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Malta: Braġjoli / Bragioli (Savory Stuffed Beef Rolls Braised in Wine)

This straightforward but very tasty dish often has a seemingly weird name inflicted on it by those from English-speaking countries: "beef olives." But, though there are no olives in bragioli, the phrase still makes sense.

The word olive started to be used for any slice of meat rolled up around a stuffing as far back as 1598, according to the Oxford English Dictionary. There was even a verb form -- to "olive" something meant to roll it up this way. Unfortunately the OED gives no hints as to where the phrase might originally have come from. The rolled up slices of meat must have looked like stuffed olives to a fair number of people. (Though plainly not all, as another name for this kind of preparation is "veal birds", possibly related to the French oiseaux sans têtes or alouettes sans têtes, "headless birds" or "larks without heads". By comparison, maybe "beef olives" isn't so bad after all.)

Anyway: back to the bragioli. (And if some Maltese-speaking reader would like to tell us what bragioli actually means, we would be very grateful.) The basic, classic version of the recipe involves a stuffing made with bread -- ideally the typical Maltese bread Ħobż Malti -- as well as bacon, garlic, parsley, and sometimes wedges of hardboiled egg -- all stuffed inside good quality beefsteaks pounded thin. The bragioli are then garnished with sautéed onions, carrot and bay leaves, and slowly braised in a robust local red wine.

Click "read more" for the recipe.

Monaco: Pan Bagnat (Stuffed Sandwiches, Monégasque Style)

Pan Bagnat is the name for this stuffed sandwich in Monaco and in France (where the name is hyphenated). The fillings can vary. For example, Bordeaux-born Monégasque Celine Beteta Wong, who works in the office of the Monaco Consulate in New York, says she also fills her Pan Bagnat with tuna. It can be a complete meal - great for a picnic or bag lunch.

  • 4 round rolls

  • 2 anchovies, rinsed and chopped
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, minced
  • 2 small black olives, rinsed and pitted
  • 1 green pepper, cored and thinly sliced
  • 1 tomato, sliced

Ukrainian Varenyky (Filled Dumplings)


MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.05
 
      Title: Varenyky (Filled Dumplings)
 Categories: Ethnic, Holidays, Breads
      Yield: 10 Servings
 
      5 c  Unbleached all-purpose flour
      1 ts Salt
      2 tb Butter
      1 c  Evaporated milk; not
           Condensed milk
    1/2 c  Water; as needed
 
   Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl, forming a well in the
  middle.
   Add the butter and milk and mix lightly until the flour is absorbed.
  (Add a little warm water as needed.)  Knead until the dough sticks
  together, cover and allow to rest for a few minutes, then knead until

Malta: Maltese Stuffed Artichokes (Qaqocc mimli)

  • 4 whole artichokes

  • Breadcrumbs made from 2 slices of dry bread
  • 2 black olives
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • A bunch of parsley
  • Seasoning
  • Olive oil
  • Vinegar

Soak the artichokes for half an hour in salted water. In the meantime prepare the stuffing with the breadcrumbs, the garlic, olives and parsley (all finely chopped), salt, freshly-milled black pepper, and olive oil to bind.

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