Finding the right meat is key for this recipe. Walmart has a thin sliced top round available they call “Beef Milanesa”. It’s perfect for this. Serves 4.
Incredients:
- 4 Thin slices, about ¼ inch thick, of top round
- 1/2 Cup Italian style bread crumbs
- 1 Garlic clove, minced
- 1/3 Cup grated Provoline, Monterey Jack, or Mozzarella
- 2/3 Cup grated Pecorino Romano (or fresh grated parmesan)
- 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, plus a little more for garnish
- 4 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 Cup your favorite red sauce
- 1 Cup white wine
- 1/2 Cup water
- S&P to taste
For the Spinach Mixture:
- 1 10 ounce package of frozen spinach
- 2 Cloves garlic, minced
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- Pinch of fresh ground nutmeg
- S&P to taste
Directions: Preheat oven to 350°
Prepare the spinach first. Defrost the spinach and drain. In a heavy skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté until the garlic is fragrant. Do not brown. Add the spinach and combine with the garlic butter over low heat. Add a pinch of nutmeg and salt and pepper. Separate into 4 equal portions and set aside to cool.
In a small bowl, add the bread crumbs, 1 clove of minced garlic, the cheeses, parsley and 2 tablespoons of the oil. Mix well.
Lay the meat out on a flat surface. Spread one portion of the spinach mixture evenly on each. Sprinkle the spinach with a layer of the bread crumb mixture. Starting at the smaller end, roll up like a jelly roll. Use toothpicks or butchers string to secure each of them.
Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in a heavy ovenproof skillet, over medium heat. Add the Braciole and brown on all sides. Add the wine to the pan and bring to a boil. Mix in the red sauce and water. Cover tightly with a lid or foil. Bake for 90 minutes. Every 30 minutes, turn the meats over and baste with the sauce. If the sauce is getting too thick, add some additional water. Serve the sauce over the Braciole. Garnish with a little parsley. Serve with pasta and additional sauce.
Options:
- Instead of the spinach mixture add a layer of Presutto or Capicola
- If you have fresh basil or thyme, sprinkle that in with the bread crumbs
- Most of the recipes we looked at used Provolone. Softer cheeses like cheddar, or mozzarella work fine.
- Add chopped mushrooms, chopped arugula or chopped onions to the bread crumbs.
