Timpana

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 Beef Stew

Traditionally this stew is made with rabbit pieces and served with spaghetti. This version uses beef, but you can also use chicken or venison. Recipe adapted from one I found in the Guardian, UK.

Ingredients:
400g diced stewing steak
1 small onion, roughly chopped
4 large cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
250ml red wine (Chianti preferably)
2 tbsp tomato concentrate
400 grams tinned chopped tomatoes
2 large carrots, peeled, chopped into large slices
2 medium potatoes, chopped in large even pieces
1/2 cup fresh peas
1 beef stock cube
1/2 tsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
2 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
2 tbsp olive oil

Method
• In a large saucepan, over a medium-high heat, heat the olive oil and add the onions, frying gently until soft, add the garlic, cook until browned.
• Keep on a medium-high heat, add the diced beef and turn over once or twice until browned. Pour in the red wine and stir, when the wine has begun to boil, add the tomato concentrate and chopped tomatoes, once it has begun to boil again turn down the heat to a gentle simmer.
• Add the  stock cube, pepper, curry powder, nutmeg and sugar and stir through, cover and leave to simmer on a low heat for 1 1/2 hours, so the sauce is simmering very gently without bubbling on the surface too much. Stir occasionally.
• After the 1.5 hours is up, add the vegetables, cover again and continue to simmer on a low heat for a further half an hour.
• After the half an hour is up, uncover and simmer on a slightly higher heat for half an hour to make sure the sauce has reduced properly and vegetables are cooked through, stirring every now and then. If it appears to be reducing a little too quickly, pour in a little water from time to time.
• In the last few minutes of cooking time, stir through the peas gently so as to not break up the beef too much. The stew is done once the peas are cooked.
• Serve with hot crusty bread or over freshly prepared ribbon pasta

I suppose your could also use a slow cooker or crock pot, but since I dont have either one I cook this the old fashioned way!

Meatloaf

This is one of my favourite recipes. Served warm with roast or mash potatoes it makes a great main meal. Served cold in a sandwich its great for someone on the go! I like using a combination of lean beef and pork - the result is more moist.The ketchup topping was something I came across here in the USA, I would usually just make a gravy!

Ingredients:
1 tbs olive oil
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 1/2lb lean  beef and 1/2lb  pork, ground
3/4 cup fresh bread crumbs
1/3 cup milk
1 tbs Worcestershire sauce
1 large egg
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tbs Dijon mustard
6 bacon rashers

Method
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Put some oil in a nonstick skillet, and cook celery and onion for about 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add garlic and cook 1 min more. Transfer vegetables to large bowl; cool slightly.

Add beef, bread crumbs, milk, Worcestershire sauce, egg, 1/4 cup ketchup, parsley,salt, and  pepper to vegetable mix; mix with hands until well combined but not overmixed. In cup, mix mustard and remaining 1/4 cup ketchup.

Shape meat mixture into a loaf  shape and place on a baking tray, covered with foil and sprayed with non stick. Cover with the bacon rashers, then with half the ketchup mixture.

Bake for 30 mins, use up the rest of the ketchup mixture and bake for 25 to 30 minutes more or until meat thermometer inserted in center reaches 160 degrees F.

Let meatloaf stand 10 minutes before removing from pan to set juices for easier slicing. Transfer meatloaf to platter and cut into slices to serve.