Break some resolutions and get over the winter blues with some of these seasoned local spring dishes.
Every country should have a Fat Thursday. Malta does. Known in Italy as Giovedi Grasso, it marks the start of carnival week and launches spring in style. Locally, families would traditionally come together and gorge on a feast of fresh produce and meats, in preparation for Lent. And spring cuisine has been shaped by the need to indulge in – or eschew – different forms of meat. Here are some seasonal staples served in eateries around the island – and they’re just like nanna used to make.
Imqarrun (Baked macaroni)
Malta’s cuisine is a curious mix of Italian and British, with some Middle Eastern elements thrown in for fun. And this family favourite baked pasta dish seamlessly blends the penne bolognese with the Sunday roast, resulting in a moreish dish which will have you licking the plate clean (and that’s not an exaggeration!). Make sure to ask for a big portion.
Kusksu bil-ful (broad bean pasta soup)
There’s no shortage of delightful things about this broad bean soup, a hearty spring dish packed with ful (broad beans) and also including onions, fresh peas and small pasta beads. It is sometimes served with a fresh local cheeselet made with sheep’s milk and a poached egg. It’s so satisfying you won’t even miss the meat.
Soppa ta’ l-armla (widow’s soup)
You no longer have to be a widow to enjoy this fluid fable. Soppa ta’ l-armla (widow’s soup) was, and still, is a popular local dish. Made with all the greens available during this season, including cauliflower, cabbage, spinach, and fresh peas, it goes a long way towards satisfying your five-a-day rule.
Minestra (vegetable soup)
Malta’s proximity to the Italian peninsula is reflected in its gastronomic favourites. Minestra, the local equivalent of minestrone, uses up all the vegetables you can think of… and then some. Potatoes, celery, onions, beans, as well as a bit of pasta, all make an appearance but the real stars of the show are the carrots and pumpkin. If you must have meat, kawlata uses the same recipe with added pork belly or shanks.
Qassatat and torti (filled pastry and pie)
You will find broad beans in most dishes this season, including in qassatat (filled pastry) and torti (pies), which could both be made with the same filling. The former can also be found swelling with a tuna mixture while the latter can be served stuffed with fresh cheeselets. Just swing by your nearest pastizzeria (pastry shop) and pick the one which speaks to you.
Bigilla (bean dip)
In an example of team effort, Bigilla is best eaten chilled and scooped up on a Maltese cracker or spread seductively on a piece of crusty bread. Made from small broad beans, which are boiled and mashed with garlic, oil, parsley and some chilli, the dip frequently adorns the counter tops of traditional bars and clubs. On a sleepy weekday afternoon, listen out for the honking horn of bigilla sellers who go around town serving portions of it in paper funnels or cartons.
Kwarezimal (almond Lenten sweet)
Kwarezimal has often suffered from an identity crisis. A confection made from almonds, spices, cocoa, grated orange and lemon rind, the sweet is eaten during the Lenten period, which usually forbids the consumption of anything syrupy. Yet, it is only prepared then and it is eaten in droves. It may be that by baking it, dredging it with honey and sprinkling it with roasted nuts, local chefs have somehow exorcised any sin from its combs. Or, else, it’s just too good to sacrifice.
Karamelli tal-harub (carob sweets)
Suck, suck, suck at these hard sweets until they have completely disappeared from your mouth. The karamelli tal-harrub (carob sweets), made with carob syrup from Maltese carob trees and typically sold during the Good Friday procession, have always been a children’s favourite. But, you don’t need to be under 12 to enjoy them.
Qaghaq ta’ l-appostli (apostle’s ring)
The qaghaq ta’ l-appostli (apostle’s ring) is another sweet item only available on the islands during Holy Week. Lemon and orange rind are used to impregnate the pastry with a rich infusion, underscored by the orange flower which is added into the traditional recipe.
Figolli (almond-filled pastries)
Quintessentially Maltese and quintessentially Easter, figolli are almond-filled layered pastries, topped with icing and sprinkled with sweet beads, without which the festivities in Malta are not complete. They come in a kaleidoscope of colours and in a wide array of animal and abstract shapes, each inspired by the bucolic nature of the season. Rabbits, fish and even butterflies have never tasted so sweet.