Take your beef slices and pound them between two sheets of wax paper until they are very thin.

Mash up the garlic, the chopped parsley with a generous pinch of salt and a grind or two of pepper, with a mortar and pestle until you have a thick paste. (In the absence of a mortar and pestle, you can just chop them all up together with a knife or mezzaluna.)

Lay out the beef slices on a clean surface and slather some of the garlic and parsley paste on each slice. Then add the provolone or caciocavallo (cut into little cubes) or the pecorino (grated), followed by a few raisins and pinoli nuts.

Roll up the beef slices as tightly as you can. To keep them closed during cooking, you should tie them at each end with kitchen string into little bundles (as pictured) or skewer them with toothpicks.

Melt some lard (or heat some olive oil) in a sauté pan, then add the braciole and brown them lightly.

Add the onion and garlic, and season everything with salt and pepper. Simmer gently, covered, until the onion is very soft, turning the braciole from time to time. Add a bit of water if need be to prevent the onion from browning.

Uncover the pan, turn up the heat and add the red wine. Let the wine cook off, turning the braciole from time to time so they color evenly in the wine.

Now add the tomato, mixing it well with the soffritto. Turn down the heat again, cover the pan and let it all simmer very gently for a good hour or more, until the meat is tender and the sauce dark and well reduced. Add some water if the sauce is getting too thick before the meat is done.

To serve, remove the string (if using) and lay the braciole, either home-style—whole with a spoonful of sauce on top—or, for a more elegant presentation, as picture above—sliced, over a 'bed' of sauce. Keep the rest of the sauce to dress pasta, perhaps as a primo at the same meal.