Braciole Calabrese

Photo: Maria Boyer

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds thick flank steak

salt and pepper

6 cloves garlic, minced

4 tablespoons parsley

1/2 cup grated cheese

1/2 cup bread crumbs

2 larges hard-boiled eggs

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Preparation

With a large fillet knife, slice flank steak in half horizontally to create two thin steaks. Place each half on a flat work surface. Pound steaks to tenderize.

Season each steak with salt and pepper. Rub half of the minced garlic onto each piece, then evenly distribute the parsley, grated cheese, and bread crumbs on top of the meat.

Position one steak with the two long ends on the sides. Place the hard-boiled eggs end to end on the meat and fold the short side of the meat over the eggs, to encase them.

Continue to roll the first steak, jelly roll style, to the end. Tie with butcher's string, knotting the string at the end.

Roll the second steak in a similar manner and secure with string.

Heat a large sauce pan and add olive oil. Brown both meat rolls on all sides, then remove from the pan.

Continue to make "Mom's Tomato Sauce" recipe in the pan, using the brown bits from the braciole as the meat base. Once all sauce ingredients are combined, add the braciole back into the pan.

Simmer over low heat for 3 or 4 hours.

Just before serving, remove the braciole from the sauce, cut off the string, and slice into thick pieces. Serve as a main dish or with your favorite pasta.