Menu

Celebrity Maltese Chefs and Recipe Enthusiasts

Shakshuka with Toasted Turmeric See...

Start by frying together the onion and garlic with the olive oil and soften together for 4 minutes. Add in the red pepper and spices, season with salt and pepper and cook for another 3 minutes. Tip in the tin of cherry tomatoes and add in a pinch of salt. Bring to the boil, lower the heat and cook for another 10 minutes. When ready, make 4 wells in the sauce and crack in the 4 eggs, making sure not to break the yolks. Place on the lid, or alternatively place into the oven and cook for 4-5 minutes. Meanwhile, cut 4 slices of the turmeric and seed bread, drizzle generously with olive oil and toast in a hot pan on both sides. To serve, crumble over the feta cheese and sprinkle over the fresh chopped herbs. Serve with the toasted turmeric and seed bread on the side.

Ricotta Cheese & Pea Filp Tort...

Read in Maltese

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.

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.

Deviled Eggs

Bring some water to the boil in a large saucepan and, once it’s boiling, add the eggs, one by one, into the pan and bring back to the boil. Boil for 1 minute, then turn the heat off and leave the eggs to stand in the pan for 12 minutes. While you’re waiting for the eggs to cook, fill a large bowl with very cold water, and throw in a handful of ice cubes if you have them. As soon as the eggs have had their 12 minutes, spoon them into the cold water and leave for 15 minutes – no longer – before peeling patiently and carefully. Halve the eggs lengthways and gently prise the yolk out of each half and pop them into a mixing bowl. Place the neatest looking 18 halved whites on a plate or two. Add the mayonnaise, a teaspoon of English mustard, the salt and paprika to the egg yolks, and shake a few drops of Hot Pepper Sauce on top. Stir and mash with a fork, then blend with a stick blender or in a food processor. Add the oil and blend again until smooth. It will be very thick. Check for seasoning and also taste to see if you want this hotter. I generally go up to 2 teaspoons of mustard and quite a bit more Tabasco, but it’s best to proceed slowly. Now, by hand, stir in as much of the water as you need to help form a piping consistency. Spoon the golden mixture into a piping bag with a star icing nozzle, making sure it is densely packed at the bottom of the bag. Then pipe away, filling the hollowed-out whites with golden rosettes. Or you can mound the yolk mixture using a pair of teaspoons. Sprinkle with paprika and chopped chives and serve with a flourish.

Naan Bread Gozitan Pizza

Read in Maltese

Spread the tomato sauce on the naan bread and sprinkle the shredded mozzarella. Add your favourite ingredients and finish off with fresh rosemary and chopped Peppered Cheeselet. Drizzle with olive oil and bake in a preheated 220°C oven for about 15 minutes or until is well baked. Add fresh basil and serve.

Lampuki Pie

Read in Maltese

Chop the lampuki fillets into small squares. Chop the onions, garlic cloves, mint, and basil leaves into small pieces. Fry the onions and garlic in olive oil. Add the mint and basil and keep frying until onions turn golden. Lower the heat and add the fish without cooking completely. In the meantime, mix the mashed cauliflowers and cooked spinach well and chop the black olives and anchovies into small pieces. Add the spinach and cauliflower mix, olives, capers, and anchovies to the fish. Cook for a few minutes and then add the tomato puree, some salt and pepper and the lemon zest. Remove from the heat and add one lightly beaten egg. Mix well. Roll out the pastry and line over a greaseproof paper in a pie dish. Fill in with the lampuki mixture and use the other pastry to cover the pie. Brush with the lightly beaten egg and sprinkle with some sesame seeds. Make a few slits in the top of the pie and bake for around 50-60 minutes in a hot oven.

Colourful Bruschetta

Read in Maltese

Slice the bread in thick slices. Drizzle some olive oil and grill on a pan or in oven. In a separate bowl, drain the Mayor Cherry Tomatoes and add the mozzarella balls and roughly cut basil leaves. When bread is done and still warm, top with the tomato mixture and drizzle some more olive oil.

Rabbit Pie

Read in Maltese

Chop the rabbit meat into 2 cm cubes. Heat a pan and brown the chicken in hot olive oil. Remove from the pan and add in the carrot, onions, celery and garlic to the same pan and cook till slightly browned. Stir in the herbs and spices and mix in the tomato paste, cooking for a further minute. Return the rabbit meat to the pan, pour in the wine and allow evaporation. Stir in the stock, 1 glass water, tomatoes and potatoes and simmer for 15 minutes. When ready, remove off the heat and stir in drained marrow fat peas. Meanwhile, line a 20cm pie dish with puff pastry, pour in the rabbit filling and cover again with puff pastry. Brush the top with beaten egg and bake in the oven at 175°C for 35 minutes or until golden brown.