The word braciola means different things in different parts of Italy. In the north it's generally a cutlet -- veal or beef -- cooked flat, either with a sauce or over the grill. In the south, on the other hand, the word braciola can also refer to a slice of meat rolled up around a filling -- what's called an involtino further north. A braciolone is a big rollup, and this is a festive dish from Trapani. To serve 4:

See Also

More about the cooking of Trapani

Ingredients

• A broad, thin slice of lean boned veal weighing 1 1/8 pounds (500 g)
• 3 hardboiled eggs, peeled
• 1/2 pound (225 g) breadcrumbs
• 3 slices mortadella
• 3 slices cooked ham
• 2 ounces (50 g) finely sliced salami
• 4 ounces (100 g) fresh caciocavallo cheese (use a fresh provolone if need be), diced
• 2 ounces (50 g, or a cup) freshly grated aged caciovavallo or Parmigiano
• A small bunch parsley, minced
• 2 tablespoons raisins (optional)
• 2 tablespoon pine nuts (optional)
• A clove of garlic, minced
• An onion, sliced
• 2 cups (500 ml) tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• Extravirgin olive oil
• Sugar
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Butcher's twine

• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 90 minutes

• Total Time: 120 minutes

Preparation

Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a pot and add the onion and the tomato; season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of sugar and cook for 15 minutes. In the meantime combine the breadcrumbs with the garlic, the parsley, the fresh and grated cheeses, the raisins, and the pine nuts. Season the mixture with salt and pepper and add enough olive oil to it to soften it to the consistency of a fairly thick paste.

Spread out the slice of meat on your work surface, pounding it gently with a smooth-faced pounder or the flat of a knife. Season it with salt and pepper and brush it with olive oil. Lay the slices of cold cuts over the meat, and shape the breadcrumb mixture into a sausage shape in the center of the meat; press the hardboiled eggs into the breadcrumbs.

Next, roll the slice of meat up around the filling, and tie the toll tight with butcher's twine, being careful to make a good seal lest the cheese melt and emerge as the meat cooks. Heat 5 tablespoons of oil in a pot and brown the roll on all sides. Sprinkle the wine over it and continue cooking until the wine has evaporated, then add the tomato and onion sauce and simmer for an hour. When the time is up remove the braciola from the pot and let it cool some on a serving dish. Slice it, heat the sauce through and spoon it over the slices, and serve at once.

Yield: 4 servings Braciolone