Henry Hill was a born wiseguy, and his love of food got him through both the good and bad times. Even cooking on the run in the Federal Witness Protection Program-where prosciutto was impossible to find and gravy was something you put on mashed potatoes-he managed to keep good Italian food on the table. He still brings this flair for improvisation to his cooking. No recipe is set in stone. And substitutions are listed just in case. Now, in his inimitable style
As you'd think from the name, this is a steak cooked with a pizza type sauce. Which also means you can add different vegetables you would put on a pizza and top it with cheese, or you can have it bareback, just the steak and tomato sauce. Either way, it's satisfying the way a pizza and a steak both are.
3 tablespoons olive oil (not extra virgin)
One 3-pound steak (T-bone, porterhouse, rib-eye), about 1 inch thick
1/2 cup dry red wine
4 cloves of garlic, minced (1 tablespoon)
One 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes and their juice
1 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
1 teaspoon each salt and black pepper (to taste)
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan or Romano cheese (optional)
Optional vegetables:
1/2 medium red or green pepper, seeded and diced
1/2 medium brown or white onion, peeled, trimmed, and sliced
4 ounces white mushrooms, trimmed and sliced
1/4 cup sliced black olives (American or brined)
3 ounces canned or jarred artichoke hearts (not marinated)
Heat oil over medium-high heat in a skillet large enough to hold steak. Season steak lightly with salt and black pepper on both sides. Brown steak on one side about 3 minutes, flip, and brown an additional 3 minutes on second side. Remove steak to a plate.
Lower heat to medium. If adding peppers or onions, add to part and cook 3-4 minutes, stirring. Add the wine to the skillet and scrap up any bits from the bottom of the pan. Add garlic, tomatoes and juice, oregano, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until mixture starts to thicken. If using mushrooms or black olives, add after 10 minutes. Return steak to pan. Add artichoke hearts if using. Cook until steak is heated and cooked to your taste (rare, medium rare, etc.) Adjust seasoning of tomato sauce.
Remove steak to a carving board and cut in serving pieces. If topping with cheese, in the last 2 minutes of cooking, sprinkle cheese over steak and cover pan. Heat until cheese melts, and then move to carving board to cut.
Serve topped with tomato sauce and additional sauce on the side, toss 1 cup of the sauce with 1 pound cooked and drained pasta of your choice-capellini recommended.
About Oregano My mother never used fresh oregano, only dried. She thought the fresh was bitter. It was many years before I used fresh, and I was surprised how much I liked it. It's a very strong herb, so when you use fresh you don't need a lot (a lot of it will taste bitter). I use it in main course dishes that are baked, many fish and seafood dishes, and on pizza. Unlike basil or parsley, you can easily substitute dried oregano for fresh.
