Sometimes, I cherish the challenge of creating a home prepared dinner that could rival restaurant dining.  Mind you, it can be very time consuming and sometimes run up a bit of a bill.  Nonetheless, the aromas, flavors and textures can be their own reward.  So with this in mind, my wife and I set out recently to uncover a dish that would reflect our upcoming visit to Tuscany and Piedmont, yet one a little off the classic “pasta” beaten path.  If you’ve not explored the detailed and filling world of Italian cuisine be aware that there are several courses that comprise a complete meal: antipasti or antipasto (literally “before the meal”), primi (largely composed of pasta, soup and risotto dishes), secondi (meat, poultry or seafood dishes), contorni (to accompany the secondi dishes and translated means contours as they round out the menu) and of course the dolci (if you have room).  Of note, you can opt for a primi as a main dish when in Italy.  Our choice: we went with a secondi dish called Braciole (pronounced Brazzuhl)

Braciole is simply rolled slices of beef (or veal) pan fried in their own juices or in a small amount of olive oil.  However, what is known as Braciole in the United States is referred to as involtini ( translated: “little bundles” in Italian) in original Italian cuisine: thin beef, pork or chicken stuffed with grated cheese (often Parmesan or Pecorino Romano) and other delights such as prosciutto, ham, sausage, mushroom, onion, garlic and spinach.  Simmer the dish in a rich tomato sauce, meat juices adding still more savoriness to the sauce, and you have yourself one delicious dish plus a sauce that is made for a side pasta dish.  It’s easy to find a recipe for Braciole so you should have no problem locating one.

We decided to use the recipe out of the William Sonoma Essentials of Italian.  From a local market, we picked up slices of top round and asked the butcher to cut them a little less that ¼” thin.  Being thin, we didn’t need to pound tenderize the beef.  After sprinkling the slices with Kosher salt and pepper, we laid a slice of prosciutto and provolone cheese on each, sprinkled with pine nuts, raisins and garlic, rolled them up and secured each with string.