Bread Pudding - Great way to use left over not so fresh bread

This recipe was the frugal housewives way of using up left over bread (back in Malta, bread was delivered to your door every morning - and sometimes even twice - by the baker himself.) Bread was also an important part of your meal. The best bread to use would be a traditional loaf and not the 'sliced' sandwich type but you really can use any type.

INGREDIENTS

1 loaf bread (a few days old)

50 g butter

125 g sugar ( I mix brown and regular)

2-3 eggs

Some milk (to soak bread in)

1 apple peeled and grated (optional)

5 tablespoons cocoa powder (try use a good quality one and not drinking chocolate!)

200 g pine nuts, chopped

200 g raisins

2 tablespoons candied peel

2 teaspoons mixed spice ( I use nutmeg and cinnamon - but it’s a matter of taste!)

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

1 tablespoon brandy

1 tablespoon extra sugar for the top - coarse brown is the best!

METHOD

Cut bread into squares and soak in some milk until soft.

Pre heat oven to 200C and grease a rectangular baking dish measuring about 30cm by 20cm. Squeeze out excess milk from the bread. (get your hands in there!)

Put the soggy bread in a processor with the other ingredients except the dried fruit and pine nuts and mix well.

Add the dried fruit and pine nuts and pulse until combined.

Spread in the baking dish and flatten surface with a spatula.

Sprinkle the extra sugar on top.

Bake for about an hour, until it feels firm . serve warm or at room temperature - but I also love it cold !

Timpana for Christmas!

Timpana is the ultimate pasta pie. Macaroni is cooked separately (to under al dente stage) and added to a rich bolognaise style sauce, often with chicken livers. With the addition of eggs, the mixture is cooked in a pastry case in either a deep dish or baking tray until its golden brown. This recipe uses bought puff pastry but I usually like to make it myself - its what we called a rough puff pastry, not as flaky but made with lots of butter!
This recipe can easily feed an army of people and it tastes just as good as leftovers the day after (if there is any left!)

Ingredients

500g puff pastry (frozen sheets)
500g  macaroni or penne
300g minced beef
300g minced pork
300g chicken livers, diced
300g bacon, finely diced
500g onions, finely diced
4 cloves garlic, crushed
150g parmesan cheese, grated
150g  cheese, grated (any other type)
7 eggs, beaten
200g tomato paste
200g tomato purée
500ml chicken or beef stock
150g butter
Salt and pepper

For glaze
100ml milk
1 egg, extra

Method
Preheat oven to 180˚C.

Sauté the onions and garlic in butter for 5 minutes.
Add bacon and pork mince, stirring well to separate.
Add beef mince and continue stirring, cooking for 10 minutes.
Add chicken livers  and cook for 5 minutes.
Add stock, mix well and bring to boil. Simmer for 20 minutes.
Add tomato paste and tomato purée.

While the sauce is cooking, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until just undercooked.
Drain and mix with sauce, adding parmesan and tasty cheese.
Stir in beaten eggs.
Line a greased baking dish with the pastry, extending it up the sides.
Spoon in sauce and cover the top with another layer of pastry which has been pricked all over with a knife to let steam escape.
Beat together glaze ingredients and paint top of timpana all over.
Bake for 1 to 1 ½ hours.

Recipe adapted from one I found on an Australian site - There are more Maltese in Australia than there are in Malta!

Maltese Pastizzi

Pastizzi are traditional Maltese 'delicacies' made up of diamond shaped pastries filled with either ricotta (pastizzi ta' l-irkotta) or a slightly spicy pea filling (pastizzi tal-pizelli) The pastry is a puff-pastry like dough that I still have to try and replicate! 
Sometimes pastizzi are referred to as Maltese cheesecakes or ricotta cheesecakes, a slightly misleading term since cheesecakes are usually sweet not savoury like pastizzi. I have actually found Pastizzi in Australia and Canada, probably thanks to the Maltese emigrants there!

Pastry:

8 oz. flour
6 oz. margarine cut into  cubes
6-7 tbs. cold water
dash of salt

The trick here  is that everything you use must be cold! If the margerine melts you will not get the desired result.The best working surface for the dough is a slab of marble since marble tends to stay cool. Make sure the dough, working surface and the rolling pin are sprinkled with flour before you start working the dough.Don't turn the dough over while you are working it. Always keep the same surface up. Turn it flat on the board (or turn the board itself) clockwise before each rolling and always in the same direction. This is one of the hardest doughs to make and you may have to try it a few times before you get it right!

Sift flour and salt together. Divide the margarine into half-inch squares. Drop the margarine into flour making sure not to squash them. Mix lightly until all margarine cubes are covered with flour (make sure that the cubes remain intact.) Add some cold water and mix lightly with a knife again making sure that the cubes remain intact. If some flour is left loose, add a teaspoon of cold water at a time until all the flour has been brought together. The resulting dough should be very soft.

Sprinkle the dough and the working surface with flour. Work the dough into an elongated shape using your finger tips. Sprinkle some flour on the rolling pin and roll the dough until it's about eight inches long and not more than five inches wide.
1 - Fold the lower third toward the top. Now fold the upper third toward the bottom on top of the first fold. You should end up with a three-layered rectangle. With light pressure from the rolling pin, seal the three edges.
2 - Remove any extra flour. Now turn the folded dough anti-clockwise so that the right side is at the top. Roll the dough lightly until it is nine inches long and six inches wide.
3 - Repeat steps one and two.
4 - Cover the dough with a damp cloth and store in the refrigerator for twenty minutes.
5 - Repeat steps one through four, four times.
The dough can now be rolled out to the desired thickness.
Another way is following the video posted at the bottom of this recipe. The dough is streched out and then rolled up rather like a jelly roll. Then thin slices are cut and shaped into the pastizzi.

You could also use store bought puff pastry - not quite the same but much easier! A Pastizzi fan would shun your efforts!!!

For the Filling:
2lbs ricotta
2 eggs(beaten)
salt and pepper to taste
optional: some chopped parsley

Method
Mix the ricotta with the beaten eggs and season
Roll out the dough. Cut into aprox 3" to 3" circles.(or cut slices off the 'jelly roll') Put a tablespoon of the rikotta  mix in the middle of each circle.Hold both sides of the circle and bring them together, then pinch the top and bottom so that  the ends are in points Put the pastizzi on a margarine greased baking sheet. Bake in a moderate oven (350-425 degrees) for about one hour. The pastizzi should be a golden-brown colour when they're ready.

I found this great video that shows how pastizzi are made! It should make the  explanation of how to form them much easier! HOWEVER...the video shows a REAL pastizzi maker who has has years of experience so don't get discouraged!!!

Maltese Bigilla - Bean Dip

Bigilla is a traditional Maltese snack (or dip) made out of beans (usually Fava beans). In Malta they are called "ful tal-Ġirba".

This Maltese dip is traditionally made with dried favas, but using fresh beans means they don't need to be soaked overnight first and slashes the cooking time. Serve with crackers or crusty bread.


If you're using dried broad beans, you must first soak them for two days in salted water with the bicarbonate of soda mixed in. The water must be changed after the first day. This will soften the beans. After the second day, cook the beans in fresh water. Bring the water to a boil and let simmer until the beans are cooked. (generally easier and faster if you use a pressure cooker) Drain.


Lets start with 250gms of beans, prepared as above. (you can use canned beans but that's cheating!)
Once the beans are cooked, and soft, put them in a food processor (while still hot) and mix for a few seconds
Add salt (rock salt is the best) and pepper to taste
2 cloves garlic (or more!)
A handful of parsley
Some chopped red pepper
About 4 tbs Olive oil


Mix till you get a rough consistency. Serve immediately (so the bigilla is still warm,) drizzle some more olive oil over the plate and some chipped parsley to garnish.


Serve with Maltese Galletti (if you are in Malta!) or crackers or crusty bread

Figolli - Get ready for Easter!

Figolli are Traditional Maltese almond Pastries baked for Easter. They consist of pastry figures filled with a ground almond mixture and covered with royal and glace icing. The traditional shapes are men, women, fish, lamb and baskets but nowadays you can also find heart shape, butterflies, rabbits and cars. The human shapes usually have paper faces stuck on to the icing.  They are decorated with glace icing and royal icing and finished off with a chocolate egg stuck in the middle.


My Grandma had metal forms that she would use to cut out the forms, or even bake the forms in. They were made by a local metal worker and could be bought at the market or some specialty stores. I don't think it is possible to buy them any more but I still have a couple of them and they allow you to make the Figolli almost like a small low pie.

PASTRY

yields approx 4-5 depending on the size of your shapes

14 oz self raising flour+ 1 teaspoon baking powder,sifted

6 oz margarine,

rind of a large lemon,grated

4 tbs sugar,

2 eggs, beaten

and a little fresh milk to bind if necessary.

Make Pastry

Mix the dry ingredients, add the margarine, eggs and milk if necessary - work to a smooth dough.

FILLING

20 oz ground almonds,

8oz icing sugar+12 oz sugar or 20 oz icing sugar,

1egg+1yolk,

juice of 1/2 lemon,

1 tbs brandy.

Mix all in one stage and allow to chill for at least 1 hour in the fridge.

MAKING THE FIGOLLI
Heat oven to 325F.

Roll out a piece of pastry until it is 1/2 inch thick on a well-floured surface.

Cut into desired shapes (Figolli are traditionally cut into the shape of a bird, a fish or a duck and the size of each Figolla is between 8 to 10 inches).

You need two cut-outs for each Figolla.

Spread the filling on one of the cut-outs.

Place the other cut-out on top and press the edges to seal.

Brush the top of the Figolli with the beaten egg.

Bake until the Figolla turns to a golden colour.

Let the Figolla cool down and then decorate with coloured icing.

You can also cover with chocolate.

Place a hollow chocolate egg in the center of each Figolla using some soft icing to hold it in place.

Figolli can be really elaborate - with cut out pictures, richly decorated etc etc - I prefer the iced ones - with the Easter egg on top!

Maltese Bread Pudding - pudina tal-hobz

Bread pudding is a great way to use up any stale bread you may have. You can use lemon or orange peel, any type of nuts, and rasins , sultanas, coconut or  any type of candied peel. The fun part is that you can really add anything you want. The pudding can be eaten warm, with custard on top, or cold. This is a really fun dessert to make. There is  a recipe in Maltese on Ghandi Pjacir where I got my inspiration!

Ingredients
1500 gms of 2 day old white bread
(or 2 loaves)
¼ litre milk
1 glass dark rum
(or brandy)
3 eggs (beaten)
100 gms  sultanas or rasins
3 tbs cocoa powder
3 tbs sugar
½ tsp cinnamon
50 gms  butter
grated rind of 1 lemon
50 gms (or 1.76 oz) candied orange peel or glace cherries
1 cup pine nuts (optional)

Method
Soak the bread in water and immediately squeeze out the excess.

Place all ingredients into a large bowl and mix together well.
Turn into a greased tin and bake for 1 hour at 190-200°C.
Pudding is ready when a kinfe inserted into it comes out clean.

Kourabiedes - Greek cookies that taste of heaven!

I made these last Easter so this is a good time to try them out again. They are really delicious! The finished result does not look like much but they literally melt in your mouth!

Yield: 30 Pieces

Ingredients:
2 cups unsalted butter
1 cup icing/powdered sugar
3 Egg yolks
3 tbls Brandy
2 tsps Vanilla extract
6 cups Flour
1/2 cup Almonds (blanched), chopped
1 lb Icing/powdered sugar

Method
Beat the butter with the sugar until it becomes fluffy.
Add the egg yolks one by one, beating continuously.
Add the brandy and vanilla.
Blend in the almonds and the flour, a cup at a time. Use enough flour to get a firm dough (it may take a bit more or less than the amount mentioned in the ingredients list).
Use your hands to do the mixing, as an electric mixer will be useless after the first two or three cups of flour have been added.
Place the dough in the refrigerator for at least one hour.
Shape the dough into balls, about one inch in diameter, flatten them and place on greased cookie sheets.
Bake at 350 degrees F. for 20 minutes.
Remove from the oven.
Roll each cookie (while it is still hot) in the powdered sugar and put it back on the cookie sheet.
Repeat this step once more, so that you get a thicker coating.
Place the coated cookies on a platter, liberally sprinkling each layer and the bottom of the platter with powdered sugar.
When you are done, there shouldn't be any sugar left.
Let them cool and they are ready to eat!

Quick and Easy Biscuits (Cookies)

I like having home-made  biscuits (cookies) at home and an easy way to ensure a constant supply is to make extra dough and freeze, then slice off what you need. The dough keeps well in the freezer for about a month - or around a week in the fridge.

Ingredients
4oz butter

4oz  sugar

Grated zest of one lemon or orange

(other options may include adding spices like cinnamon, ginger or nutmeg. This is a basic recipe so you can tweak it a bit! If you want chocolate flovoured biscuits, add  1 tbsp cocoa powder to the flour)
9oz  flour
1 egg
pinch of salt

Method
Beat the butter, sugar and zest together until light and fluffy.
Beat in the egg and salt.
Add the flour and using your hands work in  gently.
Shape the dough into a roll about 2" thick and wrap well in plastic wrap.
Put in the fridge for about an hour or if you are freezing, just put in the freezer

To bake, heat the oven to 350F.
Line a baking sheet with non-stick paper.
Cut the dough, straight from the fridge or freezer into ¼in slices and arrange, well spaced, on the baking sheet.

Bake for about 12 mins (the exact time will depend on the thickness of the biscuits) until very lightly coloured.
Put the biscuits onto a rack to cool .
These biscuits will be nice and crisp

Mqaret - Date Rolls

Mqaret are delicious pastry parcels - that are deep fried - a killer for your diet but unless you over indulge, great little treats. Served with ice cream they make a great dessert.

These small packages of sweet pastry filled with a date mixture and served blisteringly hot are often sold dripping in paper bags from roadside stalls. You’ll nearly always find mqaret hawkers at Valletta’s city gate near the bus terminus. (Valletta is Malta's capital city)

As you step off the bus, you’ll be greeted by the sickly, sweet smell of mqaret mingling with diesel fumes from the buses (last I checked they were still not eco-friendly!)

Ingredients:

400g Flour

1 tablespoon lard

1 tablespoon margarine

1 tablespoon sugar

1.2 kg pitted dates

1 orange peel grated

1 tablespoon anisette

1 tablespoon orange flower water

A pinch of ground cloves

Method

To make the dough, rub the lard into the flour.

Add the sugar and mix.

Moisten with anisette and orange flower water until you can form a soft dough.

Next prepare the filling.

Mash the dates and mix with the cloves, orange peel, anisette and orange flower water.

Note: If the dates are hard, soak in water for about thirty minutes to soften. Drain before using. Roll the dough out into a long wide strip and spread the prepared filling on the top half of the dough to form a layer about a quarter of an inch thick

Wet the edge of the pastry and fold over to cover the filling.

Press all edges well together to seal.

Cut into diamond or rectangular shapes (about 3.5 x 2.5 inches.)

Fry in deep hot oil till golden in colour.

Let drain and eat while still hot.

Biskuttini tar-rahal - Village Biscuits

These Maltese biscuits “Biskuttini tar-Raħal”, "Village Biscuits" in English, were traditionally served during special occasions such as the Christening of a baby. They would be decorated on top with swirls of pink icing for a baby girl or pale blue for a boy. I just find them great with a cup of tea and babies seem to love them too - go easy on the anisette in that case!

The icing swirls on top add a sugary kick as the biscuits themselves are not overly sweet. Wish I had a better pic!!

Ingredients:

3 eggs,

8oz of sugar,

8oz of flour,

grated rind of 1/2 lemon and 1/2 orange,

2tsp of crushed aniseed seeds. (I sometimes add a few drops of anisette..)

Method

Preheat the oven to 450f, but turn down the heat to 375F as soon as you put in the biscuits.

Separate the eggs and beat the whites until they are stiff.

Add the sugar a little at a time, whisking well between each addition.

Put in the yolks, mix again, and then stir in the grated peel and crushed seeds.

Fold in the flour.

Shape the dough into ovals, using two spoons, and bake them on a tray scattered with semolina, for 20 minutes or until they are a light golden colour.

Decorate the biscuits with swirls of icing.

Pumpkin pie - not the usual type!

Pumpkin pie is a standard traditional dish in the north of Malta but unlike the pies that are so popular in America, these are not a dessert, but the main meal. It is made using fresh pumpkin (NOT canned) which is abundant in Malta (hmmm and we don't even celebrate Halloween there!)
This recipe is not my own, it was sent to me by my cousin so if the author is out there please let me know so I can give you credit!!!

I made this yesterday and it is yummy!!!

Ingredients:
For the filling:
one onion (peeled and finely chopped),
three cloves of garlic (crushed and chopped),
extra virgin olive oil,
400g of pumpkin (peeled, de-seeded and diced),
100g of olives,(pitted)
two tablespoonfuls of capers (some people use sultanas instead),
two tablespoonfuls of Italian marjoram
one tablespoonful of fresh mint (chopped),
two x 170g cans of tuna in oil,
three or four anchovy fillets,
250g of long-grain rice.

For the pastry:
450g of plain flour,
a generous pinch of salt,
150ml of extra virgin olive oil,
one large egg and enough white wine to make 150ml of liquid.

To make the filling:
Boil the rice in abundant salted water for about half the time stipulated on the packet, then drain it immediately and leave it to cool.
Fry the onions and garlic until they are soft and golden, add the pumpkin and carry on cooking. Stir in the olives and capers (or sultanas) and fry until everything is soft.
Add a little white wine if the mixture starts to stick to the bottom of the pan.
When it is cooked, put in the tuna, anchovies, herbs and cooked rice.
Stir the mixture and season it with salt and pepper.
Leave it to cool.

To make the pastry:
Sieve the flour and salt into a bowl, stir in the olive oil and rub it into the flour.
Add the egg-and-white-wine mixture and continue to stir until you have pastry.
You may find that you need to add a little more liquid.
Flatten out the pastry with your knuckles and fold it in half, repeating this action four or five times until it is smooth.
Now divide it in two, one piece a little smaller than the other.
Roll out the larger piece and use it to line a 24cm-diameter shallow pie-dish. Fill the lined dish with the pumpkin mixture and press it down lightly.
Moisten the outside edges of the pastry with a little water.
Roll out the other piece of pastry and use it to make a lid for the pie.
Using the prongs of a fork, press down onto the moistened edges of the pastry.
Prick the lid all over and use any left-over scraps of pastry to decorate it.
Brush the pastry lid with egg or milk to glaze it, and bake the pie for around 45 minutes at 190C or until it is golden and cooked.

Bigilla - Maltese bean dip

This traditional dish is extremely popular in Malta - and again and safe thing to make as you cant go wrong!

The main ingredient is broad beans (or fava beans). In Malta, the beans used are called 'Ful'. They grow abundantly and are really good fresh with some olive oil and garlic

Ingredients

1 lb dried broad beans

2 tsp parsley

1 head of garlic crushed

juice of half a lemon

1 tsp red pepper flakes

1 tbsp of mixed marjoram & mint, finely chopped

2 tbsp olive oil

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Method:

Soak beans overnight (or at least 12 hours)

Replace water. Add salt to taste

Bring to boil & simmer until beans are soft. (you may need to add more boiling water to be sure that the beans do not stick to the pan!)

Mash beans lightly and place them in a serving dish

Add other ingredients to taste
Pour olive oil on top and add some more parsley for decoration

Figolli - Traditional easter delights from Malta

The figolla is a traditional almond pastry and according to mythology, the figolla was presented as a gift to Astarte, the goddess of fertility.This recipe was kindly sent to me by my cousin Paula in Malta.

This is the first time she is giving out this recipe, and according to all that have tasted them they are pretty good.She would like to stress that She buys whole almonds, blanches them herself and breaks them up in very tiny pieces but not so much that they look like powder - more like crumbs

PASTRY

yields approx 4-5 depending on the size of your shapes

14 oz self raising flour+ 1 teaspoon baking powder,sifted

6 oz margarine,

rind of a large lemon,grated

4 tbs sugar,

2 eggs, beaten

and a little fresh milk to bind if necessary.

Make Pastry

Mix the dry ingredients, add the margarine, eggs and milk if necessary - work to a smooth dough.

FILLING

20 oz ground almonds,

8oz icing sugar+12 oz sugar or 20 oz icing sugar,

1egg+1yolk,

juice of 1/2 lemon,

1 tbs brandy.

Mix all in one stage and allow to chill for at least 1 hour in the fridge.

MAKING THE FIGOLLI
Heat oven to 325F.

Roll out a piece of pastry until it is 1/2 inch thick on a well-floured surface.

Cut into desired shapes (Figolli are traditionally cut into the shape of a bird, a fish or a duck and the size of each Figolla is between 8 to 10 inches).

You need two cut-outs for each Figolla.

Spread the filling on one of the cut-outs.

Place the other cut-out on top and press the edges to seal.

Brush the top of the Figolli with the beaten egg.

Bake until the Figolla turns to a golden colour.

Let the Figolla cool down and then decorate with coloured icing.

You can also cover with chocolate.

Place a hollow chocolate egg in the center of each Figolla using some soft icing to hold it in place.

Figolli can be really elaborate - with cut out pictures, richly decorated etc etc - I prefer the iced ones - with the Easter egg on top!

Hobz biz-zejt -Maltese 'bruschetta'

Sent by my uncle Ed in canada (check out his website http://www.edwardabela.com/ )

We are a talented family!!!

"Hobz biz-zejt (bread with oil)

Fresh traditional crusty Maltese style bread (e.g. Italian calabrese) is generously sliced.

Dip slices in a large plate of olive oil and then spread with kunserva (concentrated tomato paste).

Add capers, olives, salt and pepper, fresh mint leaves, cut tomato slices and onions, and if you like, anchovies or canned tuna.

Preferably eaten on a Maltese rocky beach after swimming on a sunny day!"

Lampuki Pie - Fish Pie

Torta Tal-Lampuki
Lampuka, a close runner-up to rabbit as Malta's favorite food, is often turned into "torta tal-lampuki" (lampuki Pie), in which the fish is fried, deboned, mixed with onions, spinach, tomatoes, olives, and baked in a pastry shell.
It is not unusual for Maltese living overseas to time their visits home to coincide with lampuka season, which runs approximately from late August through November.
I have never eaten this pie anywhere else and I think even if it is made elsewhere, the taste of the Lampuka makes it a truly Maltese dish!

Ingredients:

Pastry:-
500g plain flour
250g butter chilled and diced
3 -4 tablespoons ice-cold water
1 teaspoon salt

Fish Filling:
500gm lampuki / dolphin fish (you can also use mahi mahi or dorado)
4 large tomatoes chopped
2 large onions chopped
250gm spinach, par boiled
100gm peas
4 black olives, chopped
1 clove garlic crushed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 lemon zest
1 egg beaten
sesame seeds
salt and pepper

Method:
Dough Preparation:
Sift the flour. Add the salt. Rub in unsalted butter until mixture texture is crumbly. Gradually the cold water to the mixture and knead into dough. Roll to form a ball. Wrap in cling film and chill for at least 30 minutes before rolling it out.
Filling Preparation:
Clean the fish and remove all bones. Cut into small portions. Dip each piece in flour and fry until just cooked through. Set aside. Fry the onion and garlic until done. Add the spinach, olives, peas and tomatoes. Blend in the lemon zest. Cover and cook until vegetables are soft. Add the fish to the vegetables and mix well. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Divide the pastry into two parts, 1/3 and 2/3. Roll out both portions to a desired thickness. With the larger portion line the bottom and sides of a baking dish. Fill in with the lampuki mix. Cover all with the smaller pastry portion. Seal the upper and lower pastry portions together along the edges of the baking dish. Cut some slits in the upper pastry layer. Glaze the top with a beaten egg. Sprinkle sesame seeds. Bake in a moderate (250c) preheated oven for approximately 45 minutes till pastry is golden in colour.

Aljotta - Fish Soup Maltese Style

Maltese Fish Soup (Aljotta) SERVES 6

Malta is - or was - a devoutly Catholic country, and this soup was very popular during Lent, when one could not eat meat. Using the whole fish—head and tail included—will add flavor to the soup, and is also a reflection of the frugal Maltese housewife! I have seen several recipes on line that omit one important thing - the rice which was added to turn the soup into a whole meal.

INGREDIENTS

800g small fish (traditionally rock fish, substitutes include halibut, flounder and snapper) cleaned and cut into 4 pieces

8 cups water (and a fish stock cube if available)

pepper & salt

1 medium onion

bay leaf

3 cloves of garlic

mint, fresh if available

2 tablespoons oil

2 lemons (one for juice one for decoration)

100 gms. white rice

6 tomatoes

Use a pot large enough to add enough water to cover the mixture

METHOD

chop the onion and garlic and fry in the oil until soft.

Chop tomatoes and add to the onions.

Add the herbs and enough water (with or without fish stock cube) to make the soup

Wait until the mixture boils and then add the fish.

Cook slowly until the fish is cooked.

Take fish from pot with a slotted spoon, allow to cool a bit, and remove head, tail, skin, and bones.

Strain the remaining mixture

Put the strained liquid back on the stove and add the rice.

Cook until the rice is soft.

Put the fish pieces back

Add a squeeze of lemon and serve hot with lemon wedges and parsley as garnish

Baked Tuna - Maltese Style

Fish and seafood play a key role in the regular meals of the island of Malta. Until recently, fish was eaten on Fridays in observance of the catholic tradition of "no meat on a Friday".

This recipe, although called Baked Tuna is actually more of a briased dish as the liquid let out by the tomatoes lets the fish remain very moist.

This is a very different way of cooking tuna compared to the quick, high heat, "seared on the outside, rare on the inside" style. It is also almost impossible to botch it up as I have tried frozen tuna (not even bothering to defrost the steaks) and as long as you check that the water has not been completely absorbed you will be fine!

I would serve this with a salad and lots of crispy bread..ah yes..and a glass of vino!

Ingredients
About 2 lbs of tuna as steaks about half an inch thick ( 4 steaks aprox)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 chopped onions
1 lb potatoes coarsely sliced
1 lb tomatoes, halved
4 crushed garlic cloves
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup white wine
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Sea salt to taste (the coarse type) and freshly ground black pepper

Method
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Brush the sides and bottom of a baking dish with some of the olive oil
Spread the onions on the bottom of the baking dish.
Season with salt and pepper.
Cover onions with the sliced potatoes
Put the tuna steaks on top, then cover with the tomato halves, cut side down.
Add the garlic cloves, then pour in the water.
Pour the remaining olive oil and wine over the tomatoes, then sprinkle the mint and parsley over the entire top.
Season with salt and pepper.
Cover the baking dish with foil
Bake until the potatoes are fork tender (usually around 45-60 minutes). Let rest for 10 minutes, serve hot.

Bragioli - Beef Olives

Bragioli are often called beef olives although no olives are used! The 'olive' refers to the way the beef is wrapped round the stuffing but sometimes people use it as a name for the whole dish

A traditional Maltese beef dish, Bragioli takes some time to cook but preparation is simple.

This dish probably originated from the Sicilian 'Bragiol" which was one big rolled beef olive

INGREDIENTS

4 Thin slices of beef topside (aprox. 1lb /500 grams )

2 Diced onions

2 Diced carrots

100 gms peas (frozen will do)

3 slices stale white breadcrumbs

2 Hard boiled eggs -chopped

6 Slices of Bacon

1 bunch parsley

2 Garlic cloves

2 Bay leaves

Salt and pepper to taste

1 glass Red wine

Method

Set oven to 180C / 350F so it will heat up.

Beat each slice of meat flat with a kitchen mallet(or anything that will do!) until as thin as possible.

Chop the bacon, garlic and parsley.

Grind the bread to crumbs, then prepare the stuffing by mixing the crumbs with the chopped bacon, garlic, parsley and seasoning, but not the bay leaves. Add the chopped hard boiled egg.

Some recipes call for the egg to quartered and put on the stuffing and not mixed into it but i prefer this way.

Put a heaped tablespoon or two of the stuffing onto a slice of meat.

Roll up the meat slices lengthwise over the stuffing, and fasten together with wooden toothpicks.(traditionally, thread was used to tie up the bragioli and when removed after cooking they actually keep their shape really well. I tried using ordinary sewing thread and it worked!)

Pour some oil in a large pan, and brown the beef olives all over in this, together with the bay leaves.

Put the browned bragioli and bay leaves into a casserole dish.
Fry the sliced onion and carrot in the same oil.

Pour the wine over the frying vegetables.Let the sauce reach a slow boil and then pour this over the bragioli in the casserole dish.

Add the peas.

Simmer very gently for 1½ hours. You probably will have to add a little more wine to top up the braising liquid, but don't add too much, otherwise the bragioli will not cook correctly.

Remove the bay leaf and serve with your favourite vegetables or even a large portion of chips and salad. I prefer mashed, boiled or roasted potatoes.

Some trivia courtesy of the urban directory
"bragiole "Bragiole is an Italian meat roll, made from flank steak & seasoned with garlic, finely ground black pepper, Italian parsley, garlic salt, garlic pepper, and shredded pecorino/romano cheese, all rolled up and fried in hot oil, for addition to tomato gravy. (Some call it tomato sauce, but since you use the dripping from the fried meat to make the tomato "sauce", it's now "gravy".