Read Patsy's Italian Family Cookbook Online
Authors: Sal Scognamillo
Tags: #Cooking, #Regional & Ethnic, #Italian
Patsy's Italian Family Cookbook (10 page)
Beef Braciole
MAKES 6 SERVINGS
Every Sunday, countless Italian American families serve beef braciole simmered in tomato sauce, sometimes adding sausage and meatballs to the pot. Back when we were closed on Mondays, we followed that tradition, just on a different day of the week. There is a marvelous marriage of flavors between the beef rolls and tomato sauce. At the restaurant, we serve very large braciole, and usually with rigatoni. Ever since my sister Tina was a little girl, these beef rolls have been her favorite meal.
STUFFING
4 slices firm white sandwich bread, torn into bite-size pieces
1 pound ground beef sirloin
1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk, beaten together
⅓ cup seedless raisins
⅓ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (about 1½ ounces)
¼ cup pine nuts
1 large garlic clove, minced
One 1¼-pound boneless top round beef roast (see Note), trimmed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 large fresh basil leaves
½ cup all-purpose flour, for dredging
1 cup olive oil
6 cups
Tomato Sauce
¼ cup dry white wine
1 pound rigatoni
Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, for serving
1.
To make the stuffing: Soak the bread with about 1 cup cold water in a small bowl for 1 minute. Wring out the excess water, and transfer the soaked bread to a medium bowl. Add the ground sirloin, beaten egg and egg yolk, raisins, cheese, pine nuts, and garlic and mix well.
2.
Using a thin sharp knife, cut the roast into 6 equal slices. One at a time, place a beef slice between two 1-gallon plastic storage bags. Using a flat meat pounder, pound the beef into a wide 5 by 8-inch piece of meat about ⅛ inch thick. Repeat with the remaining beef slices.
3.
For each braciole, place a beef slice on the work surface, with the short side facing you. Season with salt and pepper. Place one-sixth (about ½ cup) of the stuffing near the bottom of the slice and top with a basil leaf. Starting at the bottom, roll up the beef to enclose the stuffing, tucking in the sides as you roll. Tie the beef at both ends with kitchen twine to secure the roll closed. Spread out the flour on a plate. Dredge the beef roll in the flour to coat and shake off the excess flour. Place on a baking sheet. (The rolls can be covered and refrigerated for up to 6 hours.)
4.
Heat the oil in a large deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until very hot but not smoking. Working in batches, without crowding, add the rolls and cook, turning occasionally, until browned all over, about 5 minutes. Return the rolls to the baking sheet.
5.
Carefully discard the hot oil. Add the tomato sauce and wine to the
skillet, mix well, and bring to a boil, stirring often. Arrange the rolls in the sauce and reduce the heat to low. Cover tightly and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the braciole are tender, 3 to 3½ hours, adding more water if the sauce becomes too thick. Transfer the beef to a carving board, tent with aluminum foil to keep warm, and let stand for 10 to 15 minutes while cooking the pasta. Keep the sauce warm over very low heat.
6.
Meanwhile, about 20 minutes before serving, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the rigatoni to the boiling water and cook according to the package directions until al dente. Drain the pasta and transfer to a large serving bowl. Add 3 to 4 cups of the sauce to the rigatoni and mix well.
7.
Remove the twine from the braciole. Cut each braciole in half lengthwise. Transfer to a deep serving platter and top with the remaining sauce. Serve hot, with the grated cheese passed on the side.
NOTE:
Some butchers with Italian clientele have sliced top round specifically cut for braciole, and you can use it, if you wish. We make very large braciole, so you may have to overlap two slices to get the right size. Or you can buy a large beef round roast, cut off the braciole slices from the center of the roast, and use the remaining meat in pot roast or stew.
Italian Beef Stew
MAKES 6 SERVINGS
When I was growing up, we didn’t have steak much, and my grandparents cooked with stew cuts like round and chuck. This is how I remember Patsy making it, with lots of vegetables to “beef up” the amount of meat in a rich sauce with wine and tomatoes, perfect for spooning over pasta.
½ cup olive oil
½ cup all-purpose flour
2 pounds boneless beef chuck, cut into 1½-inch pieces
4 ounces ¼-inch dice pancetta
2 medium yellow onions, chopped
4 medium celery ribs, cut into ½-inch dice
1 cup canned crushed tomatoes
½ cup dry white wine
1 cup water
1 pound baking potatoes, such as Russets, peeled and cut into ¾-inch cubes
3 medium carrots, cut into ½-inch dice
1 cup thawed frozen peas
¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1.
Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Spread out the flour on a large plate. Working in batches, coat the beef in the flour, shake off the excess flour and add to the Dutch oven. Cook, turning occasionally, until nicely browned, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
2.
Add the pancetta to the Dutch oven and stir well. Add the onions and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes.
3.
Stir in the tomatoes, wine, and 1 cup water and bring to a boil. Return the beef to the Dutch oven and cover tightly. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the meat is almost tender, about 2 hours.
4.
Add the potatoes and carrots and cook until the beef and vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes more. Add the peas and cook until they are tender, about 7 minutes (about 3 minutes for thawed frozen peas). Stir in the parsley. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve hot.
