Beef Olives

This is a traditional Maltese dish, however many variations exist of it. This is the one with a mince filling. The sauce in which the beef olives are cooked can also be used as a spaghetti sauce which makes a perfect starter.  

Ingredients:

Makes 4 beef olives

• 250g beef and pork mixed mince
• 1 egg, hard boiled and chopped
• 1 tbsp chopped parsley
• 2 tbsp parmesan, grated
• 4 slices ham
• salt and pepper to taste
• 4 slices minute steak
• 1 garlic, minced
• 1 can chopped tomatoes
• 1 tbsp tomato puree
• 2 tsp curry
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 cup peas 

Directions:
Start by mixing the mince, egg, parsley and parmesan in a bowl. Season as desired and set aside. 

Beat the minute steak slices in between cellophane with a hammer or a rolling pin. Divide the mixture in 4. Place a slice of ham on top of each minute steak, then put 1/4th of the mixture. Roll and close with toothpicks. 

Heat a tablespoon of oil in a deep pan and seal the beef olives from all sides, for about 5 minutes in total. There is no need for the filling to be cooked, this part is just to seal the juices inside the meat. Remove the meat from the pan and add the garlic to the pan. Cook for 2 minutes then add the chopped tomatoes, bay leaf, and curry. Season with salt and pepper and mix well. Put the beef olives in the pan again and leave to simmer on low heat for about 30-45 minutes, or until the tomato mixture has thickened. Add the peas, cook for 10 minutes, and the food is ready to be served. 

You can either serve some spaghetti with the sauce as a starter, then the beef olives with some vegetables and potatoes as a main, or otherwise you can serve a small portion of spaghetti as a side to the beef olives for a single plate.