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ISSUE 134 DISTRIBUTED WITH THE MALTA INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY NOVEMBER 2020

“November is with us and we retreat to the comfort of our homes giving us more time to cook up wonderful dishes. Lamb is an ingredient that we normally associate with spring, but who cares. I love lamb at any time of the year and I asked Ryan and Edward to come up with 6 lamb dishes that also reflect this particular season.”

Michael Diacono chef patron, Giuseppi’s bar and bistro, Mezzodì, and Rubino

COSY COMFORT FOOD

COSY COMFORT FOOD

Welcome the cooler autumn weather with warming, comfort food by Ryan Vella, head chef at Mezzodì and Edward Diacono, head chef, Rubino.

Photography: Brian Grech Wine recommendation: Andrew Azzopardi

Lamb Kofte with grilled flat breads and chive yoghurt. A super luxurious “handwich”.

Serves 6 Preparation and cooking time: 2 hours, including proving time Recommended wine: Spanish Rioja Reserva or Lebanese Cabernet Sauvignon

FLATBREADS 450g bread flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 15g instant yeast 2 teaspoons sugar 150ml warm milk 30ml vegetable oil 150g plain yoghurt 1 egg, lightly beaten ½ teaspoon salt

KOFTE 600g minced lamb 1 medium onion, peeled and grated 4 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed 1 handful parsley, finely chopped 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint 1 tablespoon chopped fresh coriander 1 tablespoon ras el hanout spice mix 1 teaspoon cumin seeds salt and pepper

CHIVE YOGHURT 2 cups plain yoghurt 2 tablespoon chopped fresh chives ½ teaspoon grated lemon zest chili, as much or as little as you wish

TO SERVE 1 large onion, peeled and thinly sliced 2 tomatoes, thinly sliced fresh coriander salad greens pomegranate arils

1. Attach the dough hook to your mixing machine. Sift the flour and baking powder into the bowl and add the yeast.

2. Dissolve the sugar in the warm milk, then add the mixture to the sifted flour along with the oil, yoghurt and egg. Start mixing slowly, then add the salt. Knead the dough for 10 minutes.

3. Now, using oiled hands, shape the dough into a ball and transfer it to a large bowl. Cover the bowl with a clean cloth and leave the dough to rise for 1 hour. 4. Knock back the dough (press the dough down gently using the knuckles of your fist) to remove the air bubbles. Turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead it gently for a few minutes.

5. Divide the dough into 6 balls. Roll out each one into a 30cm circle . Heat a large clean frying pan and dry grill the bread for a couple of minutes. Large bubbles should appear on the dough’s surface. Flip the dough over and grill the other side for a minute or two until it turns golden.

6. Transfer the cooked dough to a tray and cover it with a cloth while you grill the rest.

7. Now, place the lamb into a mixing bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix them until very well combined. Using damp hands, form the mixture into ovalshaped balls and place them on a tray. Cover the tray and place it in the fridge to rest for 1 hour.

8. Heat a grill and brush it lightly with the extra-virgin olive oil and cook the kofte for a few minutes on each side. Do not try to turn them too early as the meat will stick. Wait until the underside is properly done and the kofte will be easy to turn without sticking. Keep the kofte warm until they’re ready to serve.

9. Prepare the yogurt by simply mixing all the ingredients together.

10. To prepare for serving, begin by laying a flat bread on a board. Spread it with some yoghurt, place the kofte on top, and wrap it up. Repeat with the rest of the flatbreads and kofte.

11. Serve the wrapped kofte on salad greens like rocket, mixed with fresh coriander and sprinkled with pomegranate arils.