Pisellata - Peas and eggs

I have no idea where this recipe came from - all I can say is that it was always used when we could not think of anything too cook. Its fast, easy, and rather nutritious.

I am just giving the basic idea on how to make this. Adjust the quantities according to how may are eating!

Ingredients: (per person)

1 egg

about 1 - 1/2 cup peas (fresh or frozen)

1/2 onion

1 rasher bacon.

about 1/4 cup broth or water and a piece of stock cube

Method

Fry the onion and bacon in a tad of oil, then add the stock/broth until almost translucent.

Add the peas and cook until almost done

Add the eggs (as if you were frying them sunny side up)

Put the lid on the pan for a few minutes

READY!!!

Weird? i think so but it tastes great!

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".

Risotto

I Love risotto - the trick is to have the patience to add the broth a bit at a time - as soon as it seems to start drying up then add more. Also use the correct rice as it has to be starchy.

Ingredients

25g/1oz unsalted butter
1 tbsp olive oil
½ onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 leek ,(white only) ,chopped
50g/1¾oz chestnut mushrooms, chopped
100g/3½oz risotto rice
50ml/2fl oz white wine
300ml/10fl oz hot chicken stock
50g/1¾oz Dolcelatte (Italian creme cheese)
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Heat the butter and oil in a saucepan over a medium heat.
2. Add the onion, garlic, leek and mushroom and fry for two minutes, or until soft.
3. Add the rice and wine and bring to the boil. Turn down the heat slightly and simmer until the wine is completely absorbed.
4. Add the stock in spoonfuls, adding more as the liquid get absorbed and stirring in between. Keep doing this until the rice is completely cooked through.
5. Add the Dolcelatte and stir with a spoon until melted. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
6. To serve, spoon onto a serving plate.

I also like to add some roughly grated Parmesan cheese on top.

Variations can also include adding peas or different types of mushrooms.

Maltese Rabbit Stew

OK, so I can hear some of you saying eeeeuuuuuuuuooo.....eating a bunny..

But rabbit is actually one of the traditional Maltese dishes. The sauce is also great served over spaghetti

1 rabbit, cut up in pieces

2 cups of red wine

1/4 tsp Rosemary

1 large onion, chopped

5 medium carrots, sliced

5 medium potatoes

1 medium turnip (kohl rabi)

1/4 cup tomato paste

60 ml water (1/4 cup)

1 tsp corn flour

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 bay leaf

and...believe it or not....a small can of peas...yes canned peas! for some reason these work best!

1. In a large frying pan, lightly brown the rabbit pieces in cooking oil.

2. Add the 2 cups of wine, salt, pepper and rosemary.

3. Cover tightly and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally, or until rabbit is getting tender.

4. Peel and chop vegetables.

5. Remove rabbit from heat transfer to a larger pot If there are any fleshless bones, remove them.

6. Add vegetables and bay leaf to rabbit pot.

7.Mix the corn flour with the 60 ml water and the crushed garlic.

8. Add to the stew stirring occasionally.

9. Simmer for another 40 minutes, until all veggies are soft and the stew slightly thickened.

10. Add the peas and cook for a few more minutes

Note: You can use this stew also as topping to dishes of boiled spaghetti