Braciole

This is a wonderfully tender (when done right) rolled steak cooked in and served with your favorite Gravy (aka Red Sauce).  It's a bit labor-intensive, but certainly worth the work! This is a take on my grandmother's recipe...ironically a side dish that as a kid, I never liked.

Start by making the filling:
1 portugese roll
2 large cloves garlic
1/2 cup packed flat leaf parsley leaves, washed
1/4 cup finely shredded parmesan reggiano (optional but delicious)

Preheat oven to 375.  Rip up the roll into bite-sized pieces and pulse in the food processor until you have coarse crumbs.  Remove and spread out on small baking tray.  Drizzle about 2-3 tablespoons olive oil over crumbs, toss, and bake for 5-8 minutes or until just browned.

While crumbs are baking, pulse parsley and garlic in food processor until both are finely chopped.  Sprinkle over toasted breadcrumbs.  Grate cheese on top as well, mixing all ingredients together on warm pan.  Let rest. (This whole process can be skipped and substituted with Italian Breadcrumbs from the can, but it's SO much tastier and healthier to do it this way!)

1 pound thin cube steaks

Spread steaks on plastic or glass cutting board and top with wax paper or a large ziplock bag.  Pound each steak to 1/8" thick using a rolling pin or flat side of a meat tenderizer (if you're fancy and have one of those.)  Me, I beat the hell out of them with the bottom of a heavy pot.

Cut steaks into equal sizes, about 3"x3".  Cut 6" lengths of string (2 per slice) now when your hands are clean.  Spoon 1-2 teaspoons of breadcrumb mixture over each slice of meat, patting down.  Tightly roll up each piece, starting with the pointy end first.

 

Tie 2 pieces of string, one at either end, to secure the roll.  I had about 1/2 cup of extra breadcrumbs that I stored in a tupperware in the fridge.

About 2 hours before you're ready to eat, brown the rolls in olive oil in a frying pan on med-high on the top of the stove.  Add them to the gravy. 

1/2 cup white wine

Add white wine to the pan and scrape all of the yummy brown bits from the bottom of the pan.  Add this to gravy as well.  Simmer on low for about 2 hours.

Serve in gravy with macaroni, and crusty garlic bread.