My family has a traditional dish that's made at the holidays. We call it by the Sicilian name my dad and grandmother used...but we have no idea how to spell that "old country" name. After years of trying to find the correct spelling of the dish, I found the correct name for the dish while looking at an episode of America's Test Kitchen. It's called Braciole. Braciole is a type of veal bird, or stuffed meat roll, that is found in each region of Italy. I know a version from Sicily but I'm sure it's not a "pure" version...it's a version by way of Sicily, San Francisco, and now Nevada based on foods and spices that can be found locally. As an example, originally the meat was veal...I used flap steak this time that I pounded to 1/8 inch thick. Very thin cut round steak, tenderized and pounded to 1/8 inch thick is an alternative.
When I was about six or 7, my grandmother taught me how to make Braciole. I remember standing by grammie, and listening very carefully how to measure out each spice. She took my left hand and told me how much of each spice to pour in my hand...and how to hold my hand flat or cup my hand to get the correct amount. For certain spices she said I needed to crush them with my right thumb to release the oils in the spice. The process was interesting to the little me, and I remembered the recipe. To this day I measure out the spices with the same process.
The recipe is not hard, it's just long. Nowadays, it's a "heritage recipe" which means it's complicated. The meat needs to be pounded so it's very thin. The stuffing has to be measured and mixed. Then the stuffing is spread on the meat in an even layer, the meat is rolled and finally tied together with strings. When the meat rolls are finished, they are put into a large pot of tomato sauce that has been bubbling all morning. Finally, the large and heavy pots are put into a 350 degree oven for several hours. While they are cooking, the house is filled with the best aroma you can imagine. On Thanksgiving Day I made 52 Braciole or veal birds for Christmas dinner. And of course, we had Braciole for Thanksgiving Dinner. They were yummy. From start to finish, I worked six hours. A labor of love and a walk down memory lane. No one in my little family knows how to make the dish even though I've tried to teach them over the years. One year, I even made a step by step picture book. So, as long as I can make Braciole, I will.
Here you see 3 little Braciole with rotini and the sauce, the best meat sauce you've ever had, as it's cooked for several hours. I froze the remaining Braciole and they are my gift to my family for Christmas. I can hardly wait to see their faces when they see them because, as of now, the Braciole are a surprise.
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