Celebrity Maltese Chefs and Recipe Enthusiasts
Tagliatelle with Tuna Sauce
Finely chop the onion and garlic, then heat the drained tuna oil in a saucepan and gently fry the onion and garlic until golden; reduce the heat, add the mint and tomato paste, stir well, then add the peeled and chopped tomatoes, flaked tuna, fish stock, bay leaves, salt, and freshly ground pepper, and simmer gently for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently, while cooking the tagliatelle in a large pan of boiling salted water until just tender; drain the pasta, adjust the seasoning of the sauce if needed, pour the sauce over the tagliatelle, and serve immediately.
Peas and Bacon Soup
Melt margarine in a large saucepan, lightly fry finely chopped onions and garlic until fragrant, add bacon pieces and cook 4 minutes, then stir in rice, tomato paste, peas, and chicken stock. Bring to a boil, simmer gently for 18 minutes, adjust seasoning, and serve hot topped with grated cheese.
Clear Beef Soup
Peel and slice the onions and carrots, then wash and cut the celery into medium-sized pieces. Place the vegetables in a medium-sized pan, add the water, tomato paste (Three Hills Kunserva), and beef shin. Set the pan over a medium flame and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat and let the soup simmer for about 1½ hours, skimming regularly to remove any foam. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve hot.
Spaghetti with Chicken and Cream
Fill a large pot with plenty of water and bring it to the boil. When the water starts boiling, add a little salt and cook the pasta. Once the pasta is ready, drain it and rinse with cold water so it cools down and doesn’t keep cooking. Leave it in a colander to drain well. Cut the chicken breast into small cubes and season with salt and pepper. In a large pan, heat a little margarine and fry the chicken, stirring frequently while cooking. When the chicken is done, remove it from the heat. Add the cream, stir well, and return the pan to a low flame. Continue cooking for a few minutes until the mixture thickens slightly. Add the pasta along with the grated Hanini cheese and half of the Gruyère. Mix well. Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle the remaining cheese and parsley on top.
Easy Drumsticks Roast
Place the drumsticks in a tray and pour the oil and wine. Mix the sauces together and rub onto the drumsticks. Cover the chicken with the peeled potatoes and roast in hot oven at 220°C for one and a half hours. In a small pan, heat the marrowfat peas and then drain. Squeeze some lemon juice on them and serve with the chicken.
Tripe Minestrone
Put peas in a bowl. Cover with water and leave to soak overnight. If you wish, you can add some bicarbonate of soda to the water to make the peas more digestible. Clean tripe in plenty of salted water. Cut into small pieces and wash again. You have to wash the tripe more than once. When you see that the tripe is clean put in a saucepan and cover with water. Put pan on a moderate to high heat and bring to boil. Lower heat and continue cooking for about 45 minutes. Whilst the tripe is cooking, wash, peel and cut all vegetables in small pieces and put in a large saucepan. Add stock, tomato paste and tripe. Drain peas. Rinse under running water and add to the soup. Put pan on a moderate heat and bring to the boil. Lower heat and simmer for 1½ hours. If during the cooking you see that you must add some more liquid, you can use the water in which you boiled the tripe. Before serving adjust the seasoning. This soup has to be served piping hot.
Cauliflower Muffins with Ġibniet
Bring a pan with water to a boil and cook the cauliflower. When cooked, drain and mash it in bowl. Add the eggs, half of the grated dry ġibniet and parsley. Season with salt and pepper. In another bowl, mix the fresh cheeselets with the remaining dry, and add some pepper. Pour the caulflower mix into muffin moulds, make a whole in the middle and add one teaspoon of ġibniet mix, and close top with the cauliflower mix. Bake at 200°C for around 30 minutes. Decorate with mustard and a cherry tomato half. These can be served as a starter, or a snack and prepared before and heated when necessary.