Mama Mia! This Was Favoloso!

I wish I had taken pictures while I was preparing and before serving, but I forgot! And, I didn't know how 'favoloso' it was going to be. Being half Italian I love Italian food!

I made Braciole (pronounced Brajole) It is a pounded piece of beef, filled and then rolled and slow cooked with your favorite tomato sauce. It was so easy. When we ordered our grass-fed beef from a wonderful local farm, Maple Valley Farms, I made sure to have the butcher tenderize my round steak. I knew this would be perfect for this recipe!

Here is what I did. There are a ton of variations out there, but I found this way to be so easy and so delizioso! ( I really don't know Italian, I just used google! ;-)

Braciole

pounded/tenderized round steak

grated Parmesan or Romano cheese (use the good stuff)

chopped parsley

salt and pepper

favorite tomato sauce ( I used my homemade Mama Michello's Sauce)

I simply layed out the beef sprinkled generously with salt and pepper on both sides. Sprinkled, generously again, with the grated cheese and parsley. Roll up and secure with toothpicks. The pieces were not all the same size so I just rolled it anyway I could, it didn't matter, it turned out great.

I then browned the rolls in oil until well browned. (key to great flavor) I used a very large enamel cast iron dutch oven and browned them in batches. You don't want to crowd the pan as you will more steam than brown the meat. I put them all in the pan, poured my sauce over them and covered. I baked it around 350 for several hours. It smelled favoloso!

I made some 5 minute bread and our 'traditional' Italian salad and we had a feast!

Let me know if you try it or have any questions. It was so easy and definitely had that WOW factor. I mean, come on, Braciole, steaming hot crusty bread and a salad?! Ask me if I felt like the MAMA!