My family celebrated Christmas in a traditional Italian fashion with a variety of pastas and fish dishes when I was growing up. Eric’s family always made something special for the holiday, with a lot of variety from year to year. This dish is a bit of a mash-up of both our customs from our childhoods.

Braciole is a type of meat roulade or rolled meat. Italian immigrants brought the concept of stuffed, rolled meat with them to America in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The ripieno (Italian for stuffing) typically consists of breadcrumbs, herbs, cheese, and garlic. While there are many variations on the stuffing, we tend to prefer the robust and comforting balance of flavors in the basic combination best.

Once the beef is rolled and secured, the meat is browned on all sides to seal in the flavor. The roll is subsequently simmered in a rich tomato-based sauce. The result is succulent and tender meat and a savory and hearty dish for holiday celebrations.

Braciole (adapted from Giada De Laurentiis via foodnetwork.com) Total Time Required: 2 hours 10 minutes, Prep Time: 25 minutes, Cook Time: 1 hour 45 minutes, Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

Braciole:

• 1/2 cup dried Italian bread crumbs
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2/3 cup grated Pecorino Romano
• 1/3 cup grated provolone
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1-1/2 pound flank steak
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 3-1/4 cups Simple Tomato Sauce

Simple Tomato Sauce:

• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 64 ounces crushed tomatoes
• 4 to 6 basil leaves
• 2 dried bay leaves
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, optional

Directions:

Make the tomato sauce first. In a large pot, heat the 1/2 cup of oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté them until they are soft and translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the celery and carrot and season with salt and pepper. Sauté until all the vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes.

Add the tomatoes, basil, and bay leaves and reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot and simmer the sauce for 1 hour or until it has thickened. Remove the bay leaves and taste for seasoning. If sauce tastes too acidic, add unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, to round out the flavor.

Using a wand blender or food processor, blend the sauce until it is smooth, processing it in batches if need be. Set aside 3-1/4 cups of the sauce for the braciole. The remainder of the sauce can be used for another purpose or frozen for up to 6 months after completely cooled.

In a medium bowl, combine the bread crumbs, garlic, Romano and provolone cheeses, and the parsley leaves. Stir in 2 tablespoons of the oil. Season the mixture with salt and pepper and set it aside.

Between two pieces of plastic wrap, pound the flank steak to obtain 1/2″ to 3/4″ thickness. Remove the plastic wrap and lay the flank steak flat on the work surface.

Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture over the steak to cover the top evenly.

Starting at a short end, roll up the steak, jelly roll style, to enclose the filling completely. Using butcher’s twine, tie the steak roll closed in 3 – 4 places to secure. Season the braciole with salt and pepper.

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy, large ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Add the braciole and cook until it is browned on all sides, about 8 minutes.

Add the wine to the pot and bring it to a boil.

Stir in 3-1/4 cups of the tomato sauce.

Cover the pot with a lid or foil and bake until the meat is almost tender, turning the braciole and basting it with the sauce every 30 minutes. After 1 hour, uncover the pot and continue baking until the meat is tender, about 30 minutes longer. The total cooking time should be about 1-1/2 hours.

Remove the braciole from the sauce. Using a large sharp knife, cut the braciole crosswise and diagonally into 1/2-inch-thick slices.

Transfer the slices to a serving platter. Spoon the sauce over the meat and serve.

Christmas dinner is always something to look forward to!  ~Linda

Braciole (adapted from Giada De Laurentiis via foodnetwork.com) Total Time Required: 2 hours 10 minutes, Prep Time: 25 minutes, Cook Time: 1 hour 45 minutes, Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

Braciole:

• 1/2 cup dried Italian bread crumbs
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2/3 cup grated Pecorino Romano
• 1/3 cup grated provolone
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1-1/2 pound flank steak
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 3-1/4 cups Simple Tomato Sauce

Simple Tomato Sauce:

• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 64 ounces crushed tomatoes
• 4 to 6 basil leaves
• 2 dried bay leaves
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, optional

Directions:

Make the tomato sauce first. In a large pot, heat the 1/2 cup of oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté them until they are soft and translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the celery and carrot and season with salt and pepper. Sauté until all the vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, basil, and bay leaves and reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot and simmer the sauce for 1 hour or until it has thickened. Remove the bay leaves and taste for seasoning. If sauce tastes too acidic, add unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, to round out the flavor.

Using a wand blender or food processor, blend the sauce until it is smooth, processing it in batches if need be. Set aside 3-1/4 cups of the sauce for the braciole. The remainder of the sauce can be used for another purpose or frozen for up to 6 months after completely cooled.

In a medium bowl, combine the bread crumbs, garlic, Romano and provolone cheeses, and the parsley leaves. Stir in 2 tablespoons of the oil. Season the mixture with salt and pepper and set it aside.

Between two pieces of plastic wrap, pound the flank steak to obtain 1/2″ to 3/4″ thickness. Remove the plastic wrap and lay the flank steak flat on the work surface. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture over the steak to cover the top evenly. Starting at a short end, roll up the steak, jelly roll style, to enclose the filling completely. Using butcher’s twine, tie the steak roll closed in 3 – 4 places to secure. Season the braciole with salt and pepper.

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy, large ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Add the braciole and cook until it is browned on all sides, about 8 minutes. Add the wine to the pot and bring it to a boil. Stir in 3-1/4 cups of the tomato sauce. Cover the pot with a lid or foil and bake until the meat is almost tender, turning the braciole and basting it with the sauce every 30 minutes. After 1 hour, uncover the pot and continue baking until the meat is tender, about 30 minutes longer. The total cooking time should be about 1-1/2 hours.

Remove the braciole from the sauce. Using a large sharp knife, cut the braciole crosswise and diagonally into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Transfer the slices to a serving platter. Spoon the sauce over the meat and serve.