Giro d'Italia '20 - Stage 8: Giovinazzo to Vieste (Gargano)
Italy is home to one of my most favorite dishes: Braciole (brahj-oal). But, in my studies, I found that Italy is home to several variations of braciole; much like the U.S. has several ways to prepare their signature take on barbecue. I was hoping to make a Neapolitan version that my mother makes as that’s roughly where her family is from: Sarno (about 40 minutes southeast of Naples), but the route does not visit the west coast of Italy at all this year.
However, as I was reading about Puglia, their version isn’t so far off from what I grew up eating. In fact, in Foggia, a town about 100 km west of today's finish line in Vieste, it’s essentially the same, so I really lucked out! One of my distinct food memories as a child was the vivid burst of flavor when eating these supple rolls of beef, stuffed with raisins, cheese, pine nuts and herbs. The chemical reaction that the acid, from the tomatoes, imparts upon the raisins gives off a slight hint of pickle. The rugged texture of the tough, lean beef relents after a nice braise in this red sauce and has a lovely mouth feel while you chew and absorb the bright flavors of the sauce it has retained, followed by the subtle notes of herbs and pine nuts.
It’s clear that I do love this dish very much and what was spectacular was seeing the girls react the same way as I did when I was a child. They aren’t even really fans of raisins, unless they’re covered in chocolate or yogurt, but they are already begging me to make this dish again soon. I can’t wait to fulfill their little wishes.
Braciole
Onion
Carrot
Celery
Extra-virgin olive oil
28 oz can diced tomato
Garlic
Wine
Golden raisins
½ cup pine nuts
2 cups loosely packed parsley leaves
½ cup grated pecorino or parmesan
2 lbs. thinly-sliced, lean beef cutlets
Prosciutto
Passata or tomato sauce
Beef broth
Mince the vegetables and add to a preheated large pot with ¼ cup of evoo and saute the vegetables until soft 10-12 minutes. Add in 4 minced garlic cloves and the tomatoes. Pour a ½ cup each of wine and water into the empty can, swirl and empty into the pot. Cover and simmer for at least 30 minutes or so (until the beef involtini are fully prepared), stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, soak 1 cup of raisins in warm water. In a large non-stick skillet, lightly toast your pine nuts, then set aside in a medium bowl. Finely chop your parsley and add to the bowl with the pine nuts, adding in the cheese and drained raisins; mix well. Hammer your beef cutlets (if not already thin enough or if you’ve sliced your own beef) ⅛ inch thick. Working in batches, lay out the beef cutlets (they should each be roughly 6 inches long) narrow end away from you. And top with a slice of prosciutto, and about a tablespoon of filling on the bottom half of the cutlet. Roll up the cutlets and place seam-side down. Once you have about half done (this recipe should make 16 involtini) secure the involtini using butcher string. Preheat ¼ cup of evoo in the large skillet you toasted the pine nuts over medium-high heat.
Generously season the involtini with kosher salt and black pepper and brown on all sides and finish preparing the 2nd batch of involtini. When the first batch has browned, add to the pot of sauce. Repeat the process with the 2nd batch. Simmer the beef in the sauce, covered, for an hour, stirring occasionally. Uncover the pot and continue cooking for another 30 minutes, stirring gently. If the sauce starts drying up, add a ½ cup each of the passata and beef broth. When the beef has reached your desired tenderness, remove from the pot and cut off the butcher string. Plate and spoon the sauce over the involtini.
Copyright 2020, Brendan McCann, All Rights Reserved.
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