Recipe: Braciole e Pasta (Stuffed Beef Rolls)

Braciole e Pasta (Stuffed Beef Rolls and Pasta)
recipelink.com Chat Room Recipe Swap - 2001-09-08

3 cloves garlic, chopped fine
1/4 cup olive oil, extra virgin
1/2 cup parsley, Italian flat, chopped fine.
1 1/2 cups breadcrumbs
1 fillet anchovy, chopped very fine (optional)
1 large. egg + 1 egg white
1/2 cup Black olives, pitted and chopped
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
Salt and pepper to taste
water
3 slices beef round steaks, about 3/16-1/4 inch thick
1/2 Lb. pasta - spaghetti or linguine

Prepare the pasta sauce (your choice). Add the garlic. Olive oil, parsley, breadcrumbs, anchovy, egg olives, Parmesan, salt and pepper to a large mixing bowl, and mix thoroughly. Add about 1/2 glass of water and mix again. The mixture should be a bit loose, but not runny. Set aside so that the breadcrumbs absorb part of the water. As this happens the mixture will firm to a thick oatmeal consistency. Meanwhile, place a round steak on a sheet of aluminum foil, cover it with another sheet of foil. (Alternatively, plastic wrap may be used). Use a wooden mallet (or a rolling pin if no mallet is available) and pound the steak until it has flattened and is increased in diameter by about 1/3. Remove the top sheet of foil (or plastic wrap), and spoon 3-4 tablespoons of the bread stuffing mix on the beef. Spread it with your fingers so that it covers the meat to about 1 inch from the edges. take the edges of the foil (or plastic wrap) and carefully roll the meat into a jelly roll type log, using the foil as a support. When the log is complete, tie it in 4-5 places with kitchen twine. At least two of the ties should be longitudinal, and the rest horizontal. Roll the remaining two pieces of steak in the same manner. When this is accomplished, place the rolls into a roasting pan, and roast them at 450 F. for 15 minutes, turning once at about 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and place in the pasta sauce that is cooking. Set the heat to simmer and let the rolls cook for at least 3 hours in the sauce. Serve the pasta, ziti, rigatoni, farfalle, penne, etc. with the sauce. Serve the meat rolls as a second course. A nice presentation is made by removing the twine, cutting the rolls diagonally, and placing them on a white serving dish to which a ladleful of the tomato based sauce has been added.

Note that these Braciole are as good or better the next day, either cold in a sandwich or cut up and mixed with the remaining pasta sauce, heated, then served over spaghetti. Source: Unknown