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Celebrity Maltese Chefs and Recipe Enthusiasts

Air Fryer Muffins

Heat the air fryer on 160C for 2 mins. Mix the oil, Hanini yogurt, egg and milk in a large bowl, then fold in the sugar, flour and bicarbonate of soda and combine well. Fold in the blueberries, chocolate chips or dried fruit, if using. Spoon the mixture into silicone cases or an air fryer muffin tin filled with paper cases to three-quarters full. You should be able to make 6-8 muffins, but you may have to bake them in batches.

Place the cases or tin in the air fryer basket and cook for 12-15 mins until the muffins are golden brown and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

Baked Eggs with Spinach, Tomatoes, ...

Heat the oil and 2 tbsp butter in a large, shallow, flameproof casserole or frying pan over a low-medium heat and fry Mayor onions with a pinch of salt for 10 mins until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and chilli flakes, and fry for 1 min more. Tip in Mayor tomatoes, 1 tsp sugar and Three Hills sundried tomatoes. Season and simmer, uncovered, for 10 mins, stirring often. Tip in the spinach and cook for another 5 mins until wilted.

Heat the grill to high. Make eight gaps in the sauce with the back of a spoon and crack an egg into each. Dot over Hanini ricotta and scatter with Hanini Pekorin cheese. Cover and cook for 5 mins, then slide under the hot grill for a few minutes until the egg whites are set and the yolks runny. Scatter with the basil and serve with crusty bread for dunking.

Easter Egg Cheesecake

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Oil a 20cm deep springform cake tin and line with baking parchment. Tip the digestive biscuits into a food bag or the bowl of a food processor and crush or blitz to a fine crumb. Mix with the melted butter, then press into the base of the prepared cake tin and chill for 30 mins.
Roughly chop half the chocolate mini eggs. Beat the soft cheese with the icing sugar and vanilla until just combined using an electric whisk. Clean the beaters, then beat the double cream to stiff peaks in a separate bowl. Gently fold the whipped cream into the soft cheese mixture along with the chopped chocolate mini eggs. Spoon the cheesecake mixture over the biscuit base, then smooth the surface with a palette knife or spatula. Chill overnight.
The next day, carefully release the cheesecake from the tin (you may need to run a cutlery knife around the edge to loosen it) and top with the remaining whole chocolate mini eggs to decorate.

Fig Jam

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Put the figs and 150ml water in a large heavy based saucepan. Bring to a simmer and gently bubble for 5 mins or until the figs have softened and released their juices. Add the orange zest, sugar and lemon juice. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring regularly for around 5-7 mins or until thick, skimming off any skum that rises to the surface. Remove from the heat and leave to sit for 10 mins.

Ladle the mixture into sterilised jars. Seal with the lids and leave to cool completely. Will keep for six months unopened and 2 weeks in the fridge once opened.

Cauliflower Muffins with Gibniet

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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.

Chicken Casserole

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Remove all visible fat on the chicken and divied it into around 8 pieces. Season it with some salt and pepper and after flour. Switch the oven to 1800C, gas number 4. Heat some oil in a large pan and cook the chicken. The chicken will not be fully cooked. When done, place in a casserole dish. In the same pan, cook the onions and mushrooms. Add the pepper and mix well. Add the Kunserva, the polpa, the bay leaf and the mixed herbs. Mix well. Add the wine and water, bring to a boil and then simmer on low flame for around 10 minutes. Add the tomato sauce on the chicken pieces, in the casserole dishe and cook in oven for around 1 hour and a half. Serve with some fresh parsley and some black olives.

Swordfish with a caper and olive sa...

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Add some salt and pepper on the fish. Peel and chop the garlic. Warm some olive oil in a pan and cook the garlic and onions while mixing all the time. Add the mint and look for around 1 minutes for flavours to infuse. Add the jar of tomatoes, wine, Kunserva and lemon rind. Simmer on low flame for around 30 minutes. In the meantime, heat a nonstick pan and cook the fish from both sides. Add the capers and olives and cook for a further 5 minutes. Serve the fish with sauce.

White Bait Patties

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Clean the fish very well and roughly chop or press and set aside in a bowl. Peel and chop the garlic in small pieces. Finely chop the tomatoes and add to the fish along with the garlic. Add the parsley, mint and lemon rind. Mix well. Add the ready mashed potatoes, eggs, salt and pepper. Add some semolina if mixture is too sticky. Form small balls and lightly flat by hand. Pass the patties from some flour. Warm some vegetable oil in a deep pan and cook the patties from both sides until well cooked. When cooked, place on a paper towel to drain excess oil. Serve warm with some fresh salad and some tartar sauce.