Steak Pizzaiola

This recipe is sooo good. And it’s pretty easy to make, if a bit messy. (Italian dishes are always so messy to make and eat). This particular recipe I got from Italian Food at About.com, and it’s called Don’s Steak Pizzaiola. I altered it a little to my liking. It’s a really good dish.

Steak Pizzaiola
Serves 6

2 28oz. can chunky-style crushed tomatoes
8 Tablespoons olive oil
6-8 large cloves of garlic, pressed well, or chopped lightly
6 slices very thin eye-round beef slices, 1/4″ thick or thinner
2 Tablespoons dry oregano
2 Tablespoons dry basil
1/2 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

In a Dutch oven, take 4 Tablespoons of the oil and heat. Add half your garlic cloves and saute for about 2 minutes, until it starts to turn brown (don’t burn!). Add the tomatoes and the basil and simmer for about 10-15 minutes, while you prepare the meat.

In a separate bowl, combine the rest of the garlic cloves, dried oregano, and mozzarella cheese; mix and set aside.

Take the remaining olive oil and heat it up in a large frying pan. Add a few slices at a time, not crowding the meat. Saute the meat, browning both sides and cooking for about 2-3 minutes on each side. Remove each slice onto a plate as it finishes. When all the slices are cooked, dispose of the greasy fat at the bottom. To the empty frying pan, add a little bit of the tomato sauce to cover the bottom of the pan. Add a layer of meat slices (how many slices depends on the size of your frying pan; I add two at a time). Now spread a small handful of the garlic/oregano/mozzarella over the slices; sprinkle some of the grated cheese; add more sauce to cover. Repeat the layers until all the stuff is used up.

Cover and let simmer for about 5 minutes or so. I shake the pan lightly to keep the bottom from sticking. (I have a glass tile/glass-top kind of stove, so cooking contents often stick to the bottoms of my pans).

This is a delicious meal with some vermicelli pasta and a green salad– nice and light but SO flavorful! Manja, manja!

Photo courtesy of the Leftover Queen.