CNYEats A Taste of Utica Beef Braciole

Utican’s sure like their braciole.  There are four recipes in our book A Taste of Utica 

Pages 98, 99, and 100 detail some wonderful suggestions for making Beef Braciole.  Ted’s choice this weeks was for the recipe posted by Rainie Piccione:

“Braciole – Fluffy Piccione Hamo"

But first, some Utica memories

Don Marino:   “I used to bring rolls of pennies from my paper route to Tebsherany’s store…Maggie would weigh the roll and could tell if even one penny was missing.  She also amazed me with a quarter on the back of her hand that she could toss into her palm and then back…I could never do it…It was a great corner store.”

Ken Nudo:  “My mother made the most fantastic braccioles.  The real name should be stiglioli.  I think, as I lived in Italy and was told that that is the true name.  I used to live on Mohawk Street and my family had a slaughter house there.”

Angela:  “I think a relative of Mr. Guarnieri ran a Guarnieri’s Market on Bacon and Blandina, his first name was Vito.  He would run a tab during th eweek for all the neighbors until pay day.  Can you imagine going to a grocery store today and want to run a tab?”

Now for the recipes.

Braciole – page 98 by Rainie Piccione

• 4 thin slices boneless beef round
• 2 TBS olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 TBS Pecorino Romano cheese
• 1 cup red wine
• 2 TBS parsley, chopped
• 4 cups tomato puree or crushed tomatoes
• salt and pepper to taste
• 4 fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces
• 4 thin slices Prosciutto
• 1 lb ziti or penne pasta, cooked and drained

Place the beef between two pieces of wax paper and pound until 1/4” thick.  Mix together the chopped garlic, cheese, parsley, salt and pepper.  Top each beef slice with about 1 tsp of the cheese mixture.  Top each with a slice of Prosciutto. 

Roll up into “sausage” style and tie with cooking twine (or use a toothpick to hold together). 

Heat the oil over medium – high heat and when hot, add the crushed garlic and the beef rolls (braciole).  Turn occasionally until brown on all sides, about 2 min. per side, 4 min. total for smaller braciole.

Add the wine and simmer for 2 minutes.  Remove and discard the crushed garlic (it will go bitter if you leave it in).   Stir in the tomato puree (or crushed) and the basil. 

Allow to cook, covered, over low heat for about 2 hours or until the beef is fork tender.  Turn occasionally. *If the sauce gets too thick, add a little water.

Serve braciole over pasta.

Recipe no. 2   Braciole – page 99 by Ken Nudo  *No measurements were listed for this recipe so I have taken my best guess, based on the recipe I made above, and listed those measurements.  Adjustments may be needed.  Ken says that his mother never measured and neither did he. It’s all an experiment.

• 3/4 lb round steak sliced very thin (4 slices)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2  tsp ground pepper
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 2 TBS minced onion
• 2 TBS minced parsley
• 2 TBS grated Locatelli Pecorino Cheese
• 4 slices of bacon (one per beef slice)
• 2hard boiled eggs (1/2 an egg per each beef steak) – quarter eggs and slice
• 2 TBS olive oil

Pound the stead to under 1/4” thick.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Sprinkle lightly with cinnamon (about 1/8 tsp per slice).  Spread with the onion and minced parsley. Top with a piece of uncooked bacon then with the egg slices.  Roll up like sausages and tie with cooking twine.

Heat the oil in a frying pan and saute the bracciole lightly.  Add your favorite sauce ….Ken adds “ for which you have sauteed onion, garlic, some pork, and some beef”…. allow the bracciole to simmer with the sauce. 

Be careful in overfilling as tying the beef can be a chore.  It’s suggested to fill from the small end going to the large end and leave space at the large end to make enclosing the filling easer.

Recipe no. 3 Braciole – page 100 by Chris

“Buy a slice of round steak (or pork steak) cut thin especially for braciole.  have your eggs ready, hard boiled and cooled.  Cut the round steak into squares large enough to completely cover the egg when it is rolled.  On each square, sprinkle salt, pepper, chopped parsley, basil and grated Italian cheese.  Lightly sprinkle with garlic powder and bread crumbs.  Starting at one corner, roll meat over egg, turning sides in so egg is completely covered with meat.  Tie securely with string.  Brown in a small amount of oil in frying pan. Add to your tomato sauce about 1/2 hour before the sauce is cooked.”

Another variation….

• 1 round steak or pork steak, pounded
• 1/2 cup grated cheese
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1/4 cup parsley, chopped
• 1 egg
• salt and pepper to taste

Mix cheese, parsley, garlic with egg and add salt and pepper to taste.  Cut meat in 2 pieces.  Add some of the dressing on each piece of meat.  Roll up and tie with string or toothpicks. Fry in hot oil, then place in your favorite sauce.

Recipe no. 4  Bracciole – An Oliva Family recipe page 100 by Fat Sal

• 1 to 1 1/2 lbs round steak (sliced thin)j
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley
• salt and pepper to taste
• garlic (minced and sauteed) or garlic powder (*I’m guessing but probably about 1 TBS based on the steak qty.)
• grated cheese (about 1/2 cup)
• kitchen twine /toothpicks

Pound steak with a mallet until thin.  Slice steak into sstrips – wider/ longer strips for big bracciole, narrower/shorter for small bracciole.

Sprinkle the steak with salt and pepper, garlic, parsley and cheese.

Roll up like a jelly roll so that the seasonings are inside the roll. Tie with twine or spear with toothpicks so they won’t unroll. Fry in oil until browned.

Which one is it going to be? 1, 2, 3, or 4?  Your favorite?