I was watching a You Tube video posted by Clemenza Caserta on how to make real Sunday Gravy. I didn't know who Caserta was, but after a quick google search, saw that he was on Hell's Kitchen. I never watched the show, but I will definitely watch more of his videos. Seriously, you have to watch this! It reminded me of every older Italian relative and family friend I know making gravy and meatballs, probably in their basement kitchen, because they didn't want to get the main floor kitchen to get dirty! Shout out to the Sacinos for those of you who may remember them!
The video made me laugh and brought back some nice memories of the past. But, it also inspired me to make braciole!
So, here is my braciole recipe. Let's start with the ingredients.
- Two 1-pound pieces of skirt steak, pounded thin
- One bunch of parsley, chopped
- One whole bulb of garlic minced
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- Zest of one lemon
- Shaved parmesan cheese
- Salt and pepper
- Canola oil
- Beef stock
- Kitchen twine
I have always used flank steak for braciole in the past, but after trying the skirt steak, I'll never go back. The steak is easier to role, more tender, and doesn't take as long to cook. Don't knock it until you try it! Also, don't forget the lemon zest. It adds this nice, bright, surprising flavor. Definitely makes a difference!
So let's get started! First, get your Sunday Gravy warmed up in a pot. Need a recipe? Scroll through my blog posts because I have a great one! I know everyone thinks their gravy is best, but I'm pretty proud of mine!
Next, salt and pepper your steak, then set aside. Mix the parsley, panko, garlic, and lemon zest in a bowl. Cover each piece of steak with the parsley mixture, leaving a small (very small) border on each side. Drizzle the steak and parsley mixture with a small amount of olive oil. Then cover with parmesan. How much should you use? Enough so that the mixture is pretty much covered with cheese (see the picture for a good visual). Roll the steak with the parsley and parm mixture, then tie the meat with kitchen twine. Now, you have braciole! Let that sit for a few minutes.
Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees. Heat the canola oil in a large pan that has sides. Use enough oil to coat the entire bottom of the pan. Brown the braciole on all sides; about 1-2 minutes per side. Once browned, remove the braciole and deglaze the pan with the beef stock. Use just enough to coat the entire bottom of the pan. Scrape up the brown bits and then just let things simmer for about 2 minutes. Add your gravy to the pan, stir, then add the braciole back into the pan. Coat the braciole with the gravy and put it in the oven, covered in foil, for 30 minutes. Remove the pan, turn and baste the braciole, cover, and cook for another 30 minutes. Repeat the basting process. In total, you will cook the braciole for about 1.5 - 2 hours. I think I was near the 1.5 hour mark, but you won't ruin anything if you cook this for the full two hours. Just remember to baste the braciole every 30 minutes.
Serve the braciole with a side of pasta; spaghetti was my choice! And of course, a nice bottle of Chianti would go well with this. I didn't have Chianti on hand, but I did have a great bottle of Fiddlestix Pinot Noir by Fiddlehead Cellars.
Mangia my friends!