Learn to Cook like a Local

Words by Rachel Zammit Cutajar | Photography by Julia Boikova

Would you like to take a visit to the farmers’ market in Ta’ Qali on a Tuesday or Saturday morning? Or how about a trip to the fish market in Marsaxlokk, early on a Sunday morning?

The Mattei family are passionate and knowledgeable about local produce and how to enjoy what is seasonal and sustainable at your table. For the last 25 years, food writer and home cook Pippa Mattei has been welcoming people from all over the world into her home, where she demonstrates how to prepare dishes, before finally serving them up to her guests in the Mediterranean garden, which is tended to by her husband John.

Pippa Mattei has been cooking and sharing her passion with food lovers for over 30 years. She welcomes you into her house and garden, and together, you embark on a culinary journey that delves into the traditions and specialties of the Maltese Kitchen. She has written award-winning cookbooks, and continues to contribute to national press with her unique approach to good living and hospitality.

Her husband John is mad about all things pasta, and makes the best home-made ravioli filled with ricotta, a classic dish if there ever was one. Pippa’s grown-up children, Alex and Emma, have also worked with food professionally, and have specialised knowledge on how to select the freshest fish that is sustainable, and how to prepare it in various different styles beyond the norm, how to forage, as well as how to style and prepare food for TV and film.

As the world slowly opens back up, you might feel enticed to join them one weekend, and learn how to shop for and cook with local ingredients, which you can then enjoy in the garden, with a glass of wine. You’ll roll up your sleeves and, under their guidance, cook a meal to remember!

Weather permitting, you can enjoy the garden, with the scents of honeysuckle and jasmine, and from John’s kitchen garden, you can pick and enjoy salad ingredients!

pippamattei.com

THE MALTESE SUMMER TOMATO

When ‘summer and sunshine are falling in love’, the tomato plant comes into its own. This wonderful vegetable is one of Malta’s best vegetables. Tadam in Maltese, the best crops are processed into cans and made into a tomato paste, known as kunserva, that is widely used in Maltese cuisine. In fact, our very best ‘snack’ is Ħobż biż-żejt, (bread and oil) which is prepared as follows: slice one fresh Maltese sourdough loaf (baked daily in numerous wood-fired ovens). Rub the slices with half a fresh tomato, or some tomato paste, drizzle with a good amount of olive oil and a little vinegar and sprinkle with salt and pepper - it is the best snack in the world! You can add to this garlic, olives, capers, red onion, mint and basil, although the garlic is best rubbed on the bread, rather than eaten raw.

SIMPLE, FRESH TOMATO SAUCE WITH BASIL

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS: 1kilo pulpy red tomatoes – skinned by pouring boiling water over them – carefully peeled and roughly chopped. 4 tablespoons tomato puree (kunserva tat-tadam) 6 cloves garlic (ask for fresh Maltese garlic), peeled and chopped 3 tablespoons sugar A handful of fresh basil leaves torn not chopped 4 tablespoons olive oil (Maltese oil now available) rock salt, and freshly ground pepper

Method:

Heat olive oil in a saucepan, add the peeled and chopped garlic, salt and pepper. Fry until the garlic turns golden, then add the peeled chopped tomatoes plus the tomato puree. Add the sugar and torn basil leaves. Stir well, then allow to simmer over a low heat till the sauce thickens (about 20 minutes). Set aside till needed.

PIQUANT TOMATO SAUCE

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS: Prepared tomato sauce (as above) 2 Tablespoons sugar 2 Tablespoons vinegar 2 Tablespoons Maltese capers (also harvested in June)

Method:

Warm tomato sauce in medium sized pan. Add the sugar, vinegar and capers. Allow to simmer for a few minutes then take off heat, allow to cool. Serve with grilled or steamed Mediterranean fish. Alternatively, mix sauce with some fried slices of baby marrows (Qarabaghli). Serve with fresh Maltese bread or cold meats, fried eggs etc.

FRESH TOMATO SOUP

(As made in my childhood home by the wonderful housekeeper Faustina). Serves 6-8

INGREDIENTS: 1 kilo fresh summer tomatoes 1 large onion 1 stick celery 2 Maltese potatoes, peeled and chopped 1 tablespoon sugar 1 tablespoon butter Salt and pepper 2 tablespoons plain flour Approx. 1 litre water

Method

Cut the tomatoes in half. Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the onion, potatoes and tomatoes, and toss together. Add the flour and stir well. Then add the celery, salt, pepper and water. Cook gently until all the vegetables are very soft (about 30 minutes). Remove the celery (which can be stringy) and pour soup through a sieve or a hand mill, pushing all the pulp through and discarding the skin. Adjust seasoning, add another dot of butter, and serve with lots of crusty Maltese bread and butter. You may also cut 2 slices of bread into cubes, and drop the croutons into a pan of sizzling oil. Fry until golden and carefully remove with a slotted spoon. Drain on an absorbent kitchen paper. Serve immediately with the soup.

SPAGHETTI WITH CUTTLEFISH (SICC) BLACK INK SAUCE

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS: 1 kg of cuttlefish – ask the fishmonger to retain the ink and place it in a container. You must also ask the fishmonger to clean and cut the cuttlefish into bite-sized morsels Keep the tentacles. 2 tablespoons fresh garlic, chopped 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped 1 onion, chopped lengthwise 6 tablespoons tomato purée (kunserva tat-tadam) 2 tablespoons capers, chopped 6 black olives, chopped 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar 80ml olive oil Chilli flakes.

Method

Carefully cut off the tentacles (leave aside for later), and place the silver-blue bag with the ink into a small bowl. Heat the oil in a deep pan, add the garlic and onions, and fry. When golden, add the cuttlefish and tentacles, and fry for another 5 minutes. Then add the salt and pepper. Fry for another few minutes, and add the tomato purée. Pierce the ink bags very carefully into a cup of water, and add this to the pan. Cook for a further 5 minutes, adding the vinegar, chilli flakes, olives and capers. Add another cup of water, give it a good stir and continue cooking for 30 minutes on a very low heat until the cuttlefish is tender and the sauce turns thick, black and shiny. Serve this with spaghetti and a sprinkling of freshly chopped parsley. N.B. Wear an apron when preparing this, and gloves, as the ink bags sometimes burst before you want them to!