I thought we had things well in hand. We were trying beef braciole, a dish I had never made, eaten, or pronounced before, but what could go wrong with my trusty sous chef at my side? Throw in some homemade pasta and some dinner guests (Sophia and Jake) and you’ve got a recipe for a delightful meal, right?
Let’s just say that I should have shifted to a different level of concern when Ben pounded the steak like he was playing the marimbas at an all-inclusive resort. He aims to please.
When he dumped in the can of crushed tomatoes and half of them landed on the newly scoured stovetop, he shrugged off my annoyance with, “Take a picture and call it a mess blog.”
In principle, the dish is comprised of thinly pounded steak that has been stuffed with bread crumbs, parmesan, pancetta, and parsley and rolled up tightly before being simmered slowly in a tomato sauce. We did all of that, but our version fell very short of the anticipated gustatory delight. In a word, those little beef bullets were tough. We definitely had bitten off more than we could chew. And chew. And chew.
How can the same guy who brought us musical chicken pounding competently roll sheets of pasta? It is one of life’s mysteries.
The homemade pasta…
…and the sparkling company…
…saved the night.
Our tip? If you are attempting to make a dish you can’t pronounce, you are likely biting off more than you can chew.
My Italian mother made this dish which she pronounce bra- szool. To rhyme with pasta fagiole which is made with thin flank steak, a big one, with hard boiled eggs in the middle and seasoned bread crumbs rolled in ( parsley, thyme, oregano and a little rosemary)seared then baked in the tomato sauce. May be the Sicilian version
Gordie’s grandmother made the Swiss version, rouladen, with pickle, mustard and ham in the little steak roll ups. Fun!
Thank you for the info, including the pronunciation! Your mother’s version sounds really good, and I’m intrigued by the Swiss version!
My Italian mother made this dish which she pronounce bra- szool. To rhyme with pasta fagiole which is made with thin flank steak, a big one, with hard boiled eggs in the middle and seasoned bread crumbs rolled in ( parsley, thyme, oregano and a little rosemary)seared then baked in the tomato sauce. May be the Sicilian version
Gordie’s grandmother made the Swiss version, rouladen, with pickle, mustard and ham in the little steak roll ups. Fun!
Great cooking preparation advice Ben! Although a little tough they looked delicious! 😋 Be well, stay safe!
Thank you, Jim!