The Bruciuluni is a typical dish from Palermo, whose origins seem to date back a long time, but it is also popular in other parts of the island. In the eastern region of Sicily, the dish is known as "farsumauru", which translates to "fake lean". Every family in Palermo has its own version, passed down from generation to generation.
Originally, the Bruciuluni recipe was designed to use leftovers, such as remaining hard-boiled eggs, no-longer-fresh vegetables, and ends of deli meats. The term "falsomagro" seems to derive from the French "Farce maigre", although the filling of Bruciuluni has never been too lean, and it's filled with a wide variety of ingredients.
The dish can be prepared traditionally, that is, by slow-cooking in a pot for about two hours. It's essential to monitor the cooking and stir occasionally to prevent the sauce from sticking to the bottom of the pot, which could compromise the final result.
To prepare the Bruciuluni as "bracioline", you need to soak raisins and pine nuts, then boil the eggs until they are hard, and let them cool. Finely chop spring onions and garlic, then sauté them in a pan with oil, chili pepper, and a pinch of salt. Add the drained raisins and pine nuts, and heat. Then add tomato paste and water, and mix everything with breadcrumbs, mint, chopped parsley, and grated caciocavallo cheese. Let the mixture rest for 10 minutes, then cut the deli meats and cheeses into strips.
Lay the slices of meat flat on the work surface, spread the breadcrumb and cheese layer on top, then add the strips of deli meats and cheeses, and complete with hard-boiled eggs. Roll up the meat and seal it well. In a pan, sauté chopped onions with extra virgin olive oil, then add the bracioline and let them flavor. Deglaze with red wine, let it evaporate, then add tomato sauce and cook on low heat for at least two hours. If desired, add peas towards the end of cooking. The main ingredients to prepare Bruciuluni are slices of veal rump, extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper, tomato sauce, bay leaves, onion, garlic, tomato paste, and red wine. For the filling, you'll need raisins, pine nuts, eggs, spring onions, garlic, extra virgin olive oil, chili pepper, tomato paste, breadcrumbs, grated caciocavallo cheese, parsley, and deli leftovers, such as mortadella, salami, cooked ham, and caciocavallo.
This Bruciuluni recipe is an excellent way to use leftovers and create a flavorful and traditional Sicilian dish. The slow cooking and the stuffing of various ingredients, like eggs, cheeses, and deli meats, give the dish a unique texture and taste. The preparation requires some time and attention, but the final result is definitely worth it.
Here are also two variants of Bruciuluni, including a vegetarian one:
Fish Bruciuluni: Instead of meat, use white fish fillets such as cod or hake. The filling can include ingredients like black olives, capers, cherry tomatoes, parsley, breadcrumbs, and fresh cheese. The preparation will be similar to the classic version, but the cooking time might be slightly reduced to prevent the fish from becoming too dry.
Vegetarian Bruciuluni: Replace the meat with vegetables like eggplants, zucchinis, or bell peppers, thinly sliced. The filling could include ingredients like mushrooms, fresh cheese, olives, sun-dried tomatoes, parsley, and breadcrumbs. Again, the preparation will be similar to the classic version, but the cooking will need to be adjusted based on the vegetables used.
We searched the web for 10 recipes from different countries and culinary traditions that might resemble Bruciuluni as stuffed meat dishes:
Eggplant Rollatini (Italy): Grilled eggplant slices stuffed with cheese, ham, and tomato, rolled up and baked.
Cordon Bleu (Switzerland): Veal slices stuffed with cheese and ham, breaded and fried.
Rouladen (Germany): Beef slices stuffed with bacon, onions, and mustard, rolled up and stewed.
Kibbeh (Middle East): Lamb meatballs stuffed with minced meat, onions, and spices, fried or baked.
Kefta (Morocco): Minced meatballs stuffed with cheese and spices, grilled or stewed.
Bifteki (Greece): Beef burgers stuffed with feta cheese and spices, grilled or baked.
Meat Pie (Greece): Baked pasta stuffed with meat sauce, béchamel, and grated cheese.
Cannelloni (Italy): Tube-shaped pasta filled with meat sauce, béchamel, and cheese, baked.
Empanadas (Latin America): Pastry pockets filled with minced meat, onions, olives, and spices, fried or baked.
Samosas (India): Triangular pastries filled with meat or vegetables, spices, and herbs, fried or baked.
We hope this list gives you some ideas to experiment with new stuffed meat dishes from different culinary traditions.
