Mama Lucias’ Italian Beef Braciole

Ingredients

  • 1 Cup Italian bread crumbs – I like Progresso
  • 2 oz Finely chopped pine nuts
  • 2 Lbs Top round – Thinly sliced by The Live Butcher. He knows how to do it best!
  • 1 Cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese
  • 1 Cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 Cups fresh parsley – Rinsed well and chopped
  • 1 Large chopped onion
  • ¼ Cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 8 Cups of homemade Marinara sauce – Recipe below

 

Marinara

  • 4 Large chopped onions
  • 10 Cloves of garlic
  • 1 Cup fresh flat leaf parsley
  • 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 6 oz Can tomato paste
  • 1 10.5 oz Can of tomato sauce
  • 1 10.5 oz Can of crushed tomatoes
  • ¾ Cup chopped fresh basil
  • 1/8 Cup chopped fresh oregano
  • 1 ½ Cups parmesan cheese
  • 2 Tbsp Herb De Provence – Or you may use your favorite Italian seasoning
  • 2 Bay leaves
  • 1 Tsp crushed red pepper flakes
  • Sea salt and pepper to taste
 

Directions

Braciole

  1. Pound out meat and then cut into about 3 ½” wide X 5-6” long
  2. In a large bowl combine garlic, Parmesan, parsley, sea salt and pepper
  3. Layer mixture over steak evenly and roll up the steak
  4. Secure the rolled steak with toothpicks
  5. Place steak into a sauté pan and cook on medium high until Braciole is brown on all sides
  6. Simmer in the Marinara sauce for a few hours. The longer it cooks, the more tender it gets

 

Marinara

  1. Preheat a large sauce pot over medium heat
  2. Add the extra virgin olive oil and when hot, add the garlic and onions
  3. Sauté just until softened
  4. Mix in the tomato paste and cook until well blended… about a minute or two
  5. Mix in all the remaining ingredients and stir over medium heat until it starts to simmer
  6. Turn the heat down to low and cook for at least 2 hours, or longer. The longer it cooks, the
    better it gets.