Bountygolla -Chocolate and Coconut Figolla

This is one of my signature cookie. I love bounty especially the dark chocolate, probably because when I was young, the TV advert portrayed, lush beautiful tropic bounties. So, I thought why not mingle that to the Maltese traditional Easter sweet? So here it is, the chocolate short pastry filled with coconut goodness. This recipe makes about 6 normal sized figolli, or 12-15 small ones. 

 

For the Pastry 

250g Unsalted Butter 

200g Caster Sugar 

1 tsp Baking Powder 

550g Plain Flour 

60g Cocoa Powder 

3 eggs 

Pinch Salt

For the Filling 

500g Dessicated Coconut 

250g Caster Sugar 

3 egg whites 

50ml Malibu 

1 tbsp Rice Flour 

For Decoration 

200g Dark Chocolate

Sprinkles

 

Making Pastry 

1. Using K beater mix butter and caster sugar till pale and fluffy 
2. Add eggs one at a time while continue on moderate speed 
3. Add sifted flours and salt then mix until a thick paste is formed. Do not over work the dough, a few seconds is enough 
4.  Scrape dough, gather mass on to some cling film, wrap to cover properly and refrigerate for 1/2 hour  

Making Filling

1. Using a whisk, beat eggs and sugar till soft merengue is formed 
2. Remove whisk, replace by K beater, add coconut, Malibu and rice flour, then mix till thick mixture is formed. If mixture is too dry, add some coconut water or more Malibu.  Leave to rest for 1/2 hour so that the coconut absorbs all liquids and fluff up.

Shaping Bountygolla 

1. 
   
   
   Roll out pastry to 5mm thickness, cut desired shapes and transfer shape to baking tin
   
2. Take heaped tablespoons of filling and level out on top of the pastry.
3. Roll out the pastry again and cut shapes again and arrange on top of the coconut mixture to form a sandwich.
4. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
5. Heat the oven to 185C and bake Bountygollas for about 25minutes.  You will notice that the cookie is cooked when you see a light tinge of brown to the coconut filling.
6. You may eat the cookie strait-away, however these taste better covered in dark chocolate and sprinkled with your desired topping.
   

Maltese Chocolate bread pudding - Pudina

Mum makes best pudding and I can still taste the juicy sultanas mingled with crunchy nutty topping. This is my interpretation which I admit is very close to my childhood memory. Pudina is good served either warm with a cup of tea or cold with a chilled glass of milk.  Keeps well for about 1 week.

200g butter
250g sugar
3 eggs
200g plain flour
400g day old bread
600ml milk
200g raisins
100g ground nuts
50g cocoa
100g packet chocolate custard powder
100g ground almonds
1/2 tsp mixed spice
1/2 tsp cinnamon
Few drops vanilla extract
2tbsp Tia Maria

Topping
2 tbsp chopped nuts
2tbsp desiccated coconut
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 tbsp brown sugar

Pre heat oven to 180c. Roughly chop bread in a bowl and pour milk on top allow few minutes to soak. In a food mixer cream butter with sugar, then add eggs one at a time, then add ground nuts, cocoa, mixed spice, cinnamon, custard powder, vanilla extract and soaked bread and mix for about 3 minutes till bread is well incorporated in the mixture.  Then add Tia Maria and flour and give few turns till flour gets into mixture. Then add raisins and give a final mix.  Do not over mix at this stage.  Butter a 9x12inch dish and pour over mixture. Even out with spatula, then sprinkle with nuts and brown sugar then dust with cinnamon.  Bake for 45 minutes till skewer comes clean when tested.  Cut into squares and serve. Pudding keeps well for a week in an air tight container in a cool place.

Bigilla - Tic Bean Dip

This is a traditional Maltese dried bean dip.  Till now vendors go about in the streets selling piping hot bigilla smeared with chopped chillies in vinegar!! Yum.  We eat it with crusty Maltese bread or Galletti, the traditonal Maltese Water biscuits. The best beans to use are dried "Gilba" beans or Tic beans, but dried Broad beans are a good alternative.

350g Dried Gilba or Tic beans

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp ground black pepper

2 tbsp vinegar

1 small fresh chilli

2 cloves garlic crushed

1 tbsp chopped fresh parsely

2 tbsp olive oil

Extra chopped parsely and dried chilli flakes to garnish

Wash beans cover with cold water  and soak overnight.  The following day, wash beans again then put them in a pressure cooker and add enough water to have at least 1 inch over the beans.  Seal and turn heat on.  When the pressure starts leave on for 15 minutes then turn off.  Leave to cool so that the pressure goes down, then drain the beans reserving 1 1/2 cups of the cooking liquid.  

Add beans and reserved liquid to a food processor, add crushed garlic, chilli, vinegar salt and pepper and process till paste is formed.  Add parsely  and give more pulses to mix.  Paste will be a bit runny at this stage. Scrape mixture to a serving bowl, garnish with more parsely and chilli flakes and drizzle with olive oil.

Ravjul - Ravioli

Ravjul!  The word instantly draws me to my childhood memories, of mum spending the whole Friday morning, shaping these ricotta filled ravioli.  The Maltese are famous for this version and in the past, the shape resembled more of a donkey's ear than anything else. Serve plain, tossed in a little cooking water, and a knob of butter, or with garlic tomato sauce and a sprinkle of grated parmesan cheese.  Recently I fried them in a little olive oil and they turned out to be a winner.

For the Pastry
500g Strong Plain Flour
1/4 tsp Salt
5 eggs

Filling
800 g Ricotta Cheese
3 eggs
1 Tbsp Chopped Fresh Parsely
1/2 tsp Salt
2 tbsp Grated Parmesan Cheese
1/4 tsp Grated Nutmeg (or Grate 1/2 a nutmeg)

Garlic Tomato Sauce
1 kg Ripe tomatoes
3 clove garlic
1 small onion
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp honey
Few sprigs basil

Sift the flour and put in a food processor, add salt and eggs and pulse till mixture forms small balls.  Remove from processor and transfer to a floured working top.  Knead till dough is just elastic but firm.  Cover in cling film and chill for 1/2 an hour in the fridge.  

Meanwhile prepare the filling by putting ricotta, eggs, salt, parmesan and grated nutmeg and process till smooth and creamy.  Add the chopped parsely, give a few more pulses and then transfer mixture to a piping bag fitted with plain 1cm nozzle.  Leave in the fridge till needed.

Divide the dough into 4 pieces and using a pasta machine pass each piece several times till dough is smooth and elastic.  Roll into long rectangular strips, your final setting should be 3. Pipe ricotta nuggets, in a row in  the middle,  leaving enough space from one another  to cut the ravioli to your desired size.  Brush a little water around the ricotta then fold over.  Cup your hands and press around the filling carefully removing any air trapped inside.  Lift the strip of pastry with the filling to realease it from the work top, like so it will not stick, then cut with a round cutter and place over a floured baking sheet. (you can freeze them at this stage)

Bring a large pan of water with 1 tbsp salt to boil and boil ravioli for 8 minutes till al dente.  Serve with tomato sauce or plain tossed in butter.

Tomato Sauce

Wash  tomatoes, and cut in two, place in a casserole, with garlic, onion, basil, salt pepper and honey, bring to boil, covered on medium heat.  Continue to cook for twenty minutes till onions are cooked  stirring occasionally so that nothing sticks to the bottom of the pan.  Remove from heat then using a hand blender blend the mixture to obtain a thick puree.  Pass through a sieve, then return to pan and cook on low heat for another 20 minutes adding 1 tsp sugar if necessary.

Tip:
Never trow away any remaining pasta dough as fried in a little olive oil, then sprinkled with coarse sea salt is a very good accompaniement to a chilled glass of beer!

Stuffed Marrows and Beef Broth

Look at Her how proudly she sits in the bowl,  like a Queen watching over the Reign! You cannot go Maltesier than this!! I've been eating stuffed marrows for 40 years and I crave for them when they come into season. Us Maltese have a life with Marrows, we bake them, fry them, make broth with them, shopping is not complete without the old marrow! This recipe is my mum's who passionately cooked regularly for 9 children! I adjusted the quantities to feed a family of four!

6 Medium sized Green Marrows
500g beef mince
100g ham finely chopped
1 medium onion finely chopped
2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
2 eggs
1 tbsp bread crumbs
Fresh ground black pepper
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

 For the beef broth
500g stewing beef
1 small khol rabi finely chopped
1 carrot finely chopped
1 small zucchini finely chopped
1 tomato peeled and chopped
1 celery stick
1 tsp salt
100g pasta shells

Prepare the broth by adding all ingredients except pasta,  in a large stock pot, add 2 litres of water and bring to boil.  Cover and simmer while you prepare the marrows.

Wash marrows and trim the tops. Using a melon baller, scoop the inner flesh leaving just 5mm of skin. Chop roughly the inner flesh and set aside.  Heat oil in  a large frying pan, add onions and fry gently till translucent. Add the beef mince and  chopped ham and fry till golden stirring from time to time to avoid lumps.  Add the chopped marrow flesh,  cover and cook well till it nearly melts in the mixture.  Add the bread crumbs to absorb the liquids, and stir.  Lower heat, then add the lightly beaten eggs, parsely and grated parmesan cheese and stir well.  Turn off heat, grind the black pepper and give a final stir.

Using a teaspoon fill each marrow with the prepared stuffing, then place in the simmering broth.  Continue to simmer covered for 45 minutes.  

Cook pasta in boiling salted water for 10 minutes and drain.

Serve 1 stuffed marrow, two tablespoons cooked pasta and two ladles of broth per person.

Figolli

These are the traditional Maltese Easter bakes!  When I was young, Aunt Karm used to bake them on Wednesday before Easter, and till now, I carried on with the traditon!  I remember my younger brother, making a huge shape of a butterfly, so that it could hold as much of the almond filling as possible!  Then we used to decorate with lemon icing or chocolate.  I believe that Figolli are the Maltese interpretation of all the foreign influence we had on this Island.... the almond filled pastry, comes from the Italian 'Pasta Frolla', the egg on top, is definitely an eastern idea, while the Royal Icing comes from our long colony under the British Empire !!!  Long live the Figolla.

Sweet Short Pastry

250g Butter

200g Caster Sugar

1 tsp BakingPowder

600g Plain Flour

3 eggs

1 tsp lemon juice

1 tsp grated lemon rind

pinch salt

Almond Filling

500g Ground Almonds

250g Caster Sugar

2 tbsp Amaretto

Juice of 1 lemon

3 egg whites

1 tbsp rice flour

3 drops Almond Essence

Start with the almond filling by beating the egg whites with a balloon whisk till creamy in a large bowl.  Add caster sugar  and beat for another minute. Add Amaretto, lemon juice, and almond essence and mix well. Add ground almonds and rice flour and mix to obtain a fairly thick paste.  Leave to rest for at least 1 hour. Almonds will absorb some of the liquids and fluff up.

Prepare the pastry by creaming butter and sugar till pale in a food mixer using K beater.  Add eggs one at a time, then lemon rind and lemon juice.  Sift flour, salt and baking powder and  with the K beater still attached add to the butter mixture and mix for just 30 seconds till all has been incorporated and dough resembles very thick paste.  Stop the machine, remove the beater and transfer dough to a plastic bag or wrap in a cling film.  Chill for at least 30 minutes but not more than 1 hour.

To make figolli, dust the work top with flour, roll out half the pastry approx 3mm thick and cut into shapes.  Place shapes in a baking tray, spoon almond filling on top, then even out with a spatula.  Try to keep 5mm away from sides.  Roll out the remaining pastry, cut shapes and place on top  of almond filling.  Even out sides with spatula if necessary.  Bake for 30 minutes or until golden in 185c oven.  Take out from oven, leave to cool in baking tray, then cover with chocolate or ice with lemon icing (Juice of 1 lemon, 2 tbsp malibu, and enough icing to reach a smooth consistency).

Figolli can be frozen un iced. Wrap in plastic bags after cooked and completely cold. Take out from freezer 1 hour before needed.

Tip:

If you have some pastry and filling left over, make these delicious Date and Almond Pastry Squares, by simply roll out the pastry into a  long strip.  Add remaining almond filling in the middle, then place two dates next to each other  on top of the almond filling. Fold pastry over then cut into squares.  Brush with a little egg and milk then dust with caster sugar and bake.

Easter Bread Ring

This is a traditional Maltese Easter Bread, eaten on the Holy Thursday.  When I was young these bread rings, topped with almonds,  was exclusively given to the 12 apostles, animating the  last supper in church on Holy Thursday.  Being so rare, it tasted extra special.  Nowadays, vans sell these traditional rings in abundance on Holy Thursday so to taste my childhood I had to make my own!

1 kg plain flour
6 teaspoons dried yeast
3 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cup warm milk
60g melted butter
1 1/4 cup water
20 whole almonds
1 egg
2 tbsp extra milk for glazing

Put all ingredients except egg, almonds and extra milk, in a food mixer, and using the hook mix for ten minutes till smooth dough is formed.  Remove hook then cover bowl with kitchen cloth and leave to prove for 1 hour or until double in bulk.

Put back hook and knead for 2 minutes.  Divide dough in two, then knead into long roll, then shape each roll into ring.  Place on baking tray, cover with kitchen cloth  and leave to prove for 30 minutes.  Brush with combined egg and milk, make cuts with a sharp knife, and insert the almonds.  Bake in a 210 oven for 25 - 30 minutes until golden brown and feels hollow when tapped from the bottom.  Enjoy with salted butter!

Aljotta - Maltese Fish Soup

Normally this would be the starter coming out from my mum's kitchen every Friday!  She used to buy the 'small' fish and make this wonderful soup.  Nowadays with a little touch of sophistication, I make this fish soup using the double stock method in which I first make the fish stock with bones and heads then I strain and start the soup all over again using the first stock instead of water.

1kg fish bones and heads
2 large onions
4 clove garlic
2 celery sticks
1 bay leaf
2 sprigs Marjoram
8 white pepper corns
2 tbsp olive oil
2 large tomatoes
1 teaspoon salt
1 medium potato

In a large pot, put fish bones and heads, add two litres water, celery stick, 1 onion, 2 clove garlic crushed, 1 bay leaf, salt, pepper corns, marjoram and 1 tomato cut in half ( do not skin or deseed). Bring to boil then simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from heat and strain.  Save the cheeks from the fish head and any other meat.

Heat olive oil in a large pot, add 1 onion finely chopped, and remaining 2 clove garlic crushed and fry till golden. Add chopped tomato and cook for 1 minute.  Add the first stock, cubed potato, then simmer for half an hour till potato is tender.  Add reserved fish meat and cook for further two minutes.  Season with crushed pepper and salt if necessary and serve with crusty bread.

Mum's Rabbit and Gravy with roasted Rosemary Potatoes

This is another recipe that takes me back to my childhood memories. For many Maltese, Rabbit was the ultimate food and popularly cooked as Sunday Lunch. Mum bred, killed and cooked our rabbit. Sometimes we had it stewed , others baked or with tomatoes sauce on spaghetti, but this recipe is my favorite. She used red vinegar but I find that white wine vinegar and little balsamic taste just a little bit better. Try to cut the rabbit in small portions and when possible from joints. 

1 rabbit 

3 cloves garlic crushed 

1/3 cup white wine vinegar 

1 tsp curry powder 

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar 

2 cups chicken stock 

5 sage leaves 

Sprig of thyme 

2 tsp sugar 

4 bay leaves 

3 tbsp olive oil 

2 tomatoes peeled and chopped 

Salt and freshly ground pepper. 

4 large potatoes 

1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary 

2 tbsp olive oil 

2 cloves garlic crushed

 Salt and pepper 

Cut the rabbit in small pieces. Heat a large frying pan add half the oil and fry the rabbit in two batches. Season with salt and pepper. Tuck in sides, the bay leaves thyme and sage. Fry until rabbit is golden and in the last minute of frying add the garlic. Transfer rabbit to a large bowl and fry the second batch. Deglaze the pan by adding the vinegar and reduce by half. Add the stock, curry and chopped tomatoes. Simmer on high heat to reduce slightly. Add sugar and stir. Finally add back the rabbit, stir and cover. Cook on low heat for 15 to 20 minutes. 

Cut the potatoes into fairly small cubes. Place on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle garlic, rosemary and salt and pepper. Mix well using your hands then bake in a 180c oven for 1 hour until golden, turning once after 3/4 of an hour.

Green Marrow Soup with Baked rikotta and Poached Egg

This is a truly Maltese hearty Soup called 'Soppa ta l-Armla' which means Widow's Soup.  It is a traditional Lent food as it contains no meat.  Normally the egg is poached in the soup but I thought poaching it separately will give a cleaner finish. I also added fried green marrow slices for different texture and to me the plate looks more appetising.  This soup is poor man's food as ingredient costs are minimal, yet it has extraordinary  taste and nutritional value.

1 Kilo Green Marrows or Zucchini

1 large Potato

1 Large Onion

3 Fresh Long Garlic

2 medium tomatoes

1 cup fresh or frozen peas

1 tbsp flour

1 tbsp butter

3 tbsp olive oil

4 eggs

300g ricotta cheese

Salt & Pepper

4 tbsp short pasta of your choice (ditalini are the best)

Slice thinly 1 small green marrow and set aside.  Cut into small cubes, the remaining marrows, onion, potato and tomatoes. Finely slice the long fresh garlic.  Heat 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp butter in a heavy based soup pot. Gently fry the onions and garlic.  Add one tablespoon flour and stir.  Add 1 1/2 litres of water and stir.  Add chopped marrows, potato, peas and tomatoes. Season well with salt & pepper, cover and cook for 30minutes.

Cut the ricotta into 1 inch thick slices and place in an oven proof dish. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with Salt & Pepper.  Bake in a 200c oven for 20minutes.

Poach the eggs by breaking in salted boiling water and lift after 2 1/2 minutes. Lift them using slotted spoo and set aside on a plate.

Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, and fry marrow slices for two minutes on each side. Do not overlap. Lift and drain on kitchen paper.

Using a hand blender, give a few pulses to the soup, do not blend it! Add the pasta and cook for 5 minutes.  Turn heat off and cover for further 5 mintues.

Ladle soup into deep plates, arrange poached egg on one side and ricotta on another and garnish with fried marrows.

Snails with Aniseed gravy and Red Arjoli Paste (Bebbux bl'arjoli)

Well this food is not for the faint hearted! The snails cooking gravy is to die for and the red garlic paste is such a perfect accompaniment. We normally eat this poor man's food on Good Friday when we are supposed to fast but somehow, all the family look forward to this day as we eat our hearts out! Afterwards we all get the guilt sensation, much needed to enter in the day's Mood!

These quantity are enough for four hungry persons! Serve with loads of crusty bread....Maltese is best!

2kg snails
1 tbsp salt
1 large onion finely chopped
4 cloves garlic crushed
1 chilli deseeded and chopped
2 large tomatoes peeled and chopped
2 potatoes peeled and cubed
1 celery stick
Bunch fresh marjoram
4 bay leaves
Bunch parsley
Small bunch mint
1 star anise
1 tsp curry powder
3 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup vinegar
1 gravy cube
1 tsp fish sauce
1 tsp fennel seed
2 tbsp anisette or ouzo
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper

Wash snails thoroughly in plenty salted water. Put in a large pan add 1 tbsp salt and cover with water. Close the lid and bring to boil. Remove from heat and drain. (you can freeze snails at this stage, when completely cold). make a bouquet garni by tying together celery stick, bay leaves and marjoram. In a pestle and mortar pund the fennel seeds. Heat oil in a large pan, add onions chilli and garlic and fry gently till golden. Add curry powder and powdered fennel seeds and stir. Add vinegar and anisette and cook till nearly evaporates. Add chopped tomatoes, potatoes, and 1 litre water stir and simmer on medium heat. Add gravy cube, Star anise fish sauce, salt and pepper. Finally add snails and top up with more water until it covers all snails. Cook on medium to low heat for nearly two hours, keep adding water until the last half hour in which you need to let the gravy reduce and thickens. Check for seasoning and add more salt if needed. Chop fresh parsley and mint and add to snail the last minute. Turn off heat and serve with red arjoli paste.

Red Arjoli Paste

The inside of small Maltese Crusty bread, or 4 slices white bread
2 small cloves garlic
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tbsp vinegar
Dash tabasco
Ground black pepper
4 tbsp tomato paste(kunserva)
1 small can anchovy fillets
1 60g tuna in oil
Small bunch fresh parsley
Few sprigs of mint
Chilli flakes and extra oil to drizzle

In a food processor put bread, water and crushed garlic and pulse, add anchovies, tuna, tomato paste and pulse few more. Add olive oil and process to smooth paste. Add tabasco, vinegar pepper and herbs and pulse till well mixed. If mixture is too dry add few more tablespoons water. Spoon paste into a serving dish sprinkle with chilli flakes and drizzle with olive oil.

Kannoli

When I was little, every other Saturday, I used to wake up with the noise of a fairly young man and his horse shouting  'Rikotta Helwa' which means 'Sweet Ricotta'. In our village, it was very popular to see sellers with their horse, or even donkey pulling wooden carts selling home made produce, like pickles, flowers, and in this case naturally sweet ricotta.  Later on in life, I saw Tevye selling milk in Fiddler on the Roof and each time I watch him singing and pouring milk, cannot help but return to my sweet childhood memories of this 'man' selling his deliscious ricotta. The following recipe is a tribute to my Aunt Karm, who eagerly bought this creamy delicacy and made Kannoli taste so special.

For the Pastry
300g plain flour
Juice of 1 orange
2 eggs
1 tablespoon sugar
Pinch salt

For the Filling
500g Ricotta cheese
2 tablespoons candied peel
2 tablespoons icing sugar
2 tablespoons Anisette Ouzo or Sambuca
100g chopped chocolate
2 tablespoons chopped glaced cherries
2 tablespoons crushed roasted hazelnuts

Extra
75g plain chocolate
Icing sugar for Dusting
Oil for deep frying

Make the pastry by putting flour, juice of an orange, eggs sugar and salt in a food processor and pulse till a ball of dough forms. Remove and wrap in cling film and let the dough chill for 15 minutes. Lightly oil 12 cannoli tubes. Using enough flour pass dough through pasta machine till very thin, approx 2.5 setting. Cut into long strips the width of your cannoli tubes. Cut into squares and ensure to overlap by 5mm when wrapped around the cannoli tubes. Place seam side down on a flour dusted baking tray. Deep fry in olive oil, remove cannoli tubes from pastry when completely cold. Cannoli shapes keep well for up to a week in an air tight container.
Make the ricotta filling by putting ricotta in a bowl and mash till smooth. Add sugar and stir well. Add candied peel, anisette, chopped chocolate, and chopped glaced cherries and mix well. Transfer mixture to a piping bag with 1 cm round plain nozzle.
Melt chocolate over baine marie, brush chocolate on the inside of each cannolo, this will help to keep the crisp for longer. Pipe ricotta mixture into each cannolo, press sides into crushed roasted hazelnuts. Arrange on a serving plate and dust with icing sugar.

Tip
Extra pastry can be cut into small rectangles and shaped into bows, or long strips and pinch sides every inch and roll into rosette as in the image. Deep fry in olive oil and drench with honey. Dust with cinnamon powder and crushed nuts and serve with coffee.

Maltese Sausage with Tomato Caper Sauce and Saffron Quinoa

Quinoa is a very healthy gluten free grain that you can use instead of potatoes or rice.  It is very easy to cook and can be dressed with butter or olive oil.

1 Kilo low salt Maltese Sausage or Cumbrian Sausage
2 tablespoon olive oil

1 onion finely chopped
2 cloves garlic crushed
1 large can chopped tomatoes (polpa)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 cup water
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp capers in vinegar
1/2 cup kalamatta olives
1 tbsp chopped fresh marjoram
salt & pepper

1 cup Quinoa
2 cups Water
pinch Saffron
1/4 tsp salt

Prepare Quinoa by rinsing under cold water, drain and put in a pan with 2 cups water and saffron. Bring to boil and boil for 10minutes.Turn off Heat.  Open lid sprinkle salt and cover with kitchen cloth and seal with lid tightly so that it keeps on cooking with the steam.

Cut sausages with a diagonal shape, place on a baking tray and bake in hot oven 220c for 10minutes or until slightly browned.

Heat olive oil in a large pan and fry onions and garlic. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, marjoram, honey and 1/2 cup water. Season with salt and Pepper and simmer gently for 15 minutes.  Add olives and arrange sausages.  Cook without lid for further 5 minutes. Sprinkle capers and turn off heat.  Serve with quinoa with a drizzle of olive oil.

Low Salt Onion and Herb Maltese Sausage.

This type of sausage is best used for BBQ's and stews as it is not very salty, however after 1 day in refrigeration you must freeze or consume.  Will keep in Freezer for 1 year.

4.5K Pork Mince
2 medium Onions finely chopped
3 cloves garlic
1 tbsp chopped fresh sage
1 tbsp chopped fresh parseley
1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
10g coriander seeds
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
90g Salt

Mix everything together well. Pipe into sausage casing and prick with toothpick approx 10 times each sausage. Stand over rack in refrigerator for 1 day.  Use or freeze immediately.

Biskuttini

These are traditional Maltese almond cookies, I gave them a slight twist by adding some pistachio nuts. They freeze well, after cooked and completely cold put them in plastic bag and take out just half an hour before needed.

3 egg whites

1 cup castor sugar

1 tablespoon rice flour

Few drops almond essence

250g ground almonds

200g ground pistachios

Candied cherries and pecan nuts to decorate

4 sheets of rice paper.

In a food mixer beat the egg whites till soft peaks form, add essence then gradually add sugar and continue beating till sugar dissolves. Remove the whisk and with a large metal spoon fold in the ground nuts and rice flour till thick paste forms. Transfer mixture to piping bag with plain nozzle of about 1.5cm width. Place rice paper on baking sheets and pipe cookies on top leave enough room to expand. Decorate with half candied cherries or pecans and leave to set for minimum 3 hours. Heat oven 160c and bake for about 1/2 hour until slightly golden.

Imqaret (Date pastries)

These are popular Maltese street food Pastries, follow my easy steps and enjoy with a good cup of coffee.

For the pastry
400g plain flour
1 tbsp sugar
40g butter
1 tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
1/4 tsp lemon juice
1 tbsp orange blossom water(optional)
2 tbsp anisette or ouzo or sambuca
100ml water

For the filling
450g pitted dates
4 tbsp aniseed liqueur (anisette,sambuca or ouzo)
Juice and grated rind of 1 orange
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tbsp orange flower water (optional)

Make the pastry by putting flour butter cream of tartar in a food processor and pulse till mixture resembles fine bread crumbs. Add liquids and orange rind and pulse till mixture forms a ball. Wrap in cling film and chill for 1/2 an hour.
Meanwhile prepare the filling by transfer all ingredients to food processor, mix till thick paste forms. Put mixture in a piping bag,( I use disposable ones) with 1cm plain nozzle and set aside.

Divide the dough into 5 equal portions and roll each into 1.5cms thickness as shown in the diagram. With a rolling pin pull dough to approx 5cm width and pipe filling along. Close over filling pinch securely so that no filling escapes. Flatten out with rolling pin without using any pressure. Cut diagonal slices 3cm apart place on a baking tray and deep fry, preferably in olive oil. They freeze well after fried and allowed to cool completely. Thaw and reheat in medium oven.

Maltese Sausage

Maltese sausage is the very best sausage I ever tasted. We even eat it 'raw' spread on Maltese crusty bread, however I do not suggest you give it to children.

2kg pork mince
100g bacon minced
15g coriander seeds
85g sea salt
3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 tbsp ground black pepper

Put all ingredients in a plastic bowl and mix using very clean hands until well mixed. Fill into sausage casing, then prick each sausage with tooth pick 10 times. Leave on a wire rack in refrigerator for 1 day before eating. You can leave it on grid in refrigerator or hang it in a very cool place to dry or freeze it fresh for later use.

Qassatat (ricotta cheese pastries)

1 quantity short pastry ( 400g flour)
250g ricotta cheese
1 egg
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon semolina flour
1/4 cup milk

Mix all ingredients in a food processor until mixture resembles thick paste. Transfer mixture to piping bag fitted with plain nozzle 1 cm wide.

Roll pastry into a log approx 30cmx4cm. Cut into 1cm slices. Open each slice into 10th rounds, pipe approx two teaspoons mixture in the centre and gather sides crimping into rosettes as you go. Place on a non stick baking tray, brush with an egg wash and bake in a 200c oven for 25 minutes or until golden.

Kapunata

French call it Ratatouille, Scicilians Caponata, and us Maltese Kapunata.  I don't know who was the first to come up with the idea of mixing all these lovely summer vegetables and create a delicious accompaniment to fish and meat.  As I was picking my vegetables for this recipe I saw the sweet corn shoots and thought I should add them to my Kaponata making it an original recipe.  They gave colour and extra crunch to my finished dish.

3 large peppers diced
2 Jalapeno peppers finely chopped
3 small aubergines chopped into 1cm cubes
1large onion fienly chopped
4 cloves garlic
6 fresh tomatoes
1 bunch basil
1 medium carrot cut lengthways and chopped 
1 celery stick chopped
1 fresh sweet corn (kernels removed by sliding the knife approx 6mm lengthways
1 tablespoon sugar
Seasonings
2 tablespoons capers 
2 tablespoons vinegar
1 can anchovy fillets
1 tablespoon tomato paste.
 3 tablespoons olive oil
10 kalamata olives

Gently fry the onions and garlic in the olive oil.  Add the anchovies and keep frying until anchovies break.  

Add Peppers, aubergines, carrots, corn, celery.  Fry for about 10 minutes until veggies are just tender.  Add chopped tomatoes and tomato paste, seasonings, sugar and chopped basil. 

Cook on slow heat for further 20 minutes or until mixture is thick and  peppers are properly cooked.  

Finally add capers, vinegar and olives, stir, cook for just one minute.  Turn off heat and serve with hot crusty bread.