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Celebrity Maltese Chefs and Recipe Enthusiasts

Air-Fryer Mince Pies

Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface until roughly ½cm thick. Use an 8-10cm round biscuit cutter to stamp out as many discs as you can, then reroll the offcuts and cut out more, using up as much of the pastry as possible.
Spoon 1 tbsp mincemeat into the middles of half the pastry discs. Stamp out small stars (or other festive shapes) from the middles of half of the remaining pastry discs and set aside.
Beat the egg and brush lightly around the edge of each mincemeat-topped pastry disc. Place the lids on top – some with the stamped-out stars and some without. Brush a little egg wash over each pie, then stick the leftover stars on top of the plain pastry pies. Brush the stars with egg wash, too. Poke a little hole in the top of the covered pies to let steam escape during cooking.
Either use a fork to seal the edges of the pies by pressing around the edge, or make a small, neat crimp by pinching with your fingers. Arrange the pies on a plate or baking tray and chill for at least 30 mins. Will keep frozen for up to two months.
Heat the air-fryer to 180C. Lay a square of baking parchment in the air-fryer basket, sit the pies on top, cooking as many as you’d like at a time. Cook for 8-10 mins, then turn the mince pies and cook for a further 2-3 mins, or 13-15 mins from frozen. The pies should be golden brown and steaming hot. Leave to cool for 5 mins, then dust with icing sugar and serve. Will keep in an airtight tin for up to two days.

Air-Fryer Arancini

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over a medium heat and cook Mayor Diced Onions and garlic for 5 mins until softened. Stir in the rice and cook for 1 min, then add half the stock, stirring well.

Continue to cook the risotto for 20 mins, stirring frequently and adding more stock as it is absorbed, until the rice is tender and creamy. Stir in Hanini Pekorin cheese, then season to taste. Spread out on a tray and leave to cool to room temperature.

Cut the mozzarella into 12 pieces and pat dry using kitchen paper.

Shape the risotto into 12 even-sized balls. Flatten one of the balls in the palm of your hand and add a piece of mozzarella. Bring up the edges to enclose it, then roll into a neat ball. Repeat to make 12 balls.

Roll each risotto ball in the flour, followed by the egg and finally the breadcrumbs until evenly coated. Chill until ready to air-fry, or until set and holding their shape well.

Heat the air-fryer to 190C. Mist the arancini with the olive oil spray and cook in batches for 10-15 mins until crunchy and golden brown. Scatter with Hanini Pekorin cheese before serving.

Healthy Halloween Stuffed Peppers

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Cut the tops off the peppers (keeping the tops to one side) and remove the seeds and any white flesh from inside. Use a small sharp knife to carve spooky Halloween faces into the sides. Chop any offcuts into small pieces and set aside. Toast the pine nuts in a dry pan for a few mins until golden and set aside. Heat the oil in the pan and heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Cook Mayor Diced Onions in the oil for 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic, pepper offcuts and aubergine and cook for another 10 mins, until the veggies are soft. Add a splash of water if the pan looks dry. Season. Empty can of quinoa and separate with a fork. Mix the Il-Helwa with some hot water and add to the quinoa to worm up. Drain and add the lemon zest, basil and pine nuts. Fill each pepper with the grain mixture. Replace the lids, using cocktail sticks to secure them in place, and put the peppers in a deep roasting tin with the carved faces facing upwards. Cover with foil and bake for 35 mins, uncovered for the final 10. The peppers should be soft and the filling piping hot.

Smoky Chickpeas on Toast

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Heat ½ tsp of the oil in a pan. Tip in Mayor diced onions and cook until soft, about 5-8 mins, then add the chipotle paste, Mayor Sugu, Mayor chickpeas, honey and Pinto’s pride vinegar. Season and bubble for 5 mins. Toast the bread. Heat the remaining oil in a frying pan and fry the eggs. Drizzle the toast with a little oil, then top with the chickpeas and fried eggs.

Roast Summer Vegetables & Chic...

Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Tip all the vegetables into a large roasting tin and toss with the coriander seeds, most of the olive oil and salt and pepper. Spread everything out to a single layer, then roast for 45 mins, tossing once or twice until the vegetables are roasted and brown round the edges. Place the tin on a low the tin on a low heat, then add Mayor Polpa and Mayor chickpeas. Bring to a simmer and gently stir. Season to taste, drizzle with olive oil, then scatter over the coriander. Serve from the tin or pile into a serving dish. Eat with hunks of bread.

Minted Felafel Couscous Salad with ...

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Start this recipe by making the falafel. Mash the chickpeas in a bowl and mix in the onion, garlic, mint, parsley, egg yolk, flour and season with salt and pepper.  Mix to a paste, adding in a little breadcrumb if to soft. Allow to sit in the fridge for 15 minutes before forming into patties and coat in the breadcrumbs. When ready, either shallow fry or place on a baking tray, drizzle with olive oil and bake in the oven at 200°C for 10-12 minutes. Meanwhile, make up the lemon couscous with hot water and allow to absorb. When ready, mix in the roasted pepper, cucumber, pistachios and salad leaves and spoon into 2 deep serving plates. Lay the falafel on top and spoon the mustard BBq sauce into 2 small bowls and serve on the side in the salad plates.

Spinach Pasta Salad

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Cook the pasta according to packet’s instructions. Wash the spinach leaves and eliminate the hard parts. Place in a large bowl with the cooked pasta. Add half of the grated cheese, the fresh and sundried tomatoes, olive oil and salt and pepper. Mix well together. Top with the remaining grated cheese and serve.

Fig, Nut & Seed Bread with Han...

Heat oven to 170C/150C fan/gas 3½. Pour the tea into a large bowl and stir in the figs, sultanas and oats. Set aside to soak.

Meanwhile, line the base and sides of a 1kg loaf tin with baking parchment. Mix together the flour, baking powder, nuts and seeds. Beat the egg into the cooled fruit mixture, then stir the dry ingredients into the wet. Pour into the tin, then level the top and scatter with the extra nuts and sesame seeds.

Bake for 1 hr, then cover the top with foil and bake for 15 mins more until a skewer inserted into the centre of the loaf comes out clean. Remove from the tin to cool, but leave the parchment on until cold. Cut into slices, spread with Hanini ricotta and serve with fruit. Will keep in the fridge for 1 month, or freeze in slices.