Italian Braciola Pasta Sauce

This favorite of DLM customer Fred Traino is thin slices of beef rolled around a zesty filling. The secret to the sauce is the long, slow simmer.

Ingredients:

• Braciola:
• 1 pkg (5-6 pieces) lean top sirloin (available in our Meat Dept., each slice 3/16" thick x 5" wide x 8" long, packaged and ready for use)
• 2 whole bulbs fresh garlic, peeled and minced
• 1 cup fresh parsley, stems removed and chopped
• 1 Tbsp black pepper, freshly ground
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• Cotton twine
  Sauce:
• 1 cup red wine, divided
• 1 can (28 oz) peeled whole tomatoes, divided and chopped into small pieces
• 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes in purée
• 4 cans (8 oz each) no-salt-added tomato sauce
• 1 can (6 oz) tomato paste
• 3/4 cup water
• 1 Tbsp anise seed
• 1 Tbsp dried oregano
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 1 cup fresh basil, rinsed, patted dry and chopped OR
  3 Tbsp dried basil

Directions:

Lay meat on waxed paper. Sprinkle each piece with garlic, parsley, pepper and salt. Beginning at the narrow side, roll each tightly and tie with twine.

Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven and brown the braciola. When browned, add 1/2 cup red wine and simmer for 10 minutes. Then add half the peeled tomaotes; cover and simmer for an additional 15 minutes.

In a small bowl, mix together the tomato paste and water. Continue adding the remaining peeled tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce and diluted tomato pasta to the braciola in small amounts over the next 1/2 hour.

Add anise seed, oregano and sugar. Continue to simmer the sauce for 1 - 1.5 hours more.

Add the remaining wine and basil. Simmer an additional 1/2 hour or longer (but not more than 3 hours total) to develop the flavors. Serve over pasta.

Makes 1 Braciola with extra sauce per person