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Braciole alla Napoletana (Italian Stuffed Beef Rolls)
Braciole alla Napoletana (Italian Stuffed Beef Rolls) are delicious beef rolls filled with a tasty mixture of parsley, garlic, pecorino cheese, raisins, and pine nuts, all cooked slowly in a rich tomato sauce.This dish is a true example of Campanian cuisine, with its rich flavors and long history. I’m sharing the traditional version, just as our grandmothers made it—simple, hearty, and full of love.
Ingredients
- 8 slices beef - top-round sirloin or flank steak,pounded thin
- 800 g tomato passata - 3 ¼ cups
- 100 g pecorino cheese - 1 cup, grated
- ½ cup parsley - a small bunch, fresh and chopped
- 50 g raisins - ⅓ cup
- 40 g pine nuts - ¼ cup
- 100 ml dry white wine - ½ cup
- ½ onion - or 1 small shallot, finely chopped
- 4 tablespoons olive oil - of extra virgin
- 2 cloves garlic - minced
- salt - to taste
Instructions
- Place the meat slices on a cutting board and spread them out with your fingers. If the slices are too thick, use a meat tenderizer to gently pound them until they are thinner and wider. This will also make the meat more tender.
- Wash and dry the parsley, then place it on the cutting board along with the peeled garlic. Chop them both finely and set aside.
- Take each meat slice and place a small handful of the chopped parsley and garlic in the center.
- Add some raisins and pine nuts to each slice, using as much as you like.
- Grate the pecorino cheese, then sprinkle a generous amount over the filling.
- Roll up the meat slices like a roulade. To keep the filling from falling out during cooking, fold in the sides of the meat first, then roll it up tightly.
- Secure the rolls by using two toothpicks or by tying them with kitchen twine. Set the braciole aside.
- Chop the onion on a cutting board. In a large pot, heat some extra virgin olive oil over low heat and add the onion. Cook until the onion becomes soft and translucent.
- Place the braciole in the pot and increase the heat.
- Brown the rolls on all sides, then pour in the white wine. Let the alcohol evaporate, then lower the heat again.
- Add the tomato passata to the pot. If it’s too thick, add a ladle of lukewarm water. Season with salt and bring the sauce to a simmer.
- Cover the pot with a lid and let the braciole cook on low heat for about 2 hours. This slow cooking will make the meat very tender and the sauce rich and flavorful.
- Once the meat is cooked and the sauce has thickened, turn off the heat. Let the braciole rest for a few minutes. Remove the toothpicks before serving. Serve the Italian beef rolls hot, topped with some of the delicious tomato sauce.
Nutrition
Serving: 100gCalories: 437kcalCarbohydrates: 33gProtein: 14gFat: 29gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 0.03gCholesterol: 27mgSodium: 368mgPotassium: 1154mgFiber: 6gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 1759IUVitamin C: 33mgCalcium: 326mgIron: 5mg
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