Berry Mousse Torte

Ingredient

225g white chocolate , broken into pieces

75g unsalted butter

2 tablespoons brandy

6 eggs , separated

50g caster sugar 

50g plain flour 

finely grated rind of 1 lemon

TO DECORATE

350g white chocolate , broken into pieces 

450 soft fruits , eg strawberries , redcurrants , raspberries 

icing sugar for dusting 

lightly whipped cream to serve 

Double Chocolate Cheese cake

Ingredients

50g broken walnuts

175g digestive biscuits

65g unsalted butter , melted

225g white chocolate , broken into pieces

350g cream cheese

500g fromage frais

175g caster sugar

3 eggs

TO DECORATE

400g white chocolate , broken in to pieces 

200ml creme fraiche 

Black and White Roulade

ingredients

225g no-soak prunes

1 tablespoon vanilla essence

3 tablespoon brandy or rum

1 tablespoon cornflour

25g flaked almonds  

5 eggs separated 

125g caster sugar

150 chocolate grated 

25g plain flour

to decorate :

150g brown chocolate sliced with the tip of the knife

150g white chocolate sliced with the tip of the knife

Cherry & Almond Fridge Slice

Ingredient

75g caster sugar

450g plain chocolate broken into pieces

125g unsalted butter 

75 ground almonds

100g brazil nuts , chopped

75g no- soak dried apricots chopped

100g no-glace cherries chopped

75g candied peel , chopped

175g morning coffee or petit beurre biscuits

125g milk chocolate chopped

TO DECORATE

50g milk chocolate , broken into pieces

Iced Mud Pie

Ingredients

25g cocoa powder

2 pieces stem ginger , finely chopped

50g pecan nuts , roughly chopped 

25g natural peanuts , roughly chopped 

50g raisins

700ml pint double cream 

50g icing sugar

125g plain chocolate , grated

TO DECORATE 

175g plain chocolate , broken into pieces 

2 crunchie bars 

1 snickers bar

50g marshmallows ,roughly chopped

15g natural peanuts 

Devil's Food Cake

Ingredients

75g plain chocolate broken into pieces 

175g unsalted butter , softened

275g light muscovado sugar

3 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla essence 

250g plain flour

25g cocoa powder 

150 ml soured cream

TO DECORATE

450g granulated sugar

pinch of cream of tartar

2 eggs white

50g plain chocolate

Truffle Cake

Ingredients

500g plain chocolate , broken into pieces 

75ml brandy or rum

175g unsalted butter softened

175g caster sugar

4 eggs

150g self-raising flour

75g ground almonds

TO FILL AND DECORATE

175ml double cream 

50g cocoa powder , plus extra for coating 

5 tablespoons apricot jam

450g white almond paste

1 tablespoon liquid glucose

125g plain chocolate

several sheets gold leaf , or gold foil foil from plain chocolate

cocoa for dusting

Marbled Triamisu

Ingredients

2 eggs

175 caster sugar

50g plain flour

1 tablespoon finely ground espresso coffee

675g mascarpone cheese 

2 teaspoons vanilla essence

5 tablespoons coffee liqueur 

200g plain chocolate , broken into pieces

100g dark chocolate coffee beans , roughly chopped

TO DECORATE

75g plain chocolate , broken into pieces

75g milk chocolate , broken into pieces

Chicken Chop Suey

Ingredients

2 tablespoons oil

2 chicken breast fillets , thinly sliced

250g minced meat

1/2 Chinese cabbage shredded

4 stalks celery , sliced

2 carrots , chopped

2 onions chopped

1 capsicum , seeded and chopped

1 clove garlic , crushed

1 cup chicken stock

1 table spoon soy sauce

2 teaspoons cornflour

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 x 190 g can champignons , drained

1 x 285g can bamboo shoots , drained

1 x 227g can water chestnuts , drained  

Chicken Pita Pizza

Ingredients

6 rounds wholemeal Lebanese bread ,about 12 cm in diameter

1/4 cup tomato pickle or chutney

125 g cooked chicken slivered

125 g fresh mushrooms sliced

1 red or green capsicum , sliced

dried oregano or basil leaves

1 cup grated mozzarella cheese

Spanish Paella

Ingredients

1.3kg chicken jointed

2 clove garlic. finely chopped

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 onion chopped

1 1/4 cup long grain rice 

6 threads saffron

3 1/4 cups chicken stock

375g green prawns peeled and deveined

2 red capsicum, seeded cut into 2.5 cm squares 

1 1/2 cup frozen peas 

12-16 small mussels on the shell

water or dry wine

Roasted Spiced Spatchcock

ingredients

1 medium sized spatchcock

3 tablespoon honey 

1 tablespoon rose water

2 teaspoon grounded cardamon

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 tablespoon oil

1 teaspoon salt 

good pinch cayenne

1/2 cup blanched almonds

coriander sprigs for garnish

Chicken Curry with Cashews and Almonds

Ingredients

1/2cup oil

3 large onions, finely chopped

4 glove garlic ,crushed 

3 teaspoons finely chopped fresh ginger

2 teaspoons gram masala 

1 tablespoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon turmeric 

425g can tomatoes 

1.2 kg chicken pieces without bones and skinned

1/2 cup plain yogurt 

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh mint

1/2 cup unsalted cashew nuts 

1/2 cup almonds roughly chopped 

Tandoori Style chicken

ingredients

1 cup plain yogurt
1 onion finely chopped
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon rind
2 tablespoon lemon juice
1 glove garlic,crushed
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon gram masala
8 pieces drum sticks

Barbecued Satay Chicken

Ingredient

6 chicken thigh fillets cut into 2.5cm cubes

8 skewers 

1/3 cup crunchy peanut butter

1 clove garlic , crushed

1 tablespoon oil

3 teaspoons soy sauce

pinch chilli powder

Cranberry wings

Ingredient

1.5 kg chicken wings

freshly ground black pepper

3/4 cup orange marmalade

1/2 cup bottled cranberry sauce

1/2 cup spicy red barbecue sauce

1/3 cup white vinegar

Bread pudding ( pudina tal- hobz )

Ingredients

800g bread 

50g margarine

100g sugar

3 eggs

50g chopped mixed peel

grated rind of an orange

2 tablespoons cocoa

a drop of vanilla essence

200g sultanas 

a pinch of nutmeg

1 teaspoon mixed spices

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/2 cups of milk

Traditional Carnival Sweet ( prinjolata )

Ingredients

30 sponge fingers

2 egg whites

250g sugar 

3 tablespoons water

150g pine nuts

a few drops vanilla essence 

glace cherries

melted chocolate

american frosting

Butter cream 

225g margarine 

300g icing sugar

drop of vanilla essence

Honey Rings ( Qaghaq ta l - Ghasel )

Ingredients

For the pastry

400g flour 

75g semolina

150g margarine

100g sugar

For filling

400g treacle

400g sugar

2 tablespoons cocoa

1 tablespoon semolina

2 tablespoons anisette

rind of an orange 

rind of a lemon

a pinch of ground cloves

1/2 teaspoonful mixed spices 

250 ml water

Sesame Ring Biscuits ( Qaghaq Tal -Gunglien )

Ingredient

400g flour 

200g sugar

100g lard

100g margarine

50g sesame seeds

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 eggs

milk

Lenten Special Sweet ( kwarezimal )

Ingredients

400g ground almonds

200g flour

200g ground rice

400g sugar

1/2 teaspoon mixed spices & cinnamon

a pinch of ground cloves

1 tablespoon cocoa 

1/2 orange rind grated

1/2 lemon rind grated

1 tablespoon orange flower water

water to bind

honey

pistachio nuts / roasted almonds

a few drops vanilla essence

Stuffed Flank ( Falda Mimlija )

Ingredient

800g flank

6 tablespoons fresh breadcrumbs

1 small onion finely chopped 

3 eggs

1 chopped hard boiled egg

1 dessertspoon chopped parsley 

1 tablespoon parmesan cheese

300g mined meat

2 cloves crushed garlic

salt and pepper

2 onions

2 carrots

1 potato

1 marrow

1 stick of celery

2 tomatoes

Beef olives ( bragoil )

Ingredients

800g slices of topside beef

200g minced meat

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

2 eggs 

3 cloves garlic

1 cupful breadcrumbs

salt and pepper

1 cupful of red wine 

2 onions ( chopped )

Rabbit Cooked In Garlic And Wine

Ingredient

1 rabbit

1/2 bottle of red wine

6 cloves garlic

2 bay leaves

salt and pepper

oil for frying

Stuffed Green Peppers ( Bzar ahdar mimli )

Ingredient

4 green peppers 

1 cupful of breadcrumbs

8-10 olives

100g anchovies

1 tablespoon capers

chopped parsley

2 large tomatoes peeled seeded and chopped

oil

2 cloves garlic 

salt and pepper

2 onions

Caponata ( kapunata )

Ingredient

2 large aubergines

4 large tomatoes

1 large onion

3 cloves garlic

3 tablespoons capers 

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon oregano

6 green peppers

1 tablespoon stoned olives

4 tablespoons of oil

salt and pepper

Lampuki Pie ( Torta tal Lampuki )

ingredients

400g flaky or puff pastry

800g lampuki

1 cauliflower

6 olives

3 tomatoes peeled ,seeded and chopped 

1 dessertspoon tomato puree

2 onions 

oil

salt and pepper

2 garlic cloves crushed 

Octopus Stew ( Stuffat tal Qarnit )

Ingredient

800g octopus
2 tablespoons oil
2 large onions
8 olives
1 tablespoon mint
1 tablespoon mixed spices
50g raisins
50g mixed nuts
2 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon tomato puree
250ml red wine
small lemon 250g peas
salt and pepper

Raviolli

Ingredients for Ravioli Filling

400 g (or 14.11 oz) ricotta

2 raw eggs

3 tablespoons grated cheese

A bunch of chopped parsley

Seasoning

Ingredients for Pastry

400 g (or 14.11 oz) plain flour

Salt

2 egg yolks

A little oil

Imqaret

Ingredients

400g flour

1 tablespoon lard

1 tablespoon margarine 

1 tablespoon sugar

1.2 kg pitted dates 

1 orange grated peel 

1 tablespoon anisette

1 tablespoon orange flower water

a pinch of grounded glove

Figolli

PASTRY

1. •
   800g Self Raising Flour
2. •
   225g Castor Sugar
3. •
   340g Butter
4. •
   3 Eggs
5. •
   1 Grated Lemon Peel
6. •
   1tsp Vanilla Powder
7. •
   Pinch of salt

FILLING  

1. •
   170g Pure or Substitute Ground Almonds
2. •
   170g Castor Sugar
3. •
   100g Icing Sugar
4. •
   1/2 Grated Lemon Peel
5. •
   1tsp Vanilla Powder
6. •
   1 Egg

GLACE ICING (to decorate to the top of the biscuit)

1. •
   2 Egg whites
2. •
   400g Icing Sugar
3. •
   Half Lemon (Freshly Squeezed)

ROYAL ICING (to decorate the edges of the biscuit)

1. •2 large (60 grams) egg whites
2. •2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
3. •3 cups (330 grams) confectioners (powdered or icing) sugar, sifted

Hobz bil zejt

Ħobż biż-żejt literally translates to "bread with oil" as the bread is always liberally doused with extra virgin olive oil after all the other toppings are stacked.

Traditional Maltese bread with thick crust is cut in rough slices and kunserva (concentrated tomato paste) is spread on one side of each slice. Then any Mediterranean topping may be added. My interpretation includes green and black olives, butter beans and sweet corn (previously marinated in garlic and oil), slices of ġbejna (peppered goat's cheese) and fresh mint leaves from my garden. The concoction is finally drizzled with extra virgin olive oil, salt and crushed pepper.

For many generations, the Maltese (like myself) have been choosing this staple food for dinner on hot summer evenings or as a snack to be enjoyed at the beach.