Authentic Italian Braciole Recipe with Orecchiette
This rich and tasty beef braciole with orecchiette pasta is an authentic Italian recipe from Bari in the Southern Italian region of Puglia (Apulia).
Servings: 4
Calories: 793kcal
Ingredients
- 11 oz orecchiette or short pasta of your choice
- Pecorino for serving
Beef Braciole:
- 8-10 thin slices Beef preferably from a top or bottom round roast or sirloin
- 8-10 slices Italian lardo can replace with prosciutto crudo, or pancetta
- 2-3 cloves Garlic peeled and finely chopped
- 1 handful Fresh parsley chopped
- 1.5 ounce Pecorino shavings Alternatively, you can use Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano
- 1 Red chili pepper peperoncino, or a sprinkle of chili flakes
- Salt and pepper
Tomato Sauce:
- 3-4 tablespoons Extra virgin olive oil
- 1 Red onion peeled and finely chopped
- ½ glass White wine red wine can also be used
- 18 ounces Tomato passata
- 1 handful Basil Leaves torn in pieces
- 10 Cherry tomatoes optional
Instructions
Making the bracioles
- Place your beef slices flat side down on a sturdy chopping board.
- Gently pound the beef slices with a tenderizer or meat mallet, beginning from the thicker side and moving across each slice.
- On each beef slice, layer one slice of lardo, diced chili, finely chopped garlic, Pecorino shavings, and chopped parsley, ensuring to leave a small border around the edges.
- Roll each beef slice up tightly, starting from one side. Secure each rolled beef slice, or braciole, with two toothpicks, ensuring they pierce through the other side.
Making the braciole sauce
- In a Dutch oven or deep skillet, heat up the extra virgin olive oil over medium-high heat. Sear the bracioles in two batches for about 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until they are browned. Remove the browned bracioles from the Dutch oven and set them aside.
- Lower the heat to medium-low. In the same Dutch oven, sauté the finely chopped onion until softened, which should take about 5 to 7 minutes.
- Pour the wine into the Dutch oven to deglaze the pan, scraping up any brown bits stuck to the bottom with a wooden spoon. Let it reduce until it has evaporated.
- Add the tomato passata, torn basil leaves, and cherry tomatoes if you are using them. Season with salt and pepper. Bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low.
- Place the browned bracioles back into the Dutch oven, making sure they are submerged in the sauce. Cover the Dutch oven and let it simmer until the meat is tender, which should take about 1.5 to 2 hours. Stir occasionally to prevent any sticking.
- As the bracioles near readiness, bring a pot of water to a boil for the pasta. Once the water starts boiling, add in the salt and wait for it to return to a boil. Cook the pasta in the boiling water until al dente, following the package instructions for timing. Before draining the pasta, reserve some of the pasta cooking water.
- Take the bracioles out of the sauce and stir the drained pasta into the sauce. If the sauce is too thick, add some of the reserved pasta cooking water to thin it out.
- Before serving, remove the toothpicks from the bracioles and slice them in half. Divide the bracioles and pasta among plates, serving each with additional grated Pecorino.
Notes
- This dish is traditionally served with orecchiette but other short pasta can be used. I would suggest fusilli, penne, Sardinian gnocchi (malloreddus) or casarecce.
- In its traditional form, this dish is typically served in two separate courses: first, the pasta with the tomato sauce, and then, the braciole served as a main dish alongside vegetables and bread.I like to eat it together as one plate meal!
- If you have any extra Italian lardo you can add some with the onions. The Italian lardo will melt and make a richer and more flavorful sauce.
Nutrition
Calories: 793kcal | Carbohydrates: 76g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 42g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 75mg | Sodium: 387mg | Potassium: 1087mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 1121IU | Vitamin C: 43mg | Calcium: 181mg | Iron: 5mg