak(s) to make it thinner. Make sure to pound it out for a minute to get it as thin as possible without ruining the integrity of the meat. Dust both sides with salt and pepper.
Place the thinly sliced Prosciutto on top of the meat, if using, this is just an added extra and you do not have to add Prosciutto, although it pairs beautifully. In a bowl mix Parmesan, provolone, breadcrumbs, parsley & garlic together. Top the meat/Prosciutto with the mixture, gently press mixture down into the meat.
Next roll up the steak as tightly as you can, tie it closed with 3-4 pieces of twine. Tie it as tightly as you can so that the filling does not fall out as it cooks.
Melt two tablespoons of butter and olive oil over medium-high heat in a large dutch oven pot, and sear the rolled up steak on all sides for two minutes each side. There is no need to cook the meat fully, you are just giving it a nice sear. When ready remove from pot and set aside. (I was on a phone call and was not able to get all the seer pictures from all angles, sorry about that.)
In the same pot, with everything from the meat still in there, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to pan. Add in the onions and the garlic and cook for about 2 minutes. Add the beef broth and release any brown bits from the bottom of the pot.
Add in the tomatoes, jarred marinara, crushed red pepper flakes, bay leaves and fresh basil. Cook for a few minutes, 3-5, taste sauce and add salt and pepper to your taste.
Add the flank steak, seam side up, back to the pot, along with any reserved juices to the pan. Cover the meat with a few spoons of the tomato mixture. Cover the pot with a lid and place in the oven.
It will cook for about 45 minutes - 1 hour. Every 15-20 minutes spoon a little sauce mixture on top of the meat, to ensure that the meat stays moist and tender.
Remove the pan from the oven and let the Braciole rest. When rested slice the meat and cut the twine as you go. Ladle sauce on top of the meat. Serve with pasta or rice of your choice.
