Brajole
These are Italian style stuffed beef rolls that can be served as either a side dish or a main course. They are also quite suitable as appetizers or to serve for a party dish. This recipe comes by way of my oldest daughter Bridgett and her grandmother Rose who is full blooded Italian. Enjoy!
3 lbs. Rump roast, trimmed and sliced 1/4 inch thick across grain
Stuffing (see below)
Marinara Sauce (see below)
2 Tbsp. olive oil
Brown the slices of beef in a skillet with the olive oil and set aside. Once the slices have been browned, fill with stuffing and hold together with a toothpick. Arrange the rolls in a baking dish and cover with the Marinara sauce. Bake at 375 degrees for 1½ hours and serve.
Stuffing
Use a basic turkey like stuffing as follows:
12 oz. regular bread cubes plus cornbread cubes, with seasoning mix
4 oz. pine-nuts
3 stalks celery
1 diced onion
1 diced apple
First brown the nuts and other ingredients in a saucepan so they soften and the flavors blend. Add the seasoning mix before putting into the bread and add broth as directed. You want medium moisture content.
Marinara Sauce
4 Tbsp. olive oil
4 cloves pressed garlic
1 medium onion, diced
1 Tbsp. oregano
1 Tbsp. sweet basil
1½ tsp. tarragon
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. sage
3 Tbsp. dried parsley
1 tsp. savory
salt & pepper to taste
1 small can tomato paste
32 oz. tomato sauce
16 oz. crushed tomatoes
2 cans Italian style stewed tomatoes or 4 cups fresh chopped roma tomatoes
¾ cup thin 1" slices bell pepper (yellow or red preferred)
1½ cups sliced mushrooms
1 16 oz. can olives, chopped
¾ cup zucchini (optional)
1 tsp. baking soda
1½ Tbsp. brown sugar
½-1 cup red wine
4 to 6 Italian sausages (hot or mild to taste)
In a large pot, pour the olive oil, onions, garlic, and spices. Sauté ingredients to break the flavor. Add tomato paste and continue to sauté for about 5 minutes. Add the tomato sauce, crushed tomatoes and chopped tomatoes. Next, add peppers, mushrooms and chopped olives. Then add baking soda, brown sugar and red wine.
Brown 4-6 Italian sausages in a skillet (I like few hot, few regular), and add them to the sauce. Cook the sauce for at least two hours before serving. This sauce can be used on pasta of any type, or on top of other dishes manicotti. You can double this batch and freeze some for later.
