Braciole

Both my boyfriend and my brother are going to be away on actual Christmas Day, so this weekend was full of early holiday gatherings. On Saturday, my boyfriend and I woke up, opened our stockings, and had a delicious brunch at one of our favorite places, Joe's Restaurant (seen here). Then on Sunday, we all met up at my parents' house for dinner, gifts (new iPhones!) and some last-minute tree decorating. Since our schedule was pretty busy my dad made braciole, which slowly simmered on the stove while we were opening presents. The dish - steak stuffed with prosciutto, garlic, herbs, breadcrumbs, and cheese - is one of my family's favorite special occasion meals, but it's really pretty easy to make. The presentation is always impressive and super festive for Christmas because of the red tomato sauce and green herbs.

Braciole:

• Pound 3 lb. flank steak* to 1/4" thickness.
• Layer 2 oz. prosciutto over the steak, then 1 head of minced garlic, then 1 bunch of minced parsley, then 1/2 c. breadcrumbs, and then 1 c. Parmesan cheese.
• Very tightly roll the steak into a log and secure with twine.
• Meanwhile, heat 2 tbsp. olive oil in a large pot until very hot.
• Brown the steaks for 3-4 minutes per side and remove.
• Add 1 chopped onion to the pot, scraping up the brown bits as you go.
• Cook the onion for 8-10 minutes, or until soft, then pour in 12 c. of marinara sauce and 1 tbsp. dried Italian seasoning.
• Let the sauce simmer for 30 minutes, then add the steak back to the pot.
• Cook the braciole for 90 minutes, turning once or twice.
• Remove the meat and let rest for 10 minutes, then remove the twine and slice into pinwheels.
• Divide onto plates and top with extra sauce and minced parsley.

Serves six
*You might need to use two 1 1/2 lb. steaks.