Orecchiette al Sugo di Braciole
Fresh ear-shaped pasta coated in a rich, savoury tomato sauce slow-simmered with traditional Bari-style stuffed beef rolls.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 120 min
- Total
- 150 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 680 kcal
Equipment
- •Heavy-based Dutch oven or casserole pot
- •Kitchen twine or toothpicks
- •Large pasta pot
- •Colander
- •Meat mallet
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 680 kcal
- fat
- 24 g
- carbs
- 74 g
- fibre
- 6 g
- protein
- 42 g
- calories
- 680 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Lay the beef slices flat on a board and gently pound them thin with a mallet.
- 2
Season each slice with salt, pepper, garlic, parsley, grated Canestrato, and strips of lardo.
- 3
Roll each slice tightly into a cylinder and secure firmly with kitchen twine or toothpicks.
- 4
Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a heavy-based pot over medium heat.
- 5
Brown the beef rolls evenly on all sides until nicely coloured, then transfer to a plate.
- 6
Add the chopped onion to the remaining oil and fry gently until soft and translucent.
- 7
Return the beef rolls to the pot, pour in the white wine, and let it bubble away.
- 8
Stir in the tomato paste and passata, then bring the sauce to a gentle simmer.
- 9
Cover partially and simmer on the lowest heat for two hours until the sauce turns thick and glossy.
- 10
Cook the orecchiette in boiling well-salted water until tender with a pleasant bite.
- 11
Remove the beef rolls from the sauce and set aside on a warm platter for the main course.
- 12
Drain the orecchiette, toss thoroughly in the hot tomato sauce, and serve topped with grated cacioricotta.
Chef's tips
Roll the meat tightly and secure the ends so the melting pork fat and herbs remain inside during the slow braise. Keep the heat exceptionally low throughout cooking so the lean beef turns meltingly tender without drying out.
Ingredient substitutions
- cacioricotta → young pecorino, though it is saltier and less milky
- Canestrato Pugliese → aged Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano Reggiano
- lardo → unsmoked pancetta or prosciutto fat
Storage
Keep the leftover sauce and beef rolls in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
Reheating
Warm the sauce and beef rolls slowly in a covered pan over low heat with two tablespoons of water.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Rolling the meat too loosely, which allows the filling to spill out into the sauce during browning.
- •Boiling the sauce too rapidly, which toughens the beef rolls rather than gently tenderising them.
- •Overcooking fresh orecchiette until soft instead of keeping the centre pleasantly firm and chewy.
Serving suggestions
Cooked Orecchiette al Sugo di Braciole?
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