Braciole is something I don’t make very often, except maybe for a special occasion, so therefore I thought it would be fitting that I bring this dish to our “Festa Italiana.” Please join Maryann and I, if you haven’t already done so. There’s still plenty of time to bring your favorite Italian dish or drink, you have till March 22nd. Shortly after that we will display all the wonderful things we “tasted” at the Festa! Everything looks fantastic so far!!! ( click for details on top of my blog)
I make my braciole simply with thin cut round steak.
In a bowl I mix together bread crumbs, fresh chopped parsley, chopped garlic,a little salt, lots of pepper,and a generous amount of grated cheese.(I used romano)
Layer prosciutto, (or you can use bacon) all over the round steak, then generously sprinkle the bread crumb mixture all over the prosciutto.
Roll them up and tie them so all the filling stays inside. Cook them in your favorite home made sauce, but be sure to add some red wine, it gives them a nice rich flavor. Simmer till tender.
With every bite you will taste the prosciutto, cheese, and that moist and flavorful bread crumb mixture!
I couldn’t resist stopping by my favorite Italian bakery,and picking up a tray of these for all of you to try at our Festa. Their called Zeppole, out here in Chicagoland, and they only come out for a few weeks every March, after St. Joseph’s day you won’t find them anywhere. We often have to wait in long lines to get these little gems, but believe me they are worth the wait!!
It’s a light, fresh pastry dough, filled with the most delicious custard cream, aren’t they pretty? Can’t wait till you get to try them!
Buon Appetito!!
I’m Marie, a wife, mother, mother-in-law, and gramma of two beautiful girls. My passion is food, clear and simple but especially Italian food, hence the name of my blog, Proud Italian Cook. I want you to feel right at home here so grab a cup of coffee, I’ll get the pastries, take a look around and enjoy your visit! {
I’m back. Braciole were horrible so I went into deep meditation and introspection and just now have returned to the kitchen. The round steak wasn’t properly cut by the butcher at the high end butcher shop known as Paulina Market, I should have insisted with more vigor.
The stuffing melted out into the sugo and the meat cooked too long turning into shoe leather.
Being stubborn by nature, I’ll return to conquer Braciole with a properly cut meat, properly pounded, stuffed and tied BUT not cooked longer tha a couple of hours at a simmer in the sugo. Hopefuly this will result in the tender braciole you speak of and show in your web site. iF NOT I shall keep on until I have perfecr Braciole to serve my young grandsons.
I’ve got my pasta con sardina sauce with toasted bread crumbs ready for St. Joseph’s Day. The Irish have nothing on the Italians when it comes to celebrating our Patron Saints.
I’m “baching” it for 3 weeks, the wife is in Texas visiting her daughter and our grandsons. My hunting and shooting buddies have decided we should get together for dinner and I’m elected to cook.. I’m making our family recipe for succu and meatballs, the recipe my Mom learned from my Dad’s side of the family. We never call it gravy as that’s a misnomer. I’ve decided to add braciole to the sauce. I’ve never made them before so this will be a new adventure. There are quite a few recipes for stuffing that I’m just going to extrapolate and mix what sounds the best. I think tying up the braciole is going to be the most difficult part. Some authors definitely show their surgical residency skills. I’ll keep it simple.
Wow, you bring back lots of memories for me. I’m Italian (Canadian) and we’d have bracioles every sunday growing up. yum, Zeppoles, love them
Marie, your braciole reminds me of my childhood… my mum used to make them on Sundays and serve the tomato sauce with the pasta. Your zeppole are just incredible! And they called zeppole in Napoliland too…I am from a town an hour and a half away from Napoli. In some “pasticceria” pastry shops they are sold all year around but as you said are typical for S. Giuseppe -(St. Joseph) on Father’s Day. Ciao 🙂
Hi, I’m Ady and I’m Italian, what a wonderful braciole, compliments for your blog, I’ll visit you again bye
Kate, If I knew how to make them it would be dangerous!!
Gretchen, Can you email me and attach a picture? prouditaliancook@hotmail.com Looking forward to it.
I made my Timapno today! I previously posted under anonymous. I must say for a first attempt it turned out pretty darn good. I have cooked profesionally and I have never made anything that is such a “prodcution”. I did take pictures. How do I post/send them to you?
Gretchen
alright , this Zeppoles look so freaking amazing. What are they ??? How do u make them ?it looks so crispy , n light in texture and so irresistible.
Oh, yum!
I love the photo of the tied up bundles.
I’ll be in Chicago in April, maybe too late to find Zeppole 🙁
I use to make this when I lived in the US. I haven’t tried here – I haven’t sorted out what cut to ask the butcher for and how to tell him to cut it hehehe!
I haven’t yet made Braciole! Something else to put on my to-try list. Yours looks great!
I was watching a re-run of Everybody Loves Raymond the other night, the one where Debra make Braciole and it is the first and only thing she’s made that’s outstanding in the taste category. I am glad to have your recipe to try making it.
Though I am hearing of Zeppole for the first time, I agree with you, they do look oh so pretty.
Great post Marie. Haven’t heard of braciole before (obviously the only one around here)…looks divine! And so does the zeppole…WOW…I’m still trying to reach the fiesta. Maybe in a day or two!Ciao for now!
I make my braciole a little different.I use flank steak,pounded thin. for the stuffing,I use Italian bread crumbs, raisens,parm cheese, Italian parsley,and moisture,either alittle water or milk. I spread the stuffing, a thin layer, all over the flank steak and then roll it up and sew it up with ediable thread. Then brown it on all sides and slow cook it in tomatoes sauce for a couple of hours!
Oh, I love braciole! My mother used to make it often. Yours looks scrumptious. I’ve tried to make it but haven’t been thrilled with the result; I’ve usually used a flank steak. I’ll have to try it your way!
The pastries look incredible, too. Buon appetito, indeed!
I am on this one! I have never dreamed of anything like this with meat and it just looks too good to be true. We have super thin steaks here for breading and frying and they will be perfect to try something like this. If only I had seen this *before* I went to the store last night. Really, love it. 🙂
Marie, what’s beautiful pictures, so nice, this looks so yummy! xxGloria
Sis in law, I’m glad you liked it! Thanks
Anonymous, Thank you, and welcome!
Susan, Great I can’t wait to see what your bringing!
Kevin, You would love Zeppole!
Susan, Who knows maybe we are!! lol
Laurie, Hi, and thank you!!
Saralynn,Hope you get a chance to try Zeppole one day.
Kimberly, Welcome, please do come back!
Found you by way of bleedingespresso and I’ve bookmarked your site. Yum yum!
Everyone in my family is a foodie and while I’m not the best cook in the world, I do okay. My daughter and DIL both love to cook and are excellent at it.
So excited about this new source of recipes and inspiration!
Love the Zeppole, it looks very tasty. The braciole looks divine! I will have to attempt this some day. Thanks!
The perfect dish for a family celebration!! It’s a part of my Christmas tradition every year..
And that pastry is just coming right off the page! 🙂
First sausage bread, now braciole and zeppole. Oh, Marie, what a delicious walk down memory lane this was for me. Are you sure we’re not related? 😉
I have never had Braciole but it looks really good. You just can’t go wrong with beef, prosciutto, cheese and tomato sauce….mmm… Bookmarked. Those pastries look good as well.
HI Marie, Wow! I tried to make braciole once and failed miserably! Good job! They look lovely.
I’m thinking of a special italian dish I’ve never made before to enter into your Festa Italiana.
Oh my Gog… those braciole look really delicious!
Ciao.
Orchidea
Hi Marie,
I’ve been waiting for you to post the braciole so I could put in my 2 cents.
To tell you the truth, when I saw the braciole in the pan, I wasn’t too exicted. My experience has been that the meat is usually tough and the filling would taste like soap. (from the bacon maybe).
Not only was the taste superb, the meat was so tender you barely needed a knife to cut it.
I may not be a cook like you and your brother, but I know what I like.
sis n law
Stickygooey, I hope you can find some Zeppole to enjoy!
Thanks Peter, Thats probably why I don’t make them that often, all that tying! Do go to Lil Italy!!!
Happy Cook, Thanks!
Half baked, Try one at the Festa!
WineDeb, Welcome and Thanks, I feel the same about your site!
Amy, I’m waiting for your entry!
Pixie, Hi and thanks for your comments.
Maryann, We will all be busting from the seams! lol
Val, Ccan’t wait for you to try!
Michelle,Yes lucky you!
Glamah, I emailed you
Where did you get the Zeppole? Must try it before they stop selling it. As for the Bracciloe, yum. In Germany CS’S mother makes a similar dish called rouladen( no tomatoe sauce, but a gravy).Funny how dishes adapt by culture.
As if feeding us that great bracciole isn’t enough, you tempt us with Italian pastry!
Oh, I will need to do a lot of dancing at our festa to work off all these dishes 🙂
thank you thank you for providing such a delicious recipe!
Hi Marie, glad to stop over to meet you thru Maryann! You two are hosting a great event and I thought I best stop over! What a nice site you have! I definately will be back, and that pastry…looks like heaven!
Cheers!
My grandmother never made braciole, at least not that I remember, but lucky for me, my Italian (Calabrian) MIL does…and quite well indeed. YUM 🙂
These will be a wonderful treat during the esta. I can’t wait to dig in:D
Oh, Marie….. This is one of my favorite dishes. You do such a nice job wrapping them – a technique that I need to work on.
I can wait to see the outcome of your Festa! I know I will have it bookmarked.
xoxo Amy
Your braciole looks great and I’d love one of those zeppole right now:)
I am sure Zeppole was delicious too.
Braciole looks good too
Marie, I appreciate your attention to detail in tying up the Braciole. I hate when they filling is gone too!
I’ll have to pay a visit to lil’ Italy to pick up some Zeppole (I’ve only heard of them).
The braciole look beautiful! I hardly ever make it because nearest Italian butcher is 20 miles away and my supermarket never has thin cuts of round steak.
I made a “braciole-style” meatloaf a few months ago. I filled it with all the same good stuff and rolled it up. It was really good!
Those zeppoli bring back memories. I haven’t had one in years!