- 4 thin slices boneless beef round, about 1 pound
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons grated Pecorino Romano cheese
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup dry red wine
- 2 cups canned imported Italian tomatoes with their juice, passed through a food mill
- 4 fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces
- Place the beef between 2 pieces of plastic wrap and pound gently with the flat side of a meat pounder or a rubber mallet to an even 1/8-inch thickness. Discard the top piece of plastic.
- Set aside 1 chopped garlic clove for the sauce. Sprinkle the meat with the remaining garlic, the cheese, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. Roll up each piece like a sausage and tie it like a small roast with cotton kitchen string.
- Heat the oil in a large pot. Add the braciole. Cook, turning the meat occasionally, until it is browned on all sides, about 10 minutes. Scatter the remaining garlic around the meat and cook 1 minute. Add the wine and simmer for 2 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and basil.
- Cover and cook over low heat, turning the meat occasionally, until it is tender when pierced with a fork, about 2 hours. Add a little water if the sauce becomes too thick. Serve hot.