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.
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 celerey.
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.
3T dried parsley.
1 tsp. savory.
salt & pepper to taste.
1 small can tomato paste.
32 oz. tomato sauce.
16 oz. crushed tomatoes.
two 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. Saute ingredients to break the flavor. Add tomato paste and continue to saute 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.
Yields: 12 servings
Preparation Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes