braciole-style flank steak

►►make ahead up to 2 days

Prep: 45 minutes Roast: 20 minutes at 425°F Stand: 15 minutes Chill: up to 2 days Bake: 1½ hours at 350°F Makes: 4 servings

• 2 yellow sweet peppers
• 1½ teaspoons olive oil
• ¼ cup diced pancetta
• ½ cup finely chopped onion (1 medium)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, well drained, and pressed dry
• ¼ cup coarsely grated Pecorino Romano cheese
• ¼ cup dried currants
• 2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted (see tip)
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 1½- to 2-pound beef flank steak
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1½ cups marinara sauce
• ½ cup dry red wine

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with foil. Cut sweet peppers in half lengthwise; remove stems, seeds, and membranes. Place pepper halves, cut sides down, on prepared baking sheet. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes or until charred and very tender. Bring foil up around peppers and fold edges to enclose. Let stand about 15 minutes or until cool enough to handle. Using a sharp knife, loosen edges of the skins; gently pull off the skins in strips and discard. Cut peppers into strips; set aside.

2. In a medium saucepan heat the 1½ teaspoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Add pancetta; cook until browned, stirring frequently. Add onion and garlic; cook and stir over medium heat for 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Add spinach, cheese, currants, pine nuts, ¼ teaspoon of the salt, and ¼ teaspoon of the black pepper. Set aside.

3. Place flank steak between two pieces of plastic wrap. Using the flat side of a meat mallet, pound lightly to ½-inch thickness. Remove top plastic wrap. Sprinkle steak with the remaining ½ teaspoon salt and the remaining ¼ teaspoon black pepper.

4. Arrange sweet pepper strips lengthwise along the center of the flank steak, leaving 3 to 4 inches uncovered on both sides. Spoon spinach mixture evenly over the pepper strips.

5. Starting with a long side, use bottom plastic wrap to guide flank steak over and around filling, making a long roll. Tie roll at 1½-inch intervals with 100-percent-cotton kitchen string. Tuck in the ends of the roll; using a long piece of string, tie roll lengthwise. (To serve today, continue as directed in Steps 7 through 9.)

6. To refrigerate to serve later, wrap meat roll in plastic wrap. Chill up to 2 days.

7. Preheat oven to 350°F. Unwrap meat roll. In an extra-large oven-going skillet or braising pan heat the 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Add meat roll; cook until browned on all sides, turning frequently.

8. In a small saucepan combine marinara sauce and wine. Cook over low heat just until boiling. Pour marinana-wine sauce over meat roll in skillet. Cover tightly. Bake about 1½ hours or until meat is fork-tender. Remove meat from skillet; remove strings and cut meat into 1-inch slices. Serve with the remaining sauce in skillet.

Per serving: 611 cal., 30 g fat (8 g sat. fat), 70 mg chol., 1,238 mg sodium, 33 g carb., 5 g fiber, 45 g pro.