As Palizzi Social Club back Chef Joey Baldino shares this recipe from his new cookbook, he tells us the classic Italian dish was created by pizza makers who would bring extra tomato sauce from their pies home, sear up some thin-cut steak and have a meal in minutes.
Steak Pizzaola
Recipe excerpted from Dinner at the Club cookbook
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
2 ribeye steaks, about 14 ounces each, cut 1/2 inch thick
Chef Tip: The thinner the steak, the faster it cooks
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
20 cracked black pepper
2 garlic cloves, very thinly sliced
pinch of red pepper flakes
1 sprig of basil
1 cup marinara (see recipe below)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Method:
Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy bottom sauté pan over medium high heat.
While the oil is heating, season the steaks on both sides with the salt and black pepper.
When the oil is shimmering, add the steaks and increase the heat to high.
Once the steaks are browned on one side, drain off half the oil and gently flip them.
Make some space in the pan, lower the heat to medium and add the garlic.
Continue to cook until the garlic is translucent and fragrant but not browned, about one minute. Add the red pepper flakes and basil and continue to cook for 30 seconds.
Stir in the marinara and oregano and lower the heat to medium-low.
Cook the sauce and steaks until the steaks reach 145 on an instant-read thermometer
Chef Tip: You are looking for medium-rare.
Remove and discard the basil.
Transfer the steaks to a serving platter and pour the sauce over the top.
Drizzle with olive oil and serve.
Marinara Sauce (makes 2 quarts)
Chef Tip: This is a classic sauce that you can make ahead of time and store for all sorts of uses. If you don't have time to make the sauce, you can substitute your favorite store-bought
Ingredients:
cup extra virgin olive oil
3 small yellow onions, thinly shaved
3 garlic cloves, thinly shaved
1 Bayleaf
1 Arbol chili
4 sprigs basil
2-28 ounce cans whole peeled tomatoes
1 teaspoon salt
10 cracks black pepper
1/4 teaspoon of granulated sugar (optional)
Method:
Combine the olive oil, onions, garlic, Bayleaf, chili, and basil in a medium Dutch oven over very low heat. Sweat the ingredients until the onions are melted and almost translucent, stirring frequently, about 45 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine the tomatoes, salt, black pepper, and sugar (if needed) in a medium bowl and crush the tomatoes as much as possible with your hands.
Set a course sieve over a second medium bowl.
Transfer the cooked onion mixture to the sieve and press through with a wooden spoon, until all that's left in the sieve is the Bayleaf, chili, and basil stems.
Chef Tip: This will take some elbow grease and about five minutes
Be sure to scrape everything off the bottom of the sieve with a rubber spatula.
Add the onion mixture back to the pot, add the tomatoes, and simmer over very low heat for 2 to 3 hours, stirring frequently to prevent sticking.
The marinara is done when it is reduced by a third and has a sweet, tomatoey flavor. Use immediately or let cool in store for up to five days in the refrigerator.
Chef Tip: The sauce can also be canned or frozen.
Palizzi Social Club
1408 S. 12th Street, Philadelphia, Pa. 19147
http://palizzisocial.com/