Sicilian Big Braciola

The filling for making braciola can also vary greatly. I have two recipes ..  Some people fill it with breadcrumbs, cheeses, salami, prosciutto, pine nuts, roasted red peppers, etc.  This is  my Sicilian Girlfriends Grandmother's recipe of seasoned ground beef, parsley, roasted red peppers,  cheese and hard boiled eggs.  This combination works very well.  Why should  we change anything that brings back so many good memories.

There's still a lot to do.  So if your making gravy this any time soon, don't forget The Big Braciola.  Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

4 pieces of flank steaks

1/2 pound of ground beef

2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

1/2 tsp of dried basil

1/2 tsp of dried oregano

1/4 cup of fresh Italian flat leaf parsley

1  tsp of salt

1 tsp of fresh ground black pepper

1/2 cup of fresh grated Parmesan or Romano cheese

1 small jar of roasted red peppers

4 large eggs, hard boiled

3 Tbls of extra virgin olive oil

PREPARATION

Using a meat mallet, pound the steaks until they're around 1/2 inch thick.

In a medium size bowl, thoroughly mix together the ground beef, garlic, basil, oregano, parsley, 1/2 tsp of salt and 1/2 tsp of pepper.

Spread a thin layer of the  ground beef mixture on each piece of steak.

Sprinkle the ground beef generously with the cheese.

Add the roasted red peppers

Place the hard boiled eggs lengthwise in one row toward the edge of the meat.

Roll each steak and tie the ends and the middle with string.

Season the beef rolls with the remaining salt and pepper

In a large frying pan heat the olive oil.

Fry the braciola on all sides until browned.  Around 10 minutes.

Place the braciola in you gravy and simmer for hours until tender.