I am calling this variation ‘summertime’ because I experimented with summer produce for the filling, rather than the usual ham/egg/cheese/herb filling. Besides, when I cook the traditional beef olives in winter, I cook them with peas and carrots in a thick gravy and serve them with mash…this variation is more suitable for the hot days of summer!
SUMMERTIME BRAĠJOLI (SUMMERTIME BEEF OLIVES)
Trim beef slices of fat; grill one thinly sliced aubergine till done; layer beef as follows: grilled aubergine slices (2/3 per slice of beef), a slice of gruyere cheese, thinly sliced tomatoes (3 per slice of beef), one slice gammon/ham, shredded basil. Roll up and cook in slow cooker with chopped garlic, bay leaves, beef stock and seasoning for about three hours (allow less time if cooking in a pan on hob, about 1.5 hours of simmering). Nice served with home-made baked chips and fried/grilled green peppers with onion and garlic.