By Rocco Muriale
HQ 37 | WINTER 2000
At the age of 29, Rocco Muriale left his friends and family in Clarksburg, W.Va. and moved to the Huntington area to pursue his dream. On April 4, 1977, Rocco’s Ristorante opened its doors, turning its owner’s dream into a glowing reality.
Today, Rocco’s is a smashing success; so much so, that on most nights people will line up outside the door to enjoy his fine cuisine. The restaurant has recently expanded to boast a large bar and waiting area, an expanded kitchen and a new dining room. The old dining room will now be used for private parties.
In the beginning, Rocco said he had his doubts about the restaurant.
“I thought it would do well, but I sat there many nights with no customers in the place. If you’ve got something that’s good, I think people will eventually come around. We had a little following at first, but it took awhile to get the word out.”
And indeed the word spread. People were raving about the quaint atmosphere and excellent food. Although Rocco includes many gourmet recipes on his menu, he contends that the simple dishes make the restaurant special.
“In my estimation, you can’t have an Italian restaurant without lasagna and spaghetti and meatballs. I don’t care what anyone says!”
Rocco makes everything that is served in the restaurant from scratch, with the small exception of some pastas which are imported from Italy.
Rocco attributes much of his success to the dependability of the food’s high quality.
“The restaurant business has to be consistent. What I like about Rocco’s is that the food is good and it’s consistent. It’s not bad one day and good another. Even if a restaurant is so-so, if it’s that way every time, you can count on it and you don’t mind going there because you can accept it for what it is.”
Many long hours go into operating a successful restaurant, but Rocco wouldn’t have it any other way. “I love what I do. Sometimes, I wonder what it would be like to have a nine-to-five job. But, I like the action and I like to be busy. I probably couldn’t settle for less than a restaurant.”
The following is a recipe for Rocco’s Braciole or “Stuffed Meat Rolls:”
4 oz. beef or chicken
3 slices of bacon or prosciutto or both
1 tsp. Pecorino Romano
1 tsp. Parmesan
1 tsp. fresh parsley
1 tsp. fresh basil
1 tsp. bread crumbs
1/8 clove fresh garlic
Enough flour to coat the beef
Salt and pepper
White wine
6 Tbls. per order of canned crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce
This dish can use a variety of meats ‹ tenderloin, top round of beef, top round of veal or chicken which would work as well.
First begin with a 4 oz. piece of beef. The meat must be pounded between two sheets of plastic food wrap to keep the meat from tearing.
After the meat is pounded, then lay the bacon or prosciutto on the flattened meat, add the remaining six ingredients. Roll the meat to form a tight fitting roll.
Combine flour with a little salt and pepper, roll the beef in the flour lightly.
Cooking: Add three (3) tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet and brown the rolls evenly. Fry the roll with the seamed side of the beef down at first, this will help keep the beef from opening when cooking. You can tie the roll with butcher’s string if necessary.
After browning the beef, drain the oil from the skillet removing the beef roll. Return the skillet to the fire and add 1/4 cup of white wine, the tomato sauce and 1/8 stick of butter. Add the beef back to the skillet, cover and bake at 325º for one hour. Remove from the oven, cook your favorite pasta and cover the pasta with the meat and sauce.
