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

Method

How to prepare the pastry

Sieve the flour into a large bowl. Cut the margarine into small pieces and rub into the flour. Add the sugar and blend well. Moisten with the aniseed liqueur and orange-blossom water. Allow to stand for some 30 minutes.

Filling the pies

To fill the pies, put all the filling ingredients into a saucepan. You then need to cook over low heat. Don't forget to stir occasionally. Simmer until you see that the mixture has become creamy.

How to make the Imqaret

Roll out the pastry into a wide strip (approx. 10 centemetres) over a floured surface.

Next you need to moisten the pastry's edges. Place the date mixture in the middle of the pastry strip. Fold over so that you enclose the date filling. Now press edges together. You need to press them tightly. Using a sharp knife, cut across the pastry (in a diagonal way) so that you get long diamond shaped little pies. Their size should be around 5 centemetres.

The imqaret are now ready for frying. Using the deep frying method, your next step is to fry them. The oil has to be boiling. Fry them until they become golden brown. Drain the imqaret. You can also dap them with tissue paper to remove excess oil. Imqaret are served hot.

We hope you enjoyed this yummy Maltese fruit pie recipe. Try it out and let us know how you like it!