Celebrity Maltese Chefs and Recipe Enthusiasts
Ricotta Cheese & Pea Filp Tort...

Start by heating the oven to 200`c. Brush a 26cm round flan dish lightly with a little olive oil. Layer 4 sheets of filo pastry at different angles (brushing each layer lightly with olive oil) so that the base and sides of the dish are well covered, allowing the pastry to drape over the sides. Pour the Knorr Pea and Ham soup along with 300ml milk into a small saucepan and heat till the soup is thick stirring constantly. Remove off the heat. In a large bowl, use a fork to slightly mash the marrow fat peas. Add in the ricotta cheese and the Pea and Ham and mix together well with. Spoon the filling mixture into the prepared filo case and even out. Fold in the overhanging pastry and brush with the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil. Decoratively arrange the remaining 2 sheets of filo pastry over the top of the tart and lightly brush with any remaining oil. Sprinkle over the sesame seeds and bake the tart in the oven at 200`c for approximately 30 minutes until the filling is set and the pastry is golden. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 15 minutes before carefully removing from the tin and serving.
Asparagus Pilaf

Pilaf is a rice dish whose recipe usually involves cooking in stock or broth, adding spices, and other ingredients such as onions, vegetables or meat, and employing some technique for achieving cooked rice grains that do not adhere to each other.
Wash the asparagus thoroughly taking care not to bruise the tips. Dry between layers of kitchen paper so that it absorbs all the water. In a large pan, lightly pan fry the Mayor Diced onions and minced garlic cloves in the butter. Add the dry rice to the onions and coat with the butter. Stir continuously for around 2 minutes on medium heat. Lower the heat add the Spoon Stock and mix well. Allow to cook for 20 minutes. Add the asparagus, season and mix well. Continue cooking on low heat until the rice is cooked and tender. If you notice that the liquid is evaporated and the rice is still not tender enough, you may add some hot water so that it continues to steam. Add a tablespoon of butter and the lemon juice to the cooked rice and mix well. Sprinkle the Hanini grated Gibniet over the rice and serve. This dish may be garnished with lemon slices and spinach leaves.
Mushroom Risotto

Boil the water and add to the Chicken Spoon Stock and mix well to make a stock. Pour into a large frying pan and keep it on a low heat so that the stock gently boils. In another thick-bottom frying pan, melt the butter together with the olive oil. Add the Mayor Diced Onions and sliced mushrooms and cook for around 4-5 minutes on low heat. Add the rice and coat with the oil and butter until the rice grains are all glistening. Cook for around 1 minute and add a ladleful of Spoon Stock. When the stock evaporates add another ladle of stock while stirring constantly. Keep on adding the stock and stirring constantly until all the stock is used and the rice is cooked. If the rice is not fully cooked by the time the stock finishes you may add a ladle of hot water to make sure the rice is fully ready. Risotto dishes need constant attention while cooking and will take around 25-30 minutes to cook. It is important to keep the heat constant so that the rice does not overcook and becomes mushy (on very low heat) or cooks on the outside but remains hard on the inside (too high heat). After 20 minutes of cooking, add the liquid in smaller amounts so that you do not use too much liquid unnecessarily. It is important to keep stirring throughout the cooking time. The rice is cooked when the grains remain firm but not adhered to each other. The result will resemble rice cooked in a creamy sauce. Add the remaining butter and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.
Bones of the Dead

Put the ground almonds, sugar, egg whites, essences and grated rind of a lemon in a large mixing bowl. Do not add too much almond essence because it will give the filling a bitter taste. Mix the ingredients well together until you obtain a fairly dry paste. Preheat the oven 1900C, gas mark 5. Put the pastry on a lightly floured tabletop, roll it out and cut it into oblongs. Put some almond paste in the centre of each oblong. Wrap the pastry around the filling and mould it into the traditional bone shape. Tuck it neatly around, trimming off extra bits. Put the ‘bones’ on a baking tray that has been lined with baking paper. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the pastry turns golden brown. Remove the ‘bones’ from the baking tray and leave them to cool. Cover them with white royal icing when they are completely cold.
Shellfish Risotto
In a large frying pan, gently pan fry the Mayor Onion in olive oil stirring constantly. Add the dried rice to the mixture just as the onion Is turning golden. Mix well and add a little turmeric (this will give colour to the risotto). Lower the heat and cook for around 7 minutes. Add the Spoon Stock to the mixture and stir well. If the liquid evaporates you may add some more hot water to the recipe. After cooking the rice for around 25 minutes add the Mayor Garden Peas, bell pepper and the shellfish. Season to taste and serve hot.
Vegetarian Fruity Curry with Cinnam...

In a bowl mix together the onions, garlic, beans, apple, drained pineapple, chilly, curry, cumin and vegetable oil. Preheat a sauté pan and brown all the curry mix. Next, add in the syrup from the pineapple, tomato pulp, coconut milk and simmer. In a small pan, sauté the crushed coriander seeds together with the cinnamon stick and star anise in a knob of butter for 2 minutes. Add in it the rice and stir, pour in the stock cover and simmer until cooked through and all the stock is absorbed. Adjust the rice with seasoning and mix in the fresh coriander. Serve with the fruity curry sauce.
Bacon and Barley Risotto with Fenne...

In little butter sauté the pancetta, onions, garlic, fennel, celery and garlic without colouring. Add in the Barley and stir well, add in the sweet tomato paste and mix well. Pour in the wine, warm vegetable stock and simmer. Once liquid is almost all absorbed, add the tomatoes, dill and adjust seasoning. Serve the Mascarpone on top and micro herbs to garnish.
Sweet and Sticky Chicken and Pineap...

Start this recipe by mixing together the orange zest, juice, BBQ sauce and chilli flakes. Add in the chicken strips and coat well. Allow to sit for 30 minutes before threading onto skewers with the pineapple and peppers. Drizzle with olive oil and BBQ till golden brown and cooked through. Meanwhile, make up the taboule with boiling hot water and allow to soak for 5 minutes before fluffing with a fork. Mix in the olive oil, fresh mint and toasted almonds. Also, prepare guacamole using the rip avocado. To serve, place the pineapple shell onto a large board and fill with the taboule. Arrange the skewers on the board with the guacamole on the side in a bowl, Decorate with lime wedges, extra mint and chilli flakes.