Braciole Gilda-style

Braciole alla Gilda
Gilda’s braciole is a great dish to make on a cool Sunday afternoon. She used to make it during big family gatherings – it was very popular, and everyone loved it, needless to say. Fresh pasta is a great accompaniment to this dish. When the braciole are almost done cooking, bring a pot of water to a boil, add some salt and the fresh pasta, and cook for 3-5 minutes – taste for doneness. Drain the pasta, put back in the pot, add some of the sauce from the braciole and stir up. Serve the pasta with the braciole, spooning braciole sauce on top. Dried pasta such as ziti, penne, or rigatoni can be used instead of fresh macaroni, but cooking times for the dried macaroni are slightly longer.

Ingredients for 4:
1 lb Braciole (beef round)

2 T Fresh Italian parsley (can use dried – 2 t)
1 T pine nuts (pignoli) – toasted

2-3 T Grated Pecorino Romano
4 garlic toes, 3 minced and 1 whole for rubbing steaks
½ lb Fior di Latte Mozzarella (imported water buffalo mozzarella), shredded
2 crumbled hardboiled eggs
4 thin slices of prosciutto di Parma
½ c seasoned home-made Italian bread crumbs

2 – 28 oz cans of San Marzano tomatoes
¼ c tomato purée
2 bay leaves
3-4 large basil leaves, torn into small pieces
1 medium yellow onion, chopped fine
2 carrots, peeled and chopped fine
2 ribs of celery, chopped very fine
1 c dry red wine
Flour spread out on a plate for dredging

Sea salt to taste
Pepper (optional)

¼ c olive oil for frying (doesn’t need to be extra-virgin)
¼ c extra-virgin olive oil
Kitchen string for tying

Preparation:
Visit the local butcher and look for lean round steak. If he is an Italian butcher, just tell him/her that you’re making beef braciole – there may be some meat already tenderized and ready to go for that purpose. If not, look for a pound of boneless beef round and have the butcher cut it into 4 thin slices with 1/3 of an inch thickness. Then make a quick stop to your Italian deli/import store, and have deli clerk cut you 4 thin slices of prosciutto di Parma (about ¼ lb), separating each slice with deli paper to prevent them from sticking together. See if the store carries mozzarella di bufala – any reputable deli does – and get yourself about ½ lb.
Prepare each braciole (steak) piece by tenderizing it (pounding the heck out of it with a meat tenderizer hammer/ gadget). Place each slice in between two pieces of wax paper before you start to tenderize. You will then have a cutlet-like piece of meat, approximately 6 x 8 inches in dimension give or take a few, and as thin as a veal cutlet (¼ inch). The objective is for the braciole to be tender enough to cut with a fork. Drizzle some olive oil onto each steak piece; rub fresh/raw garlic over it to flavor.

Sprinkle with salt and [pepper]. Lay a slice of prosciutto on each one and sprinkle evenly with the pignoli nuts, bread crumbs, pecorino Romano cheese, egg, mozzarella, garlic and parsley. Roll up the slices, tucking in the ends, and tie with kitchen string.
Heat ¼ cup of the olive oil for frying in a large frying pan over medium heat. Dredge the braciole in flour shaking off any excess, then place in the pan. Cook until browned on all sides, about 15 minutes.
Heat the other ¼ cup of olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring until tender but not browned, about 10 minutes. Add braciole, bay leaves, and salt and [pepper]. Add red wine and cook until most of liquid evaporates, about 2 minutes. Pass the tomatoes, with their juices through a food mill or sieve into the saucepan. Fill one of the tomato cans ½ way with water and add to saucepan. Add tomato puree, turn heat to low and cook at a simmer until beef is tender 1½ - 2 hours.
Sprinkle the basil over the rolls, and cook for 2 minutes longer. Transfer to serving dishes, spoon the sauce over the top and serve at once.
Note: Braciole can be eaten cooled – it can then be sliced thinly and served as antipasto.
Buon appetito!