Pork braciole in tomato sauce

What are braciole?

Braciole are an Italian meat dish of pork cutlets rolled up around herb and breadcrumb stuffing, cooked in tomato sauce. They can also be made with beef, veal or chicken. They don’t have to be cooked in the sauce or stuffed. Braciole can refer to simple and plain pork chops as well. Or beef. Or veal. That sounds confusing until we realise that ‘braciola’ (pl. braciole) means ‘chop’ in Italian. How many different kinds of chops can you think of in English? Exactly.

This recipe then needs only a little more wording to be accurate: braciole involtini ripieni di maiale al Sugo di Pomodoro, or rolled and stuffed pork braciole in tomato sauce. Either way, it’s quite a mouthful. Thank heavens for regional dish names then – we can find exactly what we need as ‘braciole Napoletana’s!

That is also what is commonly understood as braciole in Italian-American cuisine (aka ‘off The Sopranos’) and in the Australian-Italian Cucina. Pork flattened and rolled up, filled with herb stuffing all porchetta and cooked slow and low in tomato sauce.

Ingredients:

• 4 pork cutlets, pounded thin
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup bread crumbs
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 cups tomato sauce
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh oregano

Instructions:

1. Season the pork cutlets with salt and pepper.
2. In a bowl, combine the Parmesan cheese, parsley, garlic, bread crumbs, and beaten egg.
3. Spread the mixture over the pork cutlets.
4. Roll up the cutlets and secure them with toothpicks or kitchen twine.
5. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the tomato sauce.
6. Add the basil and oregano and bring the sauce to a simmer.
7. Add the pork rolls to the skillet and spoon the sauce over them.
8. Cover the skillet and simmer for 25-30 minutes, or until the pork is cooked through.
9. Remove the toothpicks or kitchen twine and serve the pork braciole over pasta or with a side of vegetables.

KAMUFOX – tasty is here