Braciole - Braised Beef Rolls

, from Issue #24. September, 2015
Photography by Aaron McLean.
Braciole - Braised Beef Rolls

Our Braciole - Braised Beef Rolls are delicious and rich in taste. They are best served with soft polenta, pasta or a mashed root vegetable.

Serves: 4-6

INGREDIENTS

600 grams beef schnitzel

Stuffing
8 large leaves silver beet
1⁄2 cup fresh breadcrumbs
1⁄4 cup pine nuts
8 slices salami, finely chopped
1⁄2 cup grated gruyere cheese
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1⁄4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 free-range egg, lightly beaten

Tomato sauce
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, grated
1 cup red wine, stock or water
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 x 400 gram tin crushed tomatoes
1⁄4 cup basil leaves

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 160°C.

Beef: If the schnitzels are large, cut into more even-sized pieces. Place each piece of meat between two pieces of plastic wrap and beat until thin.

Stuffing: Trim off the silver beet stalks and roughly slice the leaves. Cook in boiling salted water until tender. Drain and refresh in cold water, drain again. Place in a clean tea towel and squeeze out all the water. Chop finely and place in a bowl.

Add the remaining ingredients, season and combine well.

Lay out the beef and divide the stuffing between them. Roll up each slice and tie with kitchen string to secure.

Heat a little olive oil in a large oven-proof casserole and brown the rolls on all sides. Transfer to a plate. Do not wash the pan.

Add a little more olive oil to the pan if needed. Add the onion and carrot and cook until soft. Increase the heat and add the wine, stirring to deglaze the pan. Add the tomatoes, garlic and basil and cook for 5 minutes.

Add the braciole to the sauce, spooning some over the top of the meat. Cover with a piece of baking paper then aluminium foil or a tight-fitting lid. Tomato reacts with foil and can give a bitter taste to the sauce.

Braise for 40 minutes or until the meat is tender.

To serve: Remove the string from the braciole and slice thickly. Put the sauce on a serving platter and arrange the meat on top. Serve with soft polenta, pasta or a mashed root vegetable.