Mama Mancini's Recipes

Steak Pizzaiola

I have an expression it’s called “SCENTED MEMORY” it happens when an aroma transports you back to a special time and memory in your life. When I make my Grandmother’s Steak Pizzaiola the aroma hits me hard and I am back in Dyker Heights, Brooklyn in my Grandmother’s kitchen and her steak pizzaiola is brazing on the stove. There are many recipes for steak pizzaiola out there but this one my Grandmother carried with her to America from Bari Italy in 1921. For me it is the only way to make this classic dish, and it is delicious. She taught me to use a very inexpensive cut of beef like chuck steak because she would braise the beef in the tomatoes for hours. The result would be a beef dish that literally melts in your mouth. Here is my recipe for Steak Pizzaiola.

A white plate holds a generous serving of beef stew covered in a rich tomato sauce, mingling with visible chunks of carrots and herbs, set on a rustic wooden table. Soft lighting highlights the dish, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere reminiscent of stove-top comforts. _MamaMancinis

Ingredients

  • 2lbs – chuck steak, cut 2 inches thick
  • 1 – large onion, chopped
  • 6 – cloves of garlic
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 28-ounce cans of whole Italian plum tomatoes, crushed by hand.
  • 1/2 cup of water
  • 1/2 cup red wine, chianti, or borolo
  • Salt
  • 2 bay leaves

Directions

1

In a very heavy pot add the oil and get that very hot.

2

Season both sides of the meat with the salt.

3

Brown the beef on both sides in the pot.

4

Remove the steak to a dish.

5

Add the wine and deglaze the pot, use a wooden spoon to do this.

6

Add the onions and garlic to the pot and sauté for 2 minutes.

7

Add the tomatoes, bay leaves, pinch of pepper, and water. Bring to a boil.

8

Add the beef and push it under the tomato sauce.

9

Cover the pot, put the heat to a very low simmer and let this braise for 1.5 hours. Check it along the way and spoon the sauce on the beef.

10

Remove the lid and simmer for 30 minutes longer this will thicken the sauce.

11

Discard the bay leaves. Serve the Steak Pizzaiola with the sauce and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

12

Enjoy ❤️Daniel Mancini

Notes

You can also make pasta to go with the sauce. So good, simple, and old school. And you can freeze any sauce that is left!

If you make this recipe, I hope it creates a “scented memory” for your family.

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