Book of Days Tales

Today is the feast of San Gennaro, a Neapolitan and Italian-American patronal festival dedicated to Saint Januarius, patron saint of Naples and Little Italy, New York.  The festival was first celebrated in the United States in September 1926, when immigrants from Naples congregated along Mulberry Street in the Little Italy section of Manhattan in New York City to continue the tradition they had followed in Italy. The immigrant families on Mulberry Street who started the feast, a group of cafe owners, erected a small chapel in the street to house the image of their patron saint. They invited all to partake of their wares, asking the devoted to pin an offering to the ribbon streamers that were hung from the statue’s apron. This money was then distributed to the needy poor of the neighborhood. Originally a one-day religious commemoration, over time, the festival expanded into an 11-day street fair organized and run by people outside the neighborhood. It is now an annual celebration of food and drink, and a major tourist attraction.

Pork braciola (singular)/ braciole (plural) has been a street favorite in Little Italy for a long time.  It is an Italian roulade (involtini in Italian).

Ingredients

½  cup breadcrumbs

¼  cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese 

2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley 

1 teaspoon lemon zest 

1 ½  teaspoons kosher salt 

½  teaspoon red pepper flakes 

¼  cup olive oil

Two 1 ½ -pound pork tenderloins, butterflied and lightly pounded 

6 slices provolone cheese 

½ cup dry white wine 

25 ounces marinara sauce 

Instructions

In a small bowl, mix together the breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, parsley, lemon zest, ½ teaspoon salt, red pepper flakes and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Lay the tenderloins open and flat on a board in front of you. Season each loin evenly all over with ½  teaspoon salt. Lay 3 slices of provolone on each loin. Divide the breadcrumb mixture over the provolone. Roll the loins back up into their original shape and tie in 4 spots with kitchen twine.

Heat a medium straight-sided skillet over medium-high heat. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil to the skillet. Sear the pork tenderloins until evenly golden brown all the way around, about 3 minutes per side. Remove to a plate to rest. Deglaze the skillet with the white wine and add the marinara sauce. Place the pork back in the sauce. Cover the skillet and simmer until the pork is just cooked through and registers 145° F/63° C on a meat thermometer, about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to rest uncovered for 10 minutes before slicing and serving with the sauce.