Pizzaiola alla Mamma

It's the perfect sauce on an evening where you are just to tired to stand in the kitchen.  Traditionally prepared during the Summer months in Italy, this meal might make you prepare  it during the cooler months too.   My mother used Minute steaks.  These thin sirloin beef cuts cooked up in a hurry.  The stewing in the sauce tenderized these cuts of meat.  Today, I use thin, rib-eyes.  Have the Butcher cut them nice and thin without falling apart.  A little, goes a long way. 

Ingredients: Serves 4 hearty portions

12 oz of Penne Pasta

4 thin beef steaks (about 1 pound)

3 cloves of garlic, split in half (you will be removing them later so leave them large enough to find in your pan)

Sprigs of fresh basil

2 teaspoons salt

One of pepper

2 1/2 cups of tomato sauce *unsalted (make salt adjustments to your liking)

1/2 cup of white wine

pinch of sugar, optional

3-4 tablespoons of olive oil

One large skillet (enough to accommodate your sauce and steaks)

One pasta pot with 8 quarts water and 1 plus 1/2 tablespoon salt

Method:  Heat your oil in a large skillet to medium.  Heat your garlic until fragrant and golden,  remove from the pan.  Quickly add your beef steaks.  Cook on each side for about 1 minute.  Add one teaspoon salt and pepper.  You want them browned some on each side.  Set them aside to cool.  Do not worry as they juices from them will run in the plate.  This is normal.

Add another tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and heat.  Add your garlic back to the pan.  Mix until heated again and fragrant, remove from the pan.  Add your tomatoes, wine and cook.  Let reduce about 1/2.   This will take approximately 10-12 minutes.  When you see a ring around the pan, add your beefsteaks back to the pan  with all their liquid.  Add your wine (add your optional pinch of sugar here). Submerge them under the sauce.  Cook for 10-12 minutes more on Simmer until a complete ring forms around the pan.

In the meantime, cook your pasta until al dente.  Remove your Beef Steaks from the pan and serve as a second dish.  I cut them in half and served them in the pasta bowl.  My mother would never hear of such a thing as it was always served separately,  in all it's glory and goodness.  Don't forget the Crusty bread!  Buon Appetito!

(I will be adding more photo's soon).