Sicilian Braciole with Prosciutto and Raisins are part of a typical Sunday lunch in Italian households. A savory blend of cheese, breadcrumbs, prosciutto and raisins rolled in tender beef and simmered in a fragrant tomato sauce to create these melt in your mouth bundles!
Beef braciole with prosciutto and raisins are what you will find simmering in tomato sauce in Italian homes on Sundays. The large caldron of bubbling tomato sauce may also contain a few sausage links; pork ribs and always mom's best meatballs!
These braciole have a special twist to them, that is a few raisins added to the filling for a lovely contrast of sweet and salty flavors when you bite into them. This is, without a doubt, the Sicilian touch distinguishing these braciole from others made in different regions in Italy. This is how my mother has always prepared her braciole.
What cuts of meat are ideal for making braciole?
This recipe uses beef, specifically top round or flank steak cut into thin slices and tenderized with a meat mallet.
However other types of meat including veal or pork cutlets (pounded thin to tenderize them) are also good choices for making braciole.
How to serve braciole:
Braciole are typically enjoyed as a second course along with a salad or other vegetable sides such as Italian Green Bean Salad; Roasted Fennel with Parmesan and Breadcrumbs or Trapani Style Potatoes Vastase.
Once the braciole have simmered in the tomato sauce and are tender, transfer them to a serving platter and remove the butcher's twine with kitchen scissors. Keep warm while you boil your favorite pasta and toss with the tomato sauce to enjoy as a first course.
The following are step by step instructions with images to guide you through this recipe. Scroll to the end of this post for the complete printable recipe card.
How to make Beef Braciole with Prosciutto and Raisins:
Prepare the meat: To tenderize the beef, pound each slice with a meat mallet until thin. Avoid making holes in the meat. Set aside while you prepare the filling. This recipe makes 12 braciole.
Prepare the filling: Combine fresh breadcrumbs (crumb of day old bread); Pecorino Romano cheese; provolone cheese; fresh chopped parsley; minced garlic; and pepper in a medium sized bowl. Stir in some olive oil and combine all ingredients well.
Assemble the braciole: Place a slice of prosciutto on each slice of meat. Top with breadcrumb mixture and add a few raisins (I added 3-4) onto each braciole.
Roll tightly and use butcher's twine to secure the braciole as shown. Here's a handy link to help you tie the braciole with butcher's twine. Proceed with the remaining ingredients. 
Brown the braciole: At this point you have 2 choices for browning the braciole. The traditional way is to brown them in a little olive oil in the same sauce pan in which you will prep the tomato sauce in. Brown all sides of the braciole, remove from the sauce pan and proceed with the preparation of the sauce.
However, my mom has opted for browning her braciole on a baking sheet and lightly drizzled with olive oil in a 400 degrees F preheated oven for about 10 minutes. I'll let you choose the method that you prefer!
Here they are just out of the oven:
Prepare the tomato sauce: In a large deep sauce pan sauté a finely minced onion in olive oil. Add minced garlic cloves and red pepper flakes (optional). Then add red wine to deglaze the pan and stir in tomato paste. Pour in a jar of tomato passata. Be sure to add water to the jar (about ½ full) to gather the excess sauce sticking to the jar. Add to the sauce. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer. Add salt and pepper, to taste. Submerge the browned braciole in the sauce. Simmer for 1 ½ hours until tender.
To serve: Transfer the braciole to a serving platter. Use scissors to remove the butcher's twine. Cook your favorite pasta and toss with the tomato sauce. Enjoy the braciole as a second course along with a salad and side vegetables.
Tips and suggestions:
- Be sure to pound the meat as thin as possible (without making holes in it) to ensure tender braciole.
- My mom sometimes adds a beaten egg to the filling to hold the mixture together.
- Pine nuts would make a great addition to the filling. Try adding 2 tablespoon chopped pine nuts.
- Make sure the braciole are submerged in the sauce while simmering.
- Refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days.
If you try out this recipe please let me know how much you enjoyed it by rating it in the recipe card below. Feel free to Pin it for later. Buon appetito!
Check out more Italian main dishes:
- Polpettone with Hard Boiled Eggs
- Sicilian Veal Involtini
- Veal Osso Buco with Gremolata
- Spinach and Mushroom Filled Pinwheel Meatloaf
- ChickenRoast Chicken with Potatoes, Onions and Raisins
- Chicken Cacciatore
- Italian Stuffed Chicken
- Baccala alla Ghiotta
- Stuffed Calamari in Tomato Sauce
- Bacon Covered Turkey Roulade with Mushroom Filling
Ingredients
- 1 kg beef top round slices
For the filling
- 1 cup breadcrumbs from day old bread
- ½ cup Pecorino Romano cheese grated
- ¼ cup Provolone cheese shredded
- 2 tbsp. freshly chopped parsley
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- black pepper to taste
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 12 slices prosciutto
- 36 raisins or more as desired
For the tomato sauce
- 3 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- red pepper flakes optional
- ¼ cup red wine
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 1 796 ml jar tomato passata (tomato purée)
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Prepare the meat:
- Use a meat mallet to pound the meat until thin. Set aside.
Prepare the filling:
- Combine fresh breadcrumbs (crumb of day old bread); Pecorino Romano cheese; provolone cheese; fresh chopped parsley; minced garlic; and pepper in a medium sized bowl. Stir in some olive oil and combine all ingredients well.
Assemble the braciole:
- Place a slice of prosciutto on each slice of meat. Top with breadcrumb mixture and add a few raisins (I added 3-4).
- Roll tightly and use butcher's twine to secure the braciole as shown. Proceed with the remaining ingredients.
Brown the braciole:
- At this point you have 2 choices as to how to brown the braciole. The traditional method is to brown them in a little olive oil in the same sauce pan in which you will prep the tomato sauce in. Brown all sides of the braciole, remove from the sauce pan and proceed with the preparation of the sauce.
- The second option is to brown the braciole on a baking sheet lightly drizzled with oil in a 400 degrees F preheated oven for about 10 minutes.
Prepare the tomato sauce:
- In a large deep sauce pan sauté the diced onion in olive oil. Add minced garlic cloves and red pepper flakes, if using. Then add red wine to deglaze the pan and stir in tomato paste. .
- Pour in a jar of tomato passata. Be sure to add water to the jar (about ½ full) to gather the excess sauce in the jar. Add to the sauce. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer. Add salt and pepper, to taste.
- Submerge the browned braciole in the tomato sauce. Simmer for 1 ½ hours until tender
To serve
- Transfer the braciole to a serving platter. Use scissors to remove the butcher's twine.
- Cook your favorite pasta and toss with the tomato sauce. Enjoy the braciole as a second course along with a salad and side vegetables.
Notes
- Be sure to pound the meat as thin as possible (without making holes in it) to ensure tender braciole.
- My mom sometimes adds a beaten egg to the filling to hold the mixture together.
- Pine nuts would make a great addition to the filling. Try adding 2 tablespoon chopped pine nuts.
- Make sure the braciole are submerged in the sauce while simmering.
- Refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days.
- Please note that the nutritional information provided is approximate and may vary according to exact ingredients used and portion size.
Nutrition
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Sarah
Absolutely delicious! I made with pork rather than beef, stuffing included a sausage/ prosciutto mixture I had in the freezer... terrific recipe!
Nadia
Hello Sarah, thanks for sharing! Indeed the recipe does work with other types of meat. I'm so glad you enjoyed them. Grazie!