Braġjoli (Maltese Beef Olives)
Braġjoli are a classic Maltese comfort dish — thin slices of beef wrapped around a savoury stuffing of breadcrumbs, bacon, and egg, slow-cooked in a rich tomato and wine sauce. Despite the name, they don’t contain olives — “olives” refers to the rolled shape. This dish is perfect for Sunday lunches or special occasions, often served with mashed potatoes or crusty Maltese bread to soak up the sauce.
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Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 619kcal
Equipment
- Sharp knife
- Meat mallet or rolling pin (to flatten beef slices)
- Cutting board
- Large frying pan or Dutch oven
- Skewers or kitchen twine (to secure the rolls)
Ingredients
- 500 g thin beef slices topside or flank
- 50 g breadcrumbs
- 1 egg beaten (50 g)
- 100 g streaky bacon chopped
- 2 tbsp olive oil 30 g
- 100 g onion chopped
- 2 –3 cloves garlic crushed
- 50 g tomato paste
- 100 ml red wine
- 100 ml water or beef stock
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Optional: parsley grated cheese, or mustard for stuffing
Instructions
- Flatten the beef slices with a meat mallet until about 5 mm thick. Season with salt and pepper.
- In a bowl, mix breadcrumbs, bacon, beaten egg, and parsley (or grated cheese, if using).
- Place a spoonful of stuffing on each beef slice, roll tightly, and secure with a skewer or kitchen twine.
- Heat olive oil in a pan and brown the rolls on all sides. Remove and set aside.
- In the same pan, sauté onion and garlic until soft.
- Add tomato paste and cook for 1–2 minutes, then deglaze with red wine.
- Return the beef rolls to the pan. Add water or stock, cover, and simmer gently for about 1 to 1.5 hours, until tender.
- Serve hot with potatoes, peas, or fresh bread.
Notes
You can prepare the rolls in advance and freeze them raw or cooked.
For a richer sauce, stir in a spoon of butter or a splash of cream at the end.
This dish is often better the next day — perfect for meal prep or slow Sunday lunches.
Nutrition
Calories: 619kcal | Carbohydrates: 14.6g | Protein: 45.8g | Fat: 41.2g