Beef Braciole

This post has been a long time coming!!! I saw Mario Batali make Beef Braciole with Matt Lauer on the Today Show a few weeks ago. I jotted a few notes and put it on my calendar, but never got around to purchasing all the ingredients. Well, today was the day! Brian and I house-hunted for the majority of the day...checking out old, charming homes all around Denver. We didn't find anything that fit what we are looking for, but we did have an amazing dinner to look forward to. I'll start by saying that I am not Braciole expert. I am not Italian, nor do I have a family recipe. What I do have are some noted from the Today Show, and a few creative ideas up my sleeve. This is a great meal to make for company, but I suggest making it for your fam first, as the timing might be tricky. You could also make this meal ahead of time, and bake in oven before company arrives.

Again, Thanks so much for reading my blog. It means so much to me that you take time out of your day and visit!! Mucho love!! Miss all you Cali peeps. And Oregonians too!

I made this recipe for 2, plus lunch leftovers for B.

Ingredients:

Flank Steak, pounded to 1/4 inch thick and cut into 4-6 parts(You can ask a butcher to do this, or pound the heck out of the flank steak with a rolling pin)

about 1/2 c bread crumbs (store bought is okay)

2 large dashes of nutmeg

2 tablespoons milk

1 c chopped parsley

1 c chopped baby arugula

1 c Romano, grated

Kosher Salt

Pepper

Olive Oil

Flour for Dredging

1.5 c ish Italian Green Olives

1/2 c red pepper, sauteed and cut into strips

1.5 c dry red wine( I used almost 2:)

2-3 c Homemade Marinara or Tomato Sauce

Combine bread crumbs, cheese, nutmeg, parsley, and arugula in bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. In a stockpot(using a stockpot ensures less cleanup, less spatter, and contained cooking) over high heat, warm the olive oil and red pepper strips. If your butcher hasn't cut and tenderized your flank steak, pound it out and cut into 4-6 wide strips.

Lay out your steak scallops on a sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Lay flat and top with bread crumb mixture. Roll each and secure with toothpick or twine. Dredge in flour, salt and pepper. Place into smoking hot stockpot, letting them brown on all sides. 2 minutes per side. Pour red wine in pot. Pour Marinara/Sauce in pot, add olives. Bring to a boil and then simmer until meat is cooked through. Serve with crusty bread. Garnish with a sprinkle of Romano and chopped parsley.

*** Make sure you don't overcook the meat. What makes beef braciole so delicious, is thin slices on beef cooked just to perfection.