Authentic Italian Braciole Recipe with Orecchiette

Name: Authentic Italian Braciole Recipe with Orecchiette
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 2 h
Total time: 2 h 30 min
Yield: 4 serving
Ingredients: 11 oz orecchiette; pecorino; 8-10 thin slices beef; 8-10 lices Italian lardo; 2-3 cloves garlic; 1 handful fresh parsley; 1.5 ounce Pecorino shavings; 1 red chili pepper; salt and pepper; 3-4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; 1 red onion; ½ glass white wine; 18 ounces tomato passata; 1 handful basil leaves; 10 cherry tomatoes

User Reviews

5.0

165 reviews

Excellent

Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
2 hrs
Total Time
2 hrs 30 mins
Servings
4
Calories
793 kcal
Course
Main Course
Cuisine
Italian

Authentic Italian Braciole Recipe with Orecchiette

Daisy Meyer

Report

This rich and tasty beef braciole with orecchiette pasta is an authentic Italian recipe from Bari in the Southern Italian region of Puglia (Apulia).

Share:

I Made This!

123 people made this

Print

34 people printed this

Save this

99 people saved this

Ingredients

Servings

11 oz orecchiette or short pasta of your choice
pecorino for serving

Beef Braciole:

8-10 thin slices beef preferably from a top or bottom round roast or sirloin
8-10 lices Italian lardo can replace with prosciutto crudo, or pancetta
2-3 cloves garlic peeled and finely chopped
1 handful fresh parsley chopped
1.5 ounce Pecorino shavings Alternatively, you can use Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano
1 red chili pepper peperoncino, or a sprinkle of chili flakes
salt and pepper

Tomato Sauce:

3-4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 red onion peeled and finely chopped
½ glass white wine red wine can also be used
18 ounces tomato passata
1 handful basil leaves torn in pieces
10 cherry tomatoes optional

Add to Shopping List

Instructions

Making the bracioles

Place your beef slices flat side down on a sturdy chopping board.
Gently pound the beef slices with a tenderizer or meat mallet, beginning from the thicker side and moving across each slice.
On each beef slice, layer one slice of lardo, diced chili, finely chopped garlic, Pecorino shavings, and chopped parsley, ensuring to leave a small border around the edges.
Roll each beef slice up tightly, starting from one side. Secure each rolled beef slice, or braciole, with two toothpicks, ensuring they pierce through the other side.

Making the braciole sauce

In a Dutch oven or deep skillet, heat up the extra virgin olive oil over medium-high heat. Sear the bracioles in two batches for about 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until they are browned. Remove the browned bracioles from the Dutch oven and set them aside.
Lower the heat to medium-low. In the same Dutch oven, sauté the finely chopped onion until softened, which should take about 5 to 7 minutes.
Pour the wine into the Dutch oven to deglaze the pan, scraping up any brown bits stuck to the bottom with a wooden spoon. Let it reduce until it has evaporated.
Add the tomato passata, torn basil leaves, and cherry tomatoes if you are using them. Season with salt and pepper. Bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low.
Place the browned bracioles back into the Dutch oven, making sure they are submerged in the sauce. Cover the Dutch oven and let it simmer until the meat is tender, which should take about 1.5 to 2 hours. Stir occasionally to prevent any sticking.
As the bracioles near readiness, bring a pot of water to a boil for the pasta. Once the water starts boiling, add in the salt and wait for it to return to a boil. Cook the pasta in the boiling water until al dente, following the package instructions for timing. Before draining the pasta, reserve some of the pasta cooking water.
Take the bracioles out of the sauce and stir the drained pasta into the sauce. If the sauce is too thick, add some of the reserved pasta cooking water to thin it out.
Before serving, remove the toothpicks from the bracioles and slice them in half. Divide the bracioles and pasta among plates, serving each with additional grated Pecorino.

Notes

This dish is traditionally served with orecchiette but other short pasta can be used. I would suggest fusilli, penne, Sardinian gnocchi (malloreddus) or casarecce.
In its traditional form, this dish is typically served in two separate courses: first, the pasta with the tomato sauce, and then, the braciole served as a main dish alongside vegetables and bread.I like to eat it together as one plate meal!
If you have any extra Italian lardo you can add some with the onions. The Italian lardo will melt and make a richer and more flavorful sauce.

Nutrition Information

Show Details

Calories 793kcal (40%) Carbohydrates 76g (25%) Protein 29g (58%) Fat 42g (65%) Saturated Fat 14g (70%) Polyunsaturated Fat 2g Monounsaturated Fat 14g Trans Fat 1g Cholesterol 75mg (25%) Sodium 387mg (16%) Potassium 1087mg (31%) Fiber 6g (24%) Sugar 11g (22%) Vitamin A 1121IU (22%) Vitamin C 43mg (48%) Calcium 181mg (18%) Iron 5mg (28%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 793 kcal

% Daily Value*

Calories	793kcal	40%
Carbohydrates	76g	25%
Protein	29g	58%
Fat	42g	65%
Saturated Fat	14g	70%
Polyunsaturated Fat	2g	12%
Monounsaturated Fat	14g	70%
Trans Fat	1g	50%
Cholesterol	75mg	25%
Sodium	387mg	16%
Potassium	1087mg	23%
Fiber	6g	24%
Sugar	11g	22%
Vitamin A	1121IU	22%
Vitamin C	43mg	48%
Calcium	181mg	18%
Iron	5mg	28%