Kwarezimal - Maltese Lent Sweets

During Lent, many Maltese are compelled to fast, and deprive themselves from sweet and decadent food with the good intention to pay for their sins.  Having no fat at all, Kwarezimal are the only traditional cookies, cooked throughout this period and  'permitted' to eat during the forty day of Sacrifice!  ...well I eat them as heartedly as any piece of chocolate! I have been inspired to do this recipe by my dear friend Doreen, who is a champion for almond biscuits! Recipe makes 10

500g Pure Ground Almonds

300g Soft Brown Sugar
30g Cocoa Powder
1 tbsp Rice Flour
150g Plain Flour
2 egg whites
2 tbsp water
3 tbsp Anisette
1 tbsp Orange Flower Water(optional)
1 tsp Mixed Spice
1 tsp Grated Orange Rind
1 tsp Grated Lemon Rind
Juice of 1 orange

Topping
1/2 Cup Crushed Roasted Hazelnuts
1/2 cup honey

In a large bowl, add egg whites, water, lemon rind, orange rind, orange flower water, orange juice, Anisette and sugar.  Using a fork, stir mixture well, then add almonds, sifted flour and cocoa powder, rice flour and mixed spice and continue to stir with the fork till all ingredients are combined to form a thick sticky paste.

Pre heat oven to 175c.

Line baking sheets with baking paper, then moist your hands with a little water, take heaped tablespoon of mixture and form into a 12cm roll then arrange on tray and flatten out gently.  Cookies should be about 12cm long 5cm wide and 1.5cm thick.  Dip a knife in some water and make cris cross dents on top.

Bake for 25 minutes then remove from oven and drizzle generously with honey and sprinke with crushed nuts.  These cookies will keep well for long time if stored in an air-tight container.

 

Pasta with Octopus Sauce - Zalza tal-Qarnit

If Spaghetti Rizzi is the most popular dish in a fish restaurant, well this must be the next.  Maltese love octopus especially when cooked in rich tomato sauce.  Mum was so good in making Octopus Stew.  She cooked large pots of it, and used to leave it on very low heat for very long time. At dinner time, she used to pick some of the thick sauce and mix with pasta then she used to serve the remaining stew which included potatoes, as a second course to be eaten with crusty Maltese Bread.. Yum Yum... This recipe serves 4

1 kg Octopus
2 clove garlic
1 medium onion
1 carrot
1 celery Stick
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp Paprika
1 kg Plum Tomatoes or 750ml tomato Pulp
1 tbsp Tomato Paste
1 cup Red Wine
3 tbsp olive oil
3 bay leaves
1 Star Anise
1 Cinnamon Stick
1 tbsp Honey
Sea Salt and Fresh Ground Pepper

500g pasta , Spaghetti or Linguine
1 tbsp chopped fresh herbs
2 tbsp olive oil for dressing

Wash octopus in cold running water and clean the heads.  Put in a large pan, then cover with water and bring to boil. Turn off heat and drain.  Cut into 1 inch pieces and set aside.

Crush Garlic and finely chop the onions.  Dice Carrots and celery stick.  Heat a medium casserole add olive oil and fry onions till medium brown.  Add crushed garlic, chopped celery and carrots, paprika and curry powder and continue to fry gently.  Add wine and reduce by half.  Add chopped tomatoes and tomato paste and 1 cup water, cover and bring sauce to boil.  Put, cinnamon, star anise and bayleaves in a muslin bag and tie securely with a string, then add to sauce.  Add octopus to tomato sauce then reduce heat to very low and simmer for 1 hour till sauce thickens.  Add honey and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Boil Pasta in plenty salted water till al dente. Drain pasta and transfer to large serving dish.  Sprinkle with fresh herbs and add olive oil.  Toss gently then add Octopus sauce on top and serve.