Maltese cuisine
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Maltese cuisine is the result of a long relationship between the Islanders and the many foreigners who made Malta their home over the centuries. This marriage of tastes has given Malta an eclectic mix of Mediterranean cooking. Many popular Maltese specialities are Italian/Sicilian or Moorish in origin.
Maltese cuisine is, nowadays, still popular in households and restaurants in Malta, but is by no means the main gastronomical form present on the island. Rather, it is a traditional form of cuisine, which was prepared more exclusively in the past centuries, and which has now become a part of a much more varied diet followed by the Maltese people. Indeed, the Maltese enjoy a Mediterranean diet, with heavy Italian influences. However, for the purpose of this article, Maltese cuisine is seen to be the more traditional form of Maltese cooking, which is still present in the island, but which has now been joined by other different types of cuisine and influences, which are also an integral part of the Maltese diet.
The following are some Maltese dishes, which are part of the diet of the people of Malta:
[edit] Aljotta
A rich fish soup with plenty of garlic and tomatoes. Often served with rice.
[edit] Bigilla
Traditional bean dip. It is made with a type of dried broad beans called ful tal-Ġirba, which are soaked for 24 hours, then boiled. The beans are subsequently mashed and mixed with salt, pepper, olive oil, garlic and parsley. Chili is optional.
[edit] Braġjoli
A thin slice of beef surrounding breadcrumbs, bacon, eggs and herbs. Particularly tasty when braised in red wine. Also known as beef olives in English.
[edit] Rabbit
Rabbit is very popular and one of the most well know Maltese dishes. It is served as a traditional dish in restaurants. The rabbit is usually lightly fried, then simmered as a casserole of red wine for several hours. It is usually served with chips or potatoes and salad. It is mostly served in tomato sauce or rich gravy.
[edit] Figolla
This dish is an Easter-time favourite. It is a book-sized golden, icing-coated biscuit stuffed with a mixture of sweet ground almonds (called intrita). Found in various shapes. The most traditional shape is the lamb (due to its connotations with religion). Other common shapes are Hearts, Ducks and Sirenes.
Here is a good traditional figolli recipe
[edit] Ġbejniet
These are small, round cheeses, made from goat milk, often served as part of a light lunch, or as part of a hearty dinner. They have a smooth texture and a subtle, often creamy flavour. These peppered cheeses are served with galletti (a local type of cracker biscuit) and served with a glass of robust red wine. A sundried variant sports a more definite taste, though not as popular as the soft and peppered servings. They are called goat cheese, although these are actually made up from sheep milk.
[edit] Ħelwa tat-Tork (The Turk's Sweet)
A very sweet sugary mixture of crushed and whole almonds. It is often offered with coffee after dinner.
[edit] Ħobża tal-Malti (Maltese bread)
A very crusty sourdough bread loaf with a deliciously soft inside which is the mainstay of a meal. It is a snack in itself served with simple local produce like fresh tomatoes or paste, and ġbejniet. This type of bread proves extremely popular: most households have a loaf delivered daily including Sundays, while tourists specifically request it wherever they eat. A less crusty and more compact variant is used for bruschetta. It is best eaten fresh but cooled off, as it loses most of its taste and crunchiness within a day. Some prefer it straight from the oven!
[edit] Imqaret
Date-filled, deep-fried pastries which are served piping hot from take-away stands. Look out for them at City Gate, Valletta. Some restaurants also offer them as deserts on their menu.
There also exist date-filled North African sweets with a similar name (makroudh, which is the singular form of the name meaning "rhombus").
[edit] Kannoli
Very similar if not virtually identical to the Italian cannoli. A tube-shaped confectionery of deep-fried crisp pastry stuffed with fresh ricotta and sweetened with pieces of chocolate and candied fruit. Eaten as a treat any time of day, and also offered after dinner. The candied fruit included in this snack, is also often used in a delicious type of colourful nougat.
[edit] Kapunata
A Maltese version of Ratatouille made from tomatoes, capers, aubergines and green peppers which goes well with grilled fish, or can be served cold, on its own as a savoury light lunch. Used also on pizza. Can be home-made but can also be found in supermarkets preserved in cans.
Similar to Italian caponata
[edit] Kusksu
A thick, rustic and hearty soup; traditionally a spring favourite since it is made with fresh broad beans. A form of pasta beads called kusksu are used (not to be confused with couscous, though having the same name: i.e. in Tunisia, Couscous is called Kusksi or sometimes Kusksu), together with onions, garlic, tomato paste and chicken stock.
[edit] Kwarezimal
Kwarezimal is a biscuit that is consumed during the Lenten period. This is often home made or purchased from a caterer during Lent.
Here is a good Kwarezimal Recipe
[edit] Laħam taż-Żiemel (Stallion Meat)
Stallion meat, a common product which is used in various dishes, is usually fried or baked with white wine sauce.
[edit] Lampuka
The dolphin fish (mahi-mahi) has fine, white meat with only a few large bones, and is found in abundance in the seas between Malta and Tunisia. It can be lightly pan-fried in olive oil, oven-baked with a tomato, onion, caper and wine sauce, or, made into a fish pie with spinach, cauliflower, capers, sultanas, hard-boiled eggs, herbs, and a shortcrust pastry topping.
[edit] Minestra
The start of many Maltese meals is soup. Traditionally minestra is a healthy, thick soup combining numerous fresh and dried vegetables and accompanied by a hearty, slice of crusty Maltese bread, ħobża. This dish is eaten all year round, but usually preferable in Winter as a hearty, warming dinner.
[edit] Mqarrun il-Forn
A dish filled with macaroni (penne), minced beef, eggs and a bolognese sauce. The macaroni is sometimes topped with a layer of cheese or bescamella that will melt during the baking process.
[edit] Pastizzi
A popular snack for all Islanders, found at pastizzerias and most bars, pizzerias, and some restaurants and bakeries. Pastizzi are small, diamond-shaped packets of flaky pastry stuffed with either fresh ricotta or a mushy pea mixture. Sometimes they are slightly spicy and made from shortcrust pastry. They have been likened to the Indian Samosas, just with a more neutral filling. Puff-pastry variants are served at most restaurants, though tasting totally different.
[edit] Qagħaq ta' l-Għasel
Honey or treacle rings made from a light pastry. They are often served in small pieces as an after-dinner accompaniment to coffee. Originally a Christmas delicacy but you’ll find them in most confectionaries all year round.
[edit] Qargħa Bagħli (Baby Marrows)
These are particular delicious stuffed with minced beef, parsley and baked, or made into a creamy soup. It can be also fried.
The recipe:
For the pastry 400gr flour 100gr semolina 150gr margarine 200ml water or orange juice mix the flour semolina and butter and work with your fingers till they resemble bread crumbs. Add water. Let it rest.
Filling 450gr black treacle grated rinds of a lemon, orange and chopped rind of mandarine 1/4 teaspoon mixed spice 2 tablespoons anisette 350ml hot water 150gr semolina 1/ tsp ground cloves Mix all the ingridients except the semolina and bring to the boil. Take off the heat and add the semolina stirring all the time. Return to the heat and continue stiring the mixture till it thickens. Let it cool. Put the mixture in the fridge and use the next day. Roll out the pastry in pieces of about 6cm width and 35cm length. Rub some water on the edges. Put some mixture in the middle of the whole length close and form a circle. Make some small cuts on top and press a bit with your fingers so that some of the filling shows through. Put some semolina on a baking tray and let the honey rings rest for 2 hrs before baking. Bake in a hot oven for approximately 1/2 an hour or till golden brown.
[edit] Qassatat
Considered a "cleaner" alternative to pastizzi, these are made of light pastry traditionally filled with ricotta, peas, or spinach. Alternative fillings are increasingly becoming popular. Usually spanning the palm of a hand, smaller servings are used as finger food at functions.
[edit] Ravjul (Ravioli)
The ravjul are usually filled with ricotta and fresh parsley (sometimes spinach is used as well) or with minced meat, and covered with a rich tomato sauce made with celery and basil and topped with freshly-grated Parmesan or Romano cheese. In Gozo, Ravjul are filled with Gbejniet.
[edit] Ross il-Forn
Similar to mqarrun il-forn, but rice is used instead of macaroni.
[edit] Soppa ta' l-Armla (The Widow's Soup)
Supposedly got its name from the tradition of neighbours donating products to poor widows living in their neighbourhood. This dish is vaguely similar to minestra, a thick vegetable soup, but it is slightly thinner, and rounded off with fresh ġbejniet which melt into the hot soup. Usually raw eggs are added at the end and when they coagulate, the soup is ready.
[edit] Timpana
Baked macaroni filled with a small amount of minced beef and sometimes with hard-boiled eggs. The macaroni is topped with a light flaky pastry crust. Think of it as a Macaroni meat pie.
