Southern Italian Braciole with prosciutto and pine nuts simmered in robust tomato sauce.

5 braciola smothered in tomato sauce on a plate with parsley in the background.

5 from 2 votes

Southern Italian Braciole with prosciutto and pine nuts simmered in robust tomato sauce.

This classic Italian celebration dish is made with either top round or flank steak and filled with prosciutto, pine nuts, cheese, garlic and parsley. The recipe includes a robust tomato sauce that is also served over a side dish of rigatoni.

Prep Time30

Cook Time2

Course: dinner

Cuisine: Italian

Meat & Poultry: beef

Servings:

Calories: 593kcal

Author: Dorothy Stainbrook

Equipment

Dutch oven or large sturdy pot
sharp knife
kitchen twine
another large pot
bowls

Ingredients

3 pounds top round or flank
10-15 cloves garlic chopped/minced
3 bunches Italian parsley chopped
¼ cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese about 2 1/4 ounces - can use more
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese about 2 1/4 ounces - can use more
½ cup pine nuts can use more if desired
4 ounces prosciutto (8 thin slices) for one large flank steak or 8 small top round steak slices
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion
½ cup red wine
56 ounces canned San Marzano tomatoes good quality Italian tomatoes (San Marzano)
48 ounces Italian passata (tomato puree) 2 bottles
12 ounces tomato paste (2 small 6 ounce cans)
3 inches parmesan cheese rind optional
16 ounces rigatoni good quality

Instructions

FOR THE FILLED BRACIOLE:
Lay the thin slices of steak on the counter. Very thin top round probably won't need to be pounded, but if you are using a larger flank steak, pound away to tenderize! Season the meat with a little salt and pepper to encourage the juices to come to the surface.
3 pounds top round or flank
Prepare the filling by chopping/mincing the garlic, chopping the parsley, and grating the cheese.
Lay the steaks out flat and sprinkle the filling evenly over the steaks. Start with the prosciutto. Then add garlic, pine nuts, grated cheeses and finally the parsley. One slice of prosciutto for small thin top round slices, and several slices of prosciutto for a large flank steak log.
10-15 cloves garlic, 3 bunches Italian parsley, 1/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese, 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, 1/2 cup pine nuts, 4 ounces prosciutto
Now roll the steaks into a roulade (like a jelly roll) starting at the skinniest end, making sure the filling is gently pushed inside the meat as it is rolled.
Tie the roulade together fairly tightly with twine, making sure the ends are secured also. This step is the same for both a large single flank steak log, or several small thin top round mini logs.
In a Dutch oven or large pot, heat 2-3 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat and add the chopped onion. Cook for a couple of minutes to soften (not caramelize).
Once the onion is ready, add the beef roulades, raise the flame and sear on all sides until evenly browned. Add wine to deglaze. Let wine reduce by half.
3 tablespoons olive oil, 1 medium onion, 1/2 cup red wine
FOR THE TOMATO SAUCE:
In a large bowl crush the San Marzano tomatoes with your hands. Add the hand crushed tomatoes to the pot with the braciole. Quickly add the cans of puree and tomato paste, gently stirring to meld all the tomato sauces together.
Be gentle as you don't want to pull apart the tied braciole while stirring. Add the parmesan rind if using.
56 ounces canned San Marzano tomatoes, 48 ounces Italian passata (tomato puree), 12 ounces tomato paste
Bring to brief boil, then lower the heat and very slowly simmer the meat in the sauce for 2 - 3 hours. It needs to cook gently, barely bubbling. Stir gently occasionally to make sure sauce is not burning on the bottom of the pot.
If you think a bit of the sauce might have burned at the bottom of the pot, DO NOT SCRAPE it please! You don't want any burned flavor getting stirred into the sauce.
3 inches parmesan cheese rind
About 20 minutes before the meat is done, cook the rigatoni in a pot of boiling salted water until al dente (still a little firm). Drain and place in a serving bowl
16 ounces rigatoni
Remove the meat roulades from the pot (slice into rounds if using a large flank steak, removing the twine before slicing). You can also remove the twine from the top round steak mini logs before serving if you like.
Serve the braciole on a bed of the tomato sauce and pour the remaining sauce over the rigatoni.
Celebrate with family and/or friends!! And don't forget a great Italian red wine!

Notes

**Note: Nutritional analyses does not include rigatoni, for those that want a low carb dinner. The braciole itself is pretty low carb, so have a toss green salad with a vinaigrette dressing on the side and you're good to go!

Nutrition