Celebrity Maltese Chefs and Recipe Enthusiasts
Cauliflower Muffins with Gibniet
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
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...
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
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.
Cabbage Lasagne
In a deep oven dish do a layer of sliced potatoes. Cover with a layer of cabbage. In a separate bowl, mix the ricotta with the eggs, salt and pepper and spread it over the cabbage. Spread some grated cheese. Cover with another layer of the remaining cabbage. Do another layer of the sliced potatoes. Sprinkle the top with hot paprika and a dash of oil. Bake in oven at a temperature of 180c until the potatoes have a golden colour.
Linguine with Tuna Sauce
Prepare the sauce: Heat the oil in a medium pan. Toss in 2 tbsp of the parsley, the garlic, chilli and ginger and fry for a few minutes until slightly soft. Tip in Mayor Polpa and cook for another few minutes. Fold in the tuna and season the sauce generously. Leave the sauce to simmer for 10 minutes.
Boil the pasta: Meanwhile, cook the pasta for 8-10 minutes, or as directed on the pack. Drain, then return to the pan. Pour the tuna sauce into the pasta and toss well. Sprinkle over the remaining parsley, divide between four bowls and serve.
Ravioli with Artichokes, Leek &...
Heat the oil from Mayor artichokes in a large saucepan, then add the leek and garlic. Fry for 5 mins over a medium heat until the leek is soft. Stir in the artichokes, cream cheese and lemon zest, then heat through. Season to taste and add a squeeze of lemon juice.
Meanwhile, cook Divini ravioli following pack instructions. Drain, add to the pan with the artichokes and cream cheese, and toss through. Serve topped with the rocket and a grating of Hanini Pekorin cheese.
Jacket Potato with Whipped Hanini C...
Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/ gas 6. Prick the potato all over with a fork and bake for 1 hr until it is golden outside and soft inside. Mix 1 tsp olive oil with the garlic salt. Cut a deep cross into the top of the jacket, drizzle the garlic oil into the cross and rub it all over the outside. Return to the oven and bake for 15 mins more until the edges are golden and crispy. Meanwhile, crumble Hanini cheese into a bowl, add Hanini yogurt and whisk together until creamy. Stir in the red pepper with a good grind of black pepper and spoon the whipped cheese into the jacket. Sprinkle with the fresh chives, drizzle over the remaining 1 tsp olive oil and scatter a few torn basil leaves on top, if you like.