Braciole

If you read my blog, you know that I have an Old School Italian husband who can be a picky eater.  If I would let him (and by that I mean if I cooked it for him), he would eat a giant plate of pasta and meatballs every single day.  I do my best to vary his diet, but once in a while I indulge his big Italian appetite.  Tonight was one of those nights.  I made braciole.  Braciole is meat pounded thin, stuffed, browned and simmered in sauce.  You can use beef, but I like using thin, boneless pork chops.  It is absolutely delicious!  Here's how I do it:

BRACIOLE

1 lb. thin, boneless pork chops
1 cup fresh bread crumbs (zip toasted bread in a food processor)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 TBS chopped fresh parsley (Italian)
1 - 2 TBS olive oil
Salt and pepper
A large jar of spaghetti sauce
1/2 cup beef or chicken broth
1 cup water
1/4 cup sugar

Place a pork chop in between two pieces of plastic wrap.  Pound gently until thin with a meat mallet (or a rolling pin or a small pot).

Repeat until all the pork chops are pounded thin.  In a bowl, combine bread crumbs, grated Parmesan cheese and parsley.  Add enough olive oil to make the mixture glossy and damp, not too wet! (Between 1 and 2 TBS)

Salt and pepper to taste (a few pinches of each).  Then, season the chops with salt and pepper.  Add about a tablespoonful of stuffing to each chop.

Roll the chop tightly and secure with a toothpick or two (depending on how big your chops are).

After all of the chops are rolled and ready, sprinkle a little salt and pepper over them.  Heat a little olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.  Brown the chops on all sides.

Once they are browned, remove them and set aside.  Drain off excess oil.  Pour 1/2 cup of broth into hot pot to deglaze the pan.  Scrape the browned bits off the bottom of the pot.  This is big flavor you don't want to lose.

Then, add spaghetti sauce, water, sugar and salt & pepper to taste.  Remove the toothpicks and return the browned chops to the sauce.

Simmer for 30 minutes.  Serve with pasta.

They turn out tender and so delicious!  My old school Italian husband could eat the whole pot!  Indulge your big Italian appetite and make some braciole.  Mangia!