Steak Pizzaiola

It's quick, it's delicious, it's steak AND I've got it down to one pan! Meet your new fancy but low maintenance best friend, Steak Pizzaiola! As the name references, Steak Pizzaiola is covered in a dense and delicious pizza like tomato sauce. In this recipe we cook it low and easy on the stovetop. It is truly simple to make, but so full of beautiful flavor that it is a fabulous mid-week dinner surprise and you can pretend it took you hours.

Much like pizza, folks like their Steak Pizzaiola with many things, I've seen the addition of mushrooms, olives, onion, capers, even cheese. But I like to keep it simple, let the tomatoes sing and have that glorious beef flavor come through without distraction.

For my version today, I used a beef sirloin steak, but use any tender cut you prefer. Consider sirloin, tenderloin or strip. And you can bet your bottom dollar that I will be doing this in the summer with some fresh Roma Tomatoes from my yard, skinned and seeded of course. For this version I used canned San Marzano's, which, when using a good brand still delivers lot's of unadulterated sweetness. And I know someone is going to ask if the flour is a *must*, it is not. You will still get a glorious, sweet and tender meal without the flour BUT, flour on Steak Pizzailola really elevates it, it creates a buttery finish to the steak and allows the sauce to really cling to it. I'm not flour fanatic, but this is one recipe where I won't eliminate it. The difference is remarkable.

Go ahead and give this baby a try and let me know how you like it!!

Serves 2

What Do I Need?

16 Oz Beef Steak (Make sure your steak is not to thick, 3/4 of an inch is perfect)

28 Ounces Whole Plum Tomatoes (Quarted long ways with seeds removed and disposed of)

2 - 4 T of the packing juice from your can of tomatoes, if using canned

3 Cloves of Garlic (crushed and chopped fine)

1 T Fresh Oregano (chopped)

1/4 Cup of Flour (place on a plate for dredging)

Olive Oil

Salt & Pepper

Now What?

Before you start prepping the ingredients above, remove your steaks from the refrigerator and allow them to come to room temperature for 15 minutes or so. Next, place your sauce pan on the stovetop and heat over medium heat, add a drizzle of olive oil to the pan. While your pan and oil are heating, quickly salt and pepper the steaks and dredge in the flour, tap off excess and carefully add your steaks to the hot pan for about 2 minutes on each side. You want the pan hot enough that when you drop the steaks in they instantly start to brown, so they are not sitting there soaking up excess oil while waiting to cook. They should quickly turn a lovely brown. Be careful not to handle them too much while the are browning, you don't want to knock off that glorious and all powerful flour seal. When your steaks are browned, remove from the pan, place on a plate and set aside. This should take no more then 2 minutes per side.

Next, drop your heat a bit and add another little drizzle of olive oil to the pan, add your garlic and stir for 2 - 4 minutes, be sure to grab up those bits of steak on the bottom of the pan. Don't burn the garlic, the pan is hot, Next add your tomatoes and just your quartered and de-seeded tomatoes, save some of the juice from the tomato can incase we need it later, but for now we just wan the quartered, deseeded tomatoes. Stir well for about 5 minutes and then add your oregano, salt and pepper to taste and allow the sauce to simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes, if your sauce is to dense, you can add a table spoon or so of the juice from your can that you have set aside. But beware, you don't want it soupy.

Clear a space in the center of your sauce pan and add your steaks in the middle. Cover them with your tomatoes so that they are nestled right under them, absorbing all that beautiful tomato flavor while they cook. Next drop your heat to a low and gentle simmer and cover your pan. I used aluminum foil, but if you have a tight fitting lid, that works too! Simmer for an additional 20 minutes or until your steak is cooked and serve! It's soooo good!

Take Note: I'm a believer in investing in a great pan, Staub's hold and keep heat steady. They are gorgeous, last a lifetime and also give you a great arm workout! And when cooking this, be sure to use a pan that isn't way to large, you want everything in the pan to be quite close so a 10 - 12" size is great for this quantity.