MALTESE CUISINE - À LA CARTE

KATIE'S PUDINA TAL-HOBZ
(Bread Pudding)

	Ingredients:

	--  2 large Maltese loaves (or equivalent), preferably a day or two old
	-- 14 ozs (400 grams) sugar
	-- 12 ozs (350 grms) margerine
	--  3 eggs
	--  1 grated rind of one lemon
	--  2 tablespoons chocolate powder
	--  3 ozs (100 grms) currants or sultanas
	--  2 tablespoons jam
	--  glaced cherries
	--  one packet dates (optional) cut into small pieces
	--  some walnuts or almonds (roasted and cut into small pieces)
	--  one small glass brandy or rum (optional)

	
	Method:

	Soak bread in water for two hours until soft, drain bread properly (use =
hands if necessary). Add margerine and sugar. Mix well. Beat eggs and =
add to the mixture. Add the other ingredients.

	Put mixture in a container (well greased) and cook in a moderate oven =
for about an hour (or until mixture has dried well).

	Serve cold.

(Recipe by Mrs. Katie Flores of Kalkara)



STUFFAT TAL-FENEK
(Rabbit stew)

	1 full sized rabbit
	1 Large onion, chopped
	1 12 ozs chicken broth (can be home made)
	2 cups frozen peas (or dehydrated)
	2 chicken bullion cubes (Knoor is best)
	1 12 ozs can Italian sauce (or stewed tomatoes)
	1 Half cup strong red wine

Cut rabbit into serving portions, and fry in oil for about 15 minutes. Remove rabbit from the pan
and use the same oil to cook the chopped up oinion. In the bottom of a pot (large enough to
contain the rabbit), place the cooked onion, broth, and bullions. Lay the rabbit on top, then add
peas, sauce and wine to the sides of the rabbit. Cover the rabbit with water and bring to a boil.
Turn the heat down and simmer for at least one and a half hours or untill the rabbit is tender
and the water has been reduced. The dish is best served as sauce/compliment to spaghetti. Make 
sure the spaghetti is washed after cooking or it will gum up, lay on a platter and top with 
rabbit, then cover in the sauce. This is but one variation of rabbit stew.

(Recipe by Raymond Micallef: micallef@sat.net)


TORTA TAL-LAMPUKI
(Dorado Pie)

	2 lb dorado fish (lampuki)
	1 sliced onion
	2 tomatoes, peeled and chopped
	1 medium-sized cauliflower
	1 lb 12 oz spinach
	8 olives (optional)
	1 lb flour
	8 oz shortening
	Salt
	1/4 pint water

Cut each fish into 4 portions. Dip the portions in flour and fry in 
shallow fat until cooked through. Do not overcook. Remove bones. Set 
aside while preparing the other ingredients.

Fry the sliced onion in 2 tbsp oil until soft. Add the tomatoes. Add the 
spinach and the cauliflower together with 1/2 pint of water. Cover 
closely and cook until vegetables are soft. Add olives (optional).

Line a 12" x 8" pie dish with a layer of pastry. Put half of the 
vegetable mixture on this. Place the fish portions on top. Cover with the 
remaining vegetables and with a pastry lid.

Bake on the middle shelf of a pre-heated oven. Keep the temperature high 
for the first 15 to 20 minutes. If preferred, the cauliflower and the 
spinach may be boiled separately. If so, they should still be reheated in 
the onion and tomato mixture.

(Recipe by Anne & Helen Caruana Galizia)


HOBZ MALTI
(Maltese Bread)

	3 lbs flour (all purpose)
	1/2 ozs canned yeast ( or 1 ozs fresh yeast)
	1 1/2 pints water (English not American ie slightly more)
	1 tablespoon salt
	1 teaspoon sugar

Warm up the water (tepid, or it will kill the yeast) and in a bowl use
it to dissolve the sugar. Sprinkle the powdered yeast (or stir in the
fresh) and leave in a warm place untill its froths. Meanwhile, place HALF
of the flour into a separate large bowl and add to it the risen yeast
once ready, mix well untill it the water is soaked up and produces a
somewhat runny mixture. COver the bowl with a wet towel and set aside in
a warm place for one and a half hours untill it doubles in size. Place
the remaining flour and salt in a separate bowl in the same warm location
so that it too can warm up to the same temperature as the yeast mixture.

Once the yeast bowl has risen, mix the dry flour into it and knead well
by hand. Once the liquid is absorbed, it will be pliable enough to take
out of the bowl and continue to knead it on a marble surface. Should the
dough become sticky you may dust with extra flour, but continue kneading
untill it becomes elastic. Place the dough back into the bowl, cover and
allow to rise for at least another hour. Warm up an oven (gas mark 7) and
lightly grease a baking sheet with butter or margerine. Take the risen
dough from its warm place and cut it into equal partions for baking,
remember that this dough will probably double in size again.

Take the portions and roll into loafs or stretch and braid. Bake for
about 10-15 minutes. Bigger loafs (as in baking tins) may take up to 40
minutes to finish baking. You can tell when the bread is done by testing
it for hollowness of sound when thumped on the bottom side.

(Recipe by Raymond Micallef: micallef@sat.net)


KANNOLI TAL-IRKOTTA
(Ricotta-filled cannoli)

	For the Pastry:

	8 oz flour
	2 tsps sugar
	2 tsps drinking chocolate
	2 tsps margarine
	2 tsps shortening
	2 tbsps red wine
	1/4 pint cold water


	For the Filling:

	14 oz ricotta
	2 oz plain chocolate
	4 oz glace' cherries
	2 oz icing sugar
	4 oz blanched & roasted almonds

Mash the ricotta, chop up the chocolate, cherries and almonds. Stir these 
into the ricotta together with the sugar. 

Make the pastry: either place all ingredients in an electric mixer and 
blend, using a dough hook, or mix by hand, using the rubbing-in method.
Roll the pastry out thinly. Cut into rounds with a cutter and place each 
round over a tube.

Heat some deep fat, and drop in a piece of lemon rind. Fry the cannoli a 
few at a time turning them until they are evenly brown. When lemon rind 
gets brown replace with a fresh piece. Cool the cannoli on absorbent 
paper. they ought to be filled at the last possible moment.

(Recipe by Helen Caruana Galizia)



QASSATAT TAL-IRKOTTA
(Stuffed ricotta cakes)

Dough:					Filling:
1 Lb flour (all purpose)		1 Lb rikotta	
8 ozs butter or margerine		2 eggs
2 eggs					1 tsp salt
1 tsp salt				(cooked frozen peas if desired)

Cream the butter with the eggs and salt. Add the flour and knead well. If necessary add water to 
hold dough together. Allow the dough to rest for a good while (about an hour). Meanwhile, combine 
the rikotta, eggs and salt in a bowl and mix to a firm texture. If the filling is runny, add more 
rikotta.

Roll out the dough (1/8" or more) and using a circular cutter (such as a wide mouthed cup) press 
out circles onto which you can drop a heaping tablespoon of filling. Lift the circle of dough at 
four points, pinching each point so that the filling is enveloped in a small bag of dough. THis 
takes practice to perfect as dough has a tendency to release itself. Do not overfill. Bake on a 
lightly greased/floured double cookie sheet, in a 375F oven, just untill the dough firms up and a 
light brown crust of filling can be seen at the top of the cakes. You may also use a meat based 
filling made of ground beef, italian sauce and peas which have been cooked and drained. 

(Recipe by Raymond Micallef: micallef@sat.net)



FRAKASSIJA TAL-HARUF
(Lamb Fricassee)

	INGREDIENTS:

	baby lamb jointed with serving pieces
	2 onions
	oil for frying
	1 glass white wine
	lemon juice
	parsley
	8 ozs peas
	1-2 egg yolks	


	METHOD:

	Fry sliced onions in oil till soft; move to sides of pan and fry 
lamb pieces until golden brown. Season and add white wine, reduce for a 
few minutes; simmer for 1 to 1/2 hrs till tender. Halfway through cooking,
add peas. Before serving, remove a ladleful of sauce from pan and add to 
the beaten egg yolks. Pour yolk and sauce gradually back into pan, 
stirring over very low heat. Add chopped parsley and juice of half a lemon.

	For a richer sauce, stir in 1 glass of sherry.

	Serve with boiled or mashed potatoes.

(Recipe by Lola Sammut)


QAGHAQ TAL-GHASEL
(Treacle Rings)

	INGREDIENTS FOR FILLING

	2 lb treacle
	An equal amount of water
	7 oz sugar
	Zest of tangerine, orange and lemon
	A small amount of candied peel
	A pinch of ground cloves
	2 tbsp jam
	14 oz semolina


	FOR THE PASTRY:

	1 3/4 lb flour
	2 egg yolks
	1 tbsp butter
	Water to bind


METHOD:

Place the filling ingredients, except the semolina into a saucepan. Bring
to the boil and thicken with semolina, adding only half of this at a time.
Cook for a few minutes.

Make the pastry. Sieve the flour, rub in the butter and bind with egg
yolks and water. The pastry will keep for a few days, wrapped in a plastic
bag in the refrigerator. Divide the pastry into six pieces, and roll out
one piece at a time. Shape into a rectangle and out of this cut individual
rectangles, 4" wide and 7" long.

Take a dessertspoonful of the stuffing and shape it into a sausage form,
as thick as an outsize finger and as long as the pastry rectangle. Use
semolina, sprinkled on the board to help you to shape it. Put the treacle
'sausage' in the centre of one of the rectangles and fold the pastry over
it. There is no need to damp the edges.

Now bring the two ends of pastry together to form a ring. Sprinkle the
baking trays with semolina. Put each ring as it is ready on the baking
tray. Now take a sharp knife and slash the pastry in about six different
places. Lift the pastry with the point of the knife so that the stuffing
shows through.

Bake in a moderate oven for about 20 minutes or until pastry is barely
colored. The almost white pastry makes a striking contrast with the dark
pockets of treacle.

(Source: RECIPES FROM MALTA, by Anne and Helen Caruana Galizia, Progress
Press, Valletta, Malta, 1974)


IMBULJUTA
(Hot Chestnut Soup)

	1 lb dried chestnuts
	1 heaped tbsp cocoa
	6 oz sugar
	A piece of tangerine peel finely chopped


Wash the chestnuts thoroughly. Place them in a large bowl and cover them
with water. Leave to soak overnight.

Next day remove any loose pieces of skin. Preserve water for boiling the
chestnuts. A pressure cooker will save much of the cooking time. Follow
instructions given with pressure cooker. in any case allow to boil until
tender.

Add the other ingredients and continue cooking for about half an hour. If
the stew is still watery at this stage reduce it by further cooking.
Finally taste for sweetness and add more cocoa, if necessary. Serve hot.

Serves 4 - 5

(Source: Recipes from Malta by Ann & Helen Caruana Galizia)


IMQARET
(Fried Date Slices)

	Ingredients:

	For the pastry:

	1 tbsp vegetable shortening
	1 tbsp unsalted butter or margarine
	1 cup flour, sifted
	1 tbsp sugar
	1 tsp	anisette liqueur	
	1 or 2 tsps orange flower water


	For the filling:

	1 lb dates, pitted & chopped	
	milk or water for soaking dates	
	1 tsp cloves
	zest of 1 lemon or orange
	1 shot glass of anise liqueur
	1 tbsp orange flower water
	sufficient vegetable oil for deep frying

Method:

For the pastry: Cut in the shortening and butter into the flour with a
pastry blender. Add sugar, anisette, and orange flower water. Form pastry
into a ball. Wrap in tea cloth or plastic wrap and refrigerate for
approximately one hour.

For the filling: Soak the dates in a small amount of milk or water for
approximately 30 minutes. Add cloves, lemon zest, anise liqueur, and
orange flower water. Mix well. Set aside.

On well-floured pastry board or other hard surface, roll out dough into a
long, wide strip. Spread date mixture in the middle of the strip. Fold
pastry over and seal carefully. Cut sealed strip into "diamond" shapes.
Press edges of individual "diamonds" closed. Fry in heated deep oil until
crisp and golden brown. Remove from oil and drain on absorbent paper.
Serve hot.

3 or 4 servings.

(Source: TASTE OF MALTA by Claudia A. Caruana)



KWAREZIMAL
(Traditional sweet for lent)

These are almond cakes which do not contain eggs, butter or milk and so
were considered suitable for lent.

	Ingredients:

	284g. ground almonds
	255g. plain flour
	340g. sugar
	Grated rind of a lemon
	Grated rind of an orange
	2 tablespoons cocao
	1 teaspoon orange blossom water
	1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
	Honey
	Some chopped almonds for topping


Method:

Mix together in a large bowl the ground almonds, flour, sugar,  orange
and lemon peel, cocao and cinnamon. Add the orange blossom water and
some more water until the mixture resembles pastry. Leave it to stand
for about 1 hour.

Heat oven to Gas No: 6. Grease a baking tray with margerine. Divide the
mixture in 12 and form each piece in a rectangular shape (size 15 x 5cm,
1cm in hight).

Bake in the hot oven for about 20 minutes after which remove from oven
immediately or else they become really hard. While still warm, cover
each biscuit with honey and top with some chopped almonds.

(Recipe by Connie Bonnici)




FIGOLLI
(Easter Pastries)

	Ingredients:

	2 lb plain flour
	15 oz margarine
	Rind of 1 lemon
	15 oz sugar
	4 egg yolks (reserve the whites)

	
	To make the almond paste:

	1 1/2 lb almonds
	1 1/2 lb sugar
	2-3 egg whites
	A small quantity of orange flower water
	Glace and royal icing for decoration
	Pastry cutters in fancy shape


Method

Rub the margarine into the flour. Add sugar and grated lemon rind. Mix
well. Add egg yolks and sufficient water to form a dough. Roll out and cut
2 of each desired shapes. Put a layer of almond paste (see below) in
between each pair. Wet the edges to seal. Bake in a fairly hot oven until
golden 20-30 minutes. When cool, coat with glace icing and when this is
set decorate with royal icing in a different colour. If pastry cutters are
not available, draw and cut out your original designs out of cardboard.
Men, women, horses and baskets are favorite subjects.

To make the almond paste, blanch the almonds and put them through a food
mill. Add the sugar. Bind with egg whites and flavour with orange flower
water.

(Source: RECIPES FROM MALTA by Anne & Helen Caruana Galizia, Progress
Press, Valletta, Malta, 1974)


GHADAM TAL-MEJTIN
(Dead Man's Bones)

	Ingredients:

	2 egg whites
	Few drops of almond essence
	150g caster sugar
	150g ground almonds
	icing sugar


Whisk egg whites until very stiff; add almond essence, then add sugar and the 
ground almonds.  Shape the mixture into leg bones(!) and bake in the centre of a 
moderate oven for 20 minutes.  Sprinkle some icing on top.

Maltese Tradtional recipes









Maltese
Pie





Ingredients
2
- 3 sheets frozen Flaky or Puff pastry

400
g macaroni

200
g minced lean beef

200
g minced pork fillet

2
onions, finely chopped

3
tblsp tomato paste

4
eggs

100
g Parmesan cheese

200
g lambs liver (or chicken livers)

200
g bacon, finely chopped

½
cup chicken stock

salt

pepper

2
tblsp olive oil
 

Method
In
a large microwave-safe casserole, cook the chopped onions, minced meats
and chopped bacon for 5 minutes on High. Mix well, and cook for a further
5 minutes on Medium. Add the tomato puree and stock. Cook on Medium-Low
for 15 minutes, then season with salt and pepper to taste.

Set
the oven temperature to 180° C (moderate). Defrost the pastry.

Cook
the macaroni in boiling, salted water for 12 minutes. Drain, add the Parmesan
cheese, and mix with the meat sauce. Beat the eggs and add to the meat
mixture.

Cover
the base of a lightly greased pie dish with the defrosted Flaky or Puff
pastry and fill with the meat sauce. Cover with the remaining pastry, brush
with milk, and cut ventilation slits (decorate with leftover pastry). Bake
in a  moderate oven for 45 - 55 minutes.
 

Stuffed Globe Artichokes

4 artichokes
75g anchovy fillets
crushed garlic
150g fresh breadcrumbs
50g olives
oil and vinegar
parsley
salt and pepper


Method



Chop the anchovy fillets, garlic, olives and parsley and mix with the breadcrumbs.  Add the oil and vinegar and work into a dry paste.  Season.

Wash the artichokes and fill between the leaves with this mixture.
 

Place the artichokes upright in a small saucepan.  Half cover them with water and add some oil.  Cover with a lid, bring to boil and simmer for 1 hour.  Serve hot.




Fenek Moqli (Fried Rabbit)

1 Rabbit
Sunflower Oil
Fresh Garlic
Dry White Wine
Thyme
Salt
Pepper




Cut rabbit in medium sized pieces

Chop some garlic

In a large bowl place the rabbit and cover with white wine 

Mix in the garlic, Thyme, and add some salt and pepper

Cover and leave in the fridge overnight or for approx. 6 hrs

In a large shallow frying pan heat some sunflower oil.

Add some garlic to the oil and fry for a few minutes on moderate heat (do not fry till golden brown)

Take the rabbit pieces and fry in large frying pan, turning occasionally, till rabbit cooks well.

You may add salt, pepper and thyme (or your favourite herb)

Sprinkle more white wine occasionally. 

Rabbit may be served with French fries and salad. (U ghidli x'qed tiekol!)



Bragioli l-Forn (Baked Beef Olives)


8 very thin slices of beef (for 4 persons)
3 hard boiled eggs
8 slices of streaky bacon
4 sausages (preferably Maltese)
Cheddar Cheese (optional)
One red onion
Fresh garlic
Fresh parsley
1 pint of Ale.
Salt and Pepper




Chop the eggs, bacon, sausages and cheddar cheese and mix in a bowl.
Add salt, pepper and fresh parsley, if no Maltese sausage was found, you may add some Coriander Seeds
Open a slice of beef and place approx. 2 tablespoons of mixture towards the edge of the steak
Roll the steak and fold (like a Spring Roll) 
Stick a tooth-pick right through, to hold the fold
Preheat oven (half)
In a large frying pan heat some oil, and fry the beef olives with some garlic, till blood is slightly drained
Prepare a medium sized dish, and place the beef olives side by side in this dish
Slice the onion and place in dish
Drown half the beef olives in beer and add salt and pepper to taste.
Cover with baking foil and put in preheated oven for about 45 mins.
Uncover the dish and cook for a further 30 mins.

You may serve with traditional baked potatoes



Hobz (Maltese Bread)


600g flour
10g salt
15g sugar
15g margerine
25g yeast
345ml luke warm water
1 tablespoon milk




Mix the flour, salt and margerine. Add the yeast.

Make a mixture of the luke warm water, sugar and the milk.

Add on to the flour and knead the mixture well until the dough is white and elasticated.

Place in a bowl, seal with cling film and a wet dish towel, place in a warm place for about 1 hour.

Work the dough, cut into small pieces (50g). Place on a baking tray, paste with egg, cut with a knife and let the pieces rest for about 15 minutes.

Cook in oven 450F (232C) gas mark 6-8 for 12-15 minutes.



Minestra (Thick Vegetable Soup)


84g cauliflower
84g carrots
84g pumpkin
56g white onions
28g celery stick
21g tomato paste
56g rice
1250ml water




Slice and wash all the vegetables.

Fry the onions, till tender.

Add all vegetables except the rice. 

Add the water, bring to the boil, and simmer till vegetables are cooked.

Add the washed rice. Soup must be very thick.



Spagetti biz-zalza tal-Qarnit (Spaghetti with octupus sauce)


1kg Octupus
224g onions
168g peas
224g tomatoes
112g black olives
250ml red wine
674g spaghetti
84g tomato paste
herbs
mint
lemon zest
olive oil
salt and pepper




Peel and slice the onions. Cut the octupus into even sized pieces, fry in a little oil and water. Add the tomato paste and herbs, continue cooking for about 20 minutes. Prepare the tomato concasse, by peeling the tomatoes and chopping them finely, add to the onions. Strain the octupus but save the liquid. Slice the olives and lemon zest. Add all remaining ingredients to the first mixture and simmer for a while. Add the octupus liquid and simmer for another 15 minutes. Cook spaghetti for not more than 7 minutes or till it is al dente



Timpana (Baked Macaroni)


1.5 lb. short pastry
1.5 lb. macaroni
1 lb. minced meat
4 oz. chicken liver
6 oz. peeled tomatoes
4 oz. chopped onion
2 oz. grated cheese
2 oz. tomato paste
 1/4 pt. water
2 hard boiled eggs
4 eggs
clove of garlic
olive oil
salt and pepper




Fry the onion and garlic. Add the meat and liver, fry till it is cooked. Add the tomatoes and the tomato paste. Cook for a few seconds. Slowly add the water and simmer till the meat is tender. Boil the macaroni, drain and cool. Chop the hard boiled eggs. Mix everything and season. Roll the pastry into a greased dish. Pour the mixture and cover with the pastry. Brush the top with egg wash. Cook in a moderate to hot oven.




Kosksu Bil-Ful (Kosksu with Broad Beans)


10 oz. Kosksu
1 onion
5 oz. peeled broad beans
3 oz. peeled tomatoes
2 oz. tomato paste
garlic
mixed herbs
2 pt. water


Chop the onion and garlic. Fry in a little olive oil till golden brown. Add the chopped tomatoes and tomato paste. Add some mixed herbs, and the water. Bring to the boil, add the kosksu, and simmer till cooked. Add the broad beans 10 mins before removing from the cooker


Kosksu is small pasta that looks like shotgun pellets. It is manufactured in Malta.















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