Italian Beef Braciole

Unless you have mad knife skills, ask your butcher to slice the top round for you.

3 pounds of 1/4 inch sliced top round of beef
Sirloin; cut into long strips
8 garlic cloves; minced
1 cup Romano cheese; freshly grated
1 cup golden raisins
3/4 cup pine nuts
2 cups dried parsley
3/4 cup dried basil
6 ounces prosciutto, sliced paper thin; optional
Cotton Butcher’s String (for tying the Braciole)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
5 cloves garlic; minced
1 medium yellow onion
2 (28 ounces) cans crushed tomatoes
1 (6 ounces) can tomato paste
About 1½ cups of water from rinsing cans
4 tablespoons parsley
1½ teaspoons basil
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper

With a meat hammer, pound out the slices of beef until they’re thinner, about 7” long x 4” wide. Cover each beef slice with garlic, Romano cheese, raisins, pine nuts, parsley, and basil (splitting everything evenly over the meat). You should not be able to see the meat when done right. Add a thin sheet of prosciutto if using. Roll up the sheet of beef, and tie each roll securely on each end and in the middle with butcher’s twine. Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a 6-quart saucepan, and brown the Braciole on all sides. Transfer to a plate. In the saucepan on medium heat, sauté in the second-listed olive oil, garlic, and onions until translucent, about 8 minutes but not burned. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, water, and the browned Braciole. Cover the saucepan, and simmer slowly for 2 hours. Add the herbs, salt, and pepper, and allow the sauce to simmer on low heat for 30 minutes, cooking it low and slow. Be sure to stir the sauce frequently so it doesn’t burn on the bottom. If the sauce becomes too thick, thin it by adding a bit of water. When done, carefully remove the butcher’s twine from the Braciole. Spoon some of this wonderful flavored sauce over your favorite pasta and one or two of the Braciole. Top with some Romano cheese, and enjoy!