Warming the heart and stomach! Making Bragioli, the ultimate Maltese comfort food
If the prospect of a wet weekend ahead is getting you down in the dumps, why not warm up your days with some cosy homemade meals?
If there’s one dish that screams hearty Maltese home cooking, it’s bragioli, also known as beef olives (though there are no actual olives involved). This traditional dish consists of thin slices of beef wrapped around a savoury filling, slow-cooked in a rich tomato-based sauce.
The filling typically includes a mix of breadcrumbs, garlic, parsley, bacon, and hard-boiled eggs, all tied together with seasoning and sometimes a splash of wine. Once rolled up and secured with toothpicks or kitchen string, the bragioli are left to simmer gently in a pot, absorbing all the delicious flavours of the sauce.
Bragioli are often served with mashed potatoes or crusty Maltese bread to soak up the sauce, making it the perfect comfort food for a cosy night in. If you're feeling totally lost on how to get started, here's a helpful video to guide you along:
How do you make your bragioli?