Best-Ever Braciole

Step 1

Prepare the following, adding each to the same medium bowl as it is completed: Grate 2 ounces Provolone cheese on the large holes of box grater. Grate 1 ounce Pecorino Romano cheese on the small holes. Finely chop 1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves. Grate 2 of the garlic cloves directly into the bowl (or finely chop).

Step 2

Add 1/4 plain breadcrumbs, 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, 1 teaspoon of the kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Stir until well-combined.

Step 3

Place 1 (1-1/2 pound) flank steak on a cutting board with a shorter side closer to you. Place your hand on top of the steak, parallel with the long edge. Using a sharp knife parallel to the cutting board, cut horizontally into it from top to bottom, but do not cut all the way through the steak. Open up the two sides like a book.

Step 4

Place the steak between two sheets of plastic wrap. Pound with the flat side of a meat mallet or the bottom of a small frying pan to even out any thicker parts and tenderize it.

Step 5

Cut 5 to 6 (10-inch) pieces and 1 (24-inch) piece of string. Remove the top layer of plastic wrap. Sprinkle the meat evenly with the filling. Starting from a long side, roll up the meat, tucking in any filling that spills out. Towards the end, start to tuck in the sides. Roll until you have a tight log shape.

Step 6

Slide each smaller piece of string under the roll and tie them, spacing them evenly along the meat about 2 inches apart. Slide the longer piece of string under the roll lengthwise and tie at the top to secure. Snip and discard any long excess pieces of string. (At this point, you can wrap the meat in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight before cooking.)

Step 7

Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F. Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large, ovenproof, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the braciole and cook, turning every few minutes, until browned on all sides, about 8 minutes. While the braciole is browning, finely chop the remaining 1 garlic clove. Transfer the braciole to a plate. Add the garlic to the pan and cook, stirring often, until soft and fragrant, about 1 minute. Add 1 heaping tablespoon tomato paste and 1 cup dry white wine. Stir and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Pour in 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes and the remaining 1 teaspoon kosher salt and stir to combine.

Step 8

Return the braciole to the pan, nestling it in the sauce. Cover and transfer the pan to the oven. Bake, flipping the braciole halfway through, until the meat is very tender and easily pulls apart with a fork, about 1 1/2 hours total.

Step 9

Carefully transfer the braciole to a clean cutting board. Cut off and discard all of the twine. Cut the braciole crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices, transfer to a serving plate, and spoon the sauce over the slices.