Braciole

When my grandfather, Giuseppe Casoria, was able to raise a pig, we were all required to help with the butchering. Not one part was wasted; even the blood was preserved. My job was to cut larger pieces of meat into smaller ones to grind for sausages and salamis. This job assigned to me as a child foreshadowed my job as a Journeyman Butcher as an adult. During the times we had the shared pork, I always asked my mom to make braciole. She would use thinly sliced steaks or even the pig skin at times. In the States, she used beef, either flank steak or any thin steak she had.

Ingredients

Serves 4-6

•4 Thinly sliced flank steaks - pounded flat 

•1 cupBreadcrumbs

•1 cupt Parmigiano -or- Pecorino Romano

•Garlic (one clove per steak)

•Italian Parsley

•Tomato Sauce

•Salt & Pepper

Directions

Mix together breadcrumbs, cheese, parsley, and chopped garlic.

Make sure your steaks are thinly sliced and pounded flat or you can have them tenderized by your butcher.

Lay each steak out flat, season each side with salt & pepper, and top with the breadcrumb mixture.

Roll your steaks and tie them with butcher string.

Brown each rolled steak in olive oil on all sides. Then, simmer them in your sauce for at least one hour. Depending on the size, they may need more time.

Remove from sauce, untie, slice into rounds, and top with sauce and Parmigiano. Enjoy!

Notes:

You can make a pasta side dish to use the rest of your sauce.