quick and easy meals for 1 or 2

Braciole

This is good Sunday stuff. The name Braciole has a few North Jersey slang connotations that I’m not going to go into.


1/2 cup dried Italian-style bread crumbs. I like progresso.
1 garlic clove, minced
2/3 cup grated Parmesan or Romano
1/3 cup grated provolone
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat Italian parsley leaves or 1 Tbsp. dried
4 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and black pepper
1 (1 1/2-pound) flank steak
1 cup white wine Most recipes call for white wine, but I like to use red better.
3 1/4 cups your own Tomato Sauce from the freezer, or store-bought marinara sauce. I like Buitoni.

Stir the first 5 ingredients in a medium bowl to blend. Stir in 2 tablespoons of the oil. Season mixture with salt and pepper and set aside.
Lay the flank steak flat on the work surface. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture evenly over the steak to cover the top evenly. Starting at 1 short end, roll up the steak as for a jelly roll to enclose the filling completely. Using butcher's twine, tie the steak roll to secure. Sprinkle the braciole with salt and pepper.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in a heavy large ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Add the braciole and cook until browned on all sides, about 8 minutes. Add the wine to the pan and bring to a boil. Stir in the marinara sauce. Cover partially with foil and bake until the meat is almost tender, turning the braciole and basting with the sauce every 30 minutes. After 1 hour, uncover and continue baking until the meat is tender, about 30 minutes longer. The total cooking time should be about 1 1/2 hours.
Remove the braciole from the sauce. Using a large sharp knife, cut the braciole crosswise and diagonally into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Transfer the slices to plates. Spoon the sauce over and

SERVE IT UP!! With some pasta, of course, red wine, of course, some good crusty bread, of course, and we like sauted broccoli with a little minced garlic thrown in the pan just before the broccoli is done..