TASTE&FLAIR FEBRUARY 2022 ISSUE No144 by TASTE&FLAIR MAGAZINE

ISSUE 144 DISTRIBUTED WITH THE MALTA INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY

FEBRUARY 2022

Feed your imagination FOOD · DRINKTHE · ART · CONTEMPORARY ARCHITECTUREISSUE · HERITAGE RESTORATION Christmas

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T&F EDITORIAL

FEBRUARY 2022

Welcome W

hen preparing and sharing food is a way of life, you can’t fault the results. For our first issue after the winter break, Michael Diacono offers a personal take on classic Maltese dishes – or the ones we like to think of as our own. All you could want from a homely meal is there: taste and comfort, memories and nostalgia. Claire Borg had some fun with an unusual ingredient, turning out gorgeously colourful savouries and sweets that are the proverbial feast for the eye, and rather good too. You can see the results on our cover this month and further inside this issue of Taste&Flair. Megan and Amy Mallia prepared and shot a Persian love cake, which can be baked just in time for the cliched but much loved Valentine’s Day. When eating what we want is not possible because of special dietary needs, it takes a shift in focus to see restrictions as an invitation to explore other cuisines and raid them for ideas. Our gluten-free food feature picked up recipe ideas from Britain, Japan, Eastern Europe, Vietnam and North Africa. On the design front, we look inside (and outside) a contemporary home in one of Malta’s villages and a long-term restoration project in Valletta, both of which are contenders for upcoming awards. As usual, we won't be publishing a March issue but we'll be back in early April. If you missed any issue of Taste&Flair and want a copy, we may be able to help so please do get in touch with us by email, Messenger, or on Instagram.

Corinne

Feed your imagination Christmas

FOOD · DRINKTHE · ART · CONTEMPORARY ARCHITECTUREISSUE · HERITAGE RESTORATION

Claire Borg’s Extra Dark Chocolate Cake with chocolate buttercream and raspberries. See feature starting on page 12. Photograph: Claire Borg

ISSUE 144 DISTRIBUTED WITH THE MALTA INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY

Publisher The Daphne Caruana Galizia Foundation 56 Melita Street, Valletta VLT1122, Malta Editorial Board Paul Caruana Galizia Andrew Caruana Galizia Matthew Caruana Galizia Executive Editor Corinne Vella Editorial Assistants Megan Mallia • Amy Mallia Art Director Ramon Micallef +356 9949 1418 ram@box-design.net Advertising Manager & Editorial Contributor Sean Ellul +356 7921 0705 sellul@independent.com.mt Advertising Assistant Christine Mifsud +356 21 345 888 ext 138 cmifsud@independent.com.mt Production Manager André Camilleri Production Assistant Conrad Bondin Prepress & Printing Print It All communication about Taste&Flair magazine should be directed to Corinne Vella at corinne.vella@gmail.com No part of any issue of Taste&Flair may be reproduced without the written prior agreement of the publisher. Distributed with The Malta Independent on Sunday*. The Malta Independent on Sunday is published by Standard Publications Ltd - Tel +356 21 345 888 *The surcharge on The Malta Independent on Sunday, or any charge for this magazine is retained by Standard Publications Ltd.

Detail from The Milkmaid by Johannes Vermeer, c. 1660 – Gallery of Honour, Rijksmuseum In the stillness of the room, the stream of milk pouring from the earthenware jug appears to be flowing. Vermeer achieved this effect by painting tiny dots to indicate spots where the light is reflected.

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T&F CONTENTS

p22 p12

p24

The new black Claire Borg cooks with charcoal

The story of Fabergé Megan Mallia on the fabled firm’s history

24 p78 p78

CONTENTS

No taste like home Michael Diacono’s take on Maltese food

Wine, demystified Andrew Azzopardi answers popular questions

The world in your kitchen Gluten-free food from around the globe

The Hidden House A contemporary Lija home by Daniel Scerri Periti

p42

The Manoel AP Valletta restores a national treasure

Straight from the heart Amy Mallia’s Persian love cake

p54 10

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p72

T&F TRENDS

Cooking with

Charcoal There are two ways to cook with charcoal – burn it or eat it. Claire Borg experimented with the latter and photographed the results.

hen we think of charcoal, we automatically think of barbecue fuel, not food. However, charcoal as an ingredient has been around for a long, long time. There is evidence that it was used back in ancient Egypt as a healing ingredient. It is now found in many beauty products, in toothpaste as a whitening agent, and is taken as a food supplement for its health benefits. In cooking and food preparation, activated charcoal is a bold ingredient that is not for everyone, as the vivid black colour can tempt or repel you. Personally, I am mesmerized by it. To be safe for consumption, it has to be activated charcoal, which is sold in powdered form. Usually, it is made from coconut shells or bamboo, heated without oxygen to an exceptionally high temperature. The resulting powder is very, very fine and a little can go a long way. Activated charcoal is great to use with any flour-based foods, like bread, biscuits, cakes, pasta, and most items made with dough. It is used mostly for its visual impact and detox as it does not lose its colour even when baked, it has no taste, so it does not alter the flavour of the food. For a “detox boost”, add it to smoothies or juices. Or try some of these recipes. Note: Activated charcoal can alter the effectiveness of medication, so consult your physician before using it in food.

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TRENDS T&F

BLACK BATTER

125g flour 1 large teaspoon charcoal powder 1 egg 1 tablespoon sugar ½ teaspoon salt 10g melted butter 220ml milk

Charcoal pancakes

WHITE BATTER

125g flour 1 egg 1 tablespoon sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt 10g melted butter 200ml milk

1. Sift the flour into a

large bowl, then add the sugar and salt. Next, add the eggs, milk, and butter, and use a hand whisk to mix the batter until it is smooth and lump-free.

2. Lightly oil the pan, wipe off the excess oil with a piece of kitchen paper and place the pan on the heat. 3. Use a ladle to quickly pour some batter into the pan and use the underside of the ladle to spread it out thinly. Let the crepe cook through, then use a spatula to remove it from the pan. 4. Sprinkle the crepe with lemon zest, lemon juice, and plenty of sugar and quickly roll it up. Repeat with the rest of the batter. 5. To serve, arrange

the crepe rolls on a plate and sprinkle them with some zest, juice, and sugar.

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T&F TRENDS

Makes 12 YOU WILL NEED

280g 00 flour 2 teaspoon activated charcoal powder 1 teaspoon dried yeast (instant) 1 teaspoon sugar 10g vegetable oil like sunflower 140ml warm water Baking paper cut into 12cm x 6cm pieces

1. Mix all the ingredients

together in a large bowl until they form a soft dough. Knead this for 5-10 minutes until it is smooth, then place it in a clean bowl, cover it with a damp cloth and let it rest until it doubles in size (about 1 hour).

2. Knock back the dough and divide it into 12 even pieces to shape into small buns. Keep the dough pieces covered while you work. This will stop them drying out. 3. Taking one piece of dough at a time, roll the dough open into a disc, top with a rectangle of baking paper fold the dough over so that the paper is “sandwiched” inside. 4. Place the prepared buns in a steamer and line each layer with oiled baking paper. Cover the steamer and let it rest for about 15 minutes. Now, place the steamer over COLD water and bring it to the boil over high heat. Once the water reaches boiling point, turn the heat down to medium and let the buns steam for another 16 minutes. 5. Serve the buns with your

favourite filling and dipping sauce. I filled these with an array of finely sliced vegetables, fresh coriander and crushed peanuts, with a chilli oil on the side.

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Steamed Bao Buns

TRENDS T&F

Serves 2 FOR THE PASTA

300g 00 flour ½ teaspoon salt 2 teaspoon activated charcoal powder 3 whole eggs 2 tablespoons water semolina or flour to help with rolling FOR THE AGLIO, OLIO, LIMONE E PEPERONCINO SAUCE

2 to 3 sticks of fresh garlic olive oil lemon zest chilli (fresh or flakes) some fresh basil leaves (optional)

1. Pour the charcoal and flour

into a large bowl and mix them together. Make a well in the centre and add the salt, eggs, and water, then mix the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients until they form a dough.

2. Turn the dough onto a clean surface and knead it until smooth. This will take about 5 minutes. Cover it and let it rest for 15-20 minutes. If you are preparing it to use later, store it in the fridge. 3. To prepare the dough for cooking, it has to be rolled out very thinly. I used a pasta machine to do this, but you could also use a rolling pin if you can manage a very thin dough. 4. Using fine semolina or flour will help the dough not stick while opening it out. I rolled the machine down to setting number 5, and then cut the pasta into tagliatelle. 5. Drop the cut pasta into

boiling salted water and cook until it is al dente.

Charcoal Pasta

6. Now, quickly prepare the

sauce. Top and tail the fresh garlic and chop it finely. Gently warm the finely chopped garlic and chilli in olive oil, being careful not to let it burn.

7. Toss the drained pasta in the flavoured oil, and add the grated lemon zest and fresh herbs if using any. Serve immediately.

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T&F TRENDS

Extra Dark Chocolate Cake WITH CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM AND RASPBERRIES 16

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TRENDS T&F

I baked this cake in three separate layers. Make sure you weigh the whole mixture and divide it equally into same-sized baking tins, and cool the cake layers completely before assembling the cake

Serves 12 YOU WILL NEED

470g plain flour 125g cocoa powder 3 teaspoons active charcoal powder 6 teaspoons baking powder 600g sugar 6 eggs 300ml milk 40g vinegar 300ml vegetable oil 150ml hot strong coffee CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM

300g unsalted butter 500g icing sugar 100g cocoa powder ¼ teaspoon fine table salt some milk if needed FILLING AND DECORATION

raspberries figs passionfruit cherries pomegranate arils

1. Pour the vinegar onto the milk, set it aside and let it

stand while you sift the dry ingredients into a large bowl.

2. Add the eggs and oil to the vinegar and milk and mix them well. Pour the wet mixture into the dry mix and fold it in. 3. Make the coffee and, while it is still hot, pour it into the mixture and stir it in. Divide the batter evenly between three same-sized baking tins and bake them in a preheated oven set to 170°C until done. This will take 20-25 minutes. Remove the cake tins from the over, let them cool for ten minutes, then transfer the cakes to a wire rack to let them cool down completely. 4. To make the buttercream, beat all the ingredients (apart from the milk) together until light and fluffy and adjust the consistency with a couple of tablespoons of milk, if needed. This will take about ten minutes. 5. Assemble the cake by coating two of the cake layers

with buttercream and covering them with whole raspberries, and then stacking them one on the other. You could also add a thin coating of raspberry jam on each cake layer before adding the buttercream.

6. Place the last cake layer on top, cover it with chocolate

spread and top that with more raspberries and other fruit. I used passion fruit, pomegranate arils, figs and cherries.

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T&F TRENDS

Charcoal macaroons

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TRENDS T&F

To fill these, I used raspberry buttercream but you can use curds, chocolate, jam, cream cheese, or a thick fruit compôte. YOU WILL NEED

100g egg whites (room temperature) 140g pure ground almonds 85g castor sugar 130g icing sugar ¼ teaspoon cream of tartare (powder) 2 teaspoon activated charcoal powder

1. Sift the castor sugar

and almond flour into a bowl and set it aside.

2. Using an electric beater, whisk the egg whites. Once they begin to foam, add the cream of tartar and then SLOWLY add the castor sugar mixed with the activated charcoal. Continue to beat the mixture until stiff peaks form, then begin folding in 1/3 of the dry ingredients. 3. Carefully add the remaining 2/3 of the dry ingredients and fold them in gently. Spoon the mixture into a clean, dry piping bag with a medium round piping tip. 4. Pipe one inch dollops onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (this should be “glued” down with dabs of batter to stop it curling over). Tap the filled tray on the kitchen counter several times to release any air bubbles and allow the tray to sit for about 40 minutes before placing it in the oven. 5. Bake the macaroons at 150°C

for 13-14 minutes, rotating the tray after 7 minutes. Remove the tray from the oven and allow the macaroons to cool completely before removing them from the baking sheet. Sandwich the macaroons together with your preferred filling just before serving them.

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T&F TRENDS

Charcoal and Sesame Galletti

A crunchy variation on a traditional snack, the colour of these galletti is the perfect foil for your favourite toppings

Makes about 60 YOU WILL NEED

200g semolina 200g 00 flour 6g activated charcoal powder 1 teaspoon salt 30g butter 230g lukewarm water 11g dried yeast (1 sachet) 3 tablespoons sesame seeds

1. If you are using an electric

mixer, use a hook attachment to knead all the ingredients together until a smooth dough forms. This will take about 6 minutes. Alternatively, stir everything together and knead the mixture by hand until the dough reaches the right consistency.

2. Cover the dough and let it rest until it doubles in size. Now, use the back of your fist to knock it down, and then cut it into three pieces. 3. Roll out the dough pieces until they are about 1mm thick. If you’re doing this by hand rather than using a pasta machine, 2mm thickness. It’s important to aim for an even thickness to make sure the galletti cook evenly. 4. Use a round cutter or the edge of a glass to cut out discs of pastry, then place them onto a lined baking tray. Repeat until you have used up all the dough. This will make 4 trays of crackers, so you might need to cook them in two batches. 5. Prick the centre of the dough

discs with a fork and bake them in a preheated oven set to 190°C for 14 minutes. For thicker pastry, you might need to let them bake a little longer. The crackers should be just crisp when taken out of oven. Let them cool on a wire rack, then store them in an airtight container. Serve them accompanied by fresh ġbejniet, roasted cherry tomatoes, and hummus.

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T&F ARTS

The Story of

Fabergé Fabergé, one of the most renowned names in jewellery and famed for its opulent Easter egg designs, started out as an ordinary jewellery shop.

By Megan Mallia

1. The Alexander Palace Egg, Fabergé. Chief Workmaster Henrik Wigström (1862-1923), gold, silver, enamel, diamonds, rubies, nephrite, rock crystal, glass, wood , velvet, bone, 1908 © The Moscow Kremlin Museums; 2. Mosaic Egg, 1913-14; 3. Peacock Egg, 1907–8

“Do you know what this is?” “Why, it looks like a Fabergé egg, sir,” replied Bond. “One of the jewelled eggs made by Carl Fabergé as an Easter gift to the Russian royal family. They’re priceless and very rare.” James Bond in “Octopussy”. The 1983 film was adapted from Ian Fleming’s short story “Property of a Lady”, which featured a Fabergé egg. Before he opened his eponymous shop in 1842, in a basement in St Petersburg’s fashionable shopping street, Bolshaya Morskaya, Gustav Faberge had trained as a goldsmith, initially working under Andreas Spiegel, a gold box specialist, and later with Keibel, who were goldsmiths and jewellers to the Emperors of Russia. Gustav Faberge changed his name to Fabergé for reasons that are unclear, but possibly it was because placing an accent on the final letter of his last name gave it a fashionable ring. Gustav’s first-born son, Peter Carl Fabergé, inherited his love for design and eventually became known for combining traditional techniques with

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contemporary style. After the younger Fabergé studied at the Dresden Arts and Crafts School, he left for a Grand Tour of Europe in the 1860s, training as a goldsmith in Germany, France and England, feeding his fascination for objects of beauty in countless gallery and museum visits. Upon his return home to St Petersburg he became involved in the cataloguing and restoration of objets d’art at the Hermitage, the institution that Catherine the Great had founded as a court museum. Fabergé was able to study the forgotten techniques of the master goldsmiths of antiquity when working on the repair and restoration of precious objects, including intricately enamelled French snuff boxes. Three years after Peter Carl took over the Fabergé company in 1882, Tsar Alexander III commissioned a jewelled Easter egg for his wife, Tsarina Maria Feodorovna. The enamel-sheathed egg opened to reveal a golden “yolk” that in turn opened with a twist to reveal a golden hen roosting on golden straw.

4. Cigarette case, Fabergé. two colour gold, guilloché enamel, diamonds, 1908. Royal Collection Trust © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2021 5. An important aquamarine and diamond tiara by Fabergé, aquamarine, diamond, silver, gold. Workmaster Albert Holmström, St. Petersburg, circa 1904. Photography courtesy of HMNS | Photographer: Mike Rathke 6. Swan Egg, 1905-6.

Fabergé’s premises at 173 New Bond Street in 1911. Image Courtesy of The Fersman Mineralogical Museum, Moscow and Wartski, London

ARTS T&F 4

7. Copy of the Imperial Regalia, Fabergé. Master Julius Rappoport (18641916), Master August Wilhelm Holmström (1829-1903), gold, silver, platinum, diamonds, spinel, pearls, sapphires and quartzite, 1900 © The State Hermitage Museum, 2021 8. Romanov Tercentenary Egg, Fabergé. Chief Workmaster Henrik Wigström (1862-1923), egg made from gold, silver, diamonds, turquoise, rock crystal, purpurine, enamel, watercolour on ivory; surprise made of steel, varicoloured gold, enamel, 1913 © The Moscow Kremlin Museums

But the hen held a further surprise: a miniature diamond replica of the imperial crown with a ruby pendant. The elaborate gift was a great success and what was meant to be a one-off order became an annual tradition that continued into the next generation. Every year, Alexander III’s son, Nicholas II, would gift two Fabergé eggs at Easter time – one to his mother and one to his wife - giving the eponymous firm complete creative freedom over their design. The only specification was that each egg was to contain a surprise (or two), a rule broken just once – when the fifteenth anniversary egg was fashioned, it contained no surprise at all, contrary to the Tsar’s standing instructions. In all, Fabergé fashioned fifty of the famous eggs for Russia’s Imperial family. The whereabouts of 43 of them are still known today, but what eventually became of the other seven remains a mystery. Over time, as the House of Fabergé received international acclaim and was bestowed with many honours, orders flooded in from clients all over the world. In 1900, following the firm’s participation in the Exposition Internationale Universelle in Paris, it was awarded a gold medal and Peter Carl was recognised by the city’s jewellers as a master craftsman. At the pinnacle of its success, Fabergé was the largest jewellery business in Russia, employing around 500 designers and craftsmen. In 1903, the celebrated firm opened a branch in London’s Bond Street – the first and only one it had ever

9. Hen Egg, 1884-5. St Petersburg. 10. Imperial presentation box by Fabergé, nephrite, coloured gold, diamonds, ivory. Chief Workmaster: Henrik Wigström, St. Petersburg, 1904. Private collection, images courtesy of Wartski, London

established outside Russia. Barely a decade or so later, it would be forced to close. With the onset of the First World War, the demand for luxury goods dropped sharply and precious metals were scarce. Fabergé adapted to circumstance, working with copper and even producing military equipment. Come 1918, the company was nationalised by the Bolsheviks, and the Fabergé family fled Russia. Peter Carl Fabergé died shortly afterwards in Lausanne. According to a letter that his son Carl Fabergé wrote to the family firm’s London agent, the elder Fabergé had died “of a broken heart”. The loss of the family firm in the Russian revolution was compounded by the loss of their ownership of the commercial use of their name. In the late 1930s, perfume sold under the label “Fabergé” marked the beginning of would become a decades-long battle for restitution. It was only in 2007 that the family finally succeeded, allowing the Fabergé company to stay true to its founding values and spirit. Fabergé in London: Romance to Revolution, an exhibition of over 200 objects telling the story of Peter Carl Fabergé and the brand symbolising Russian craftsmanship, with specific focus on the relatively unknown Anglo-Russian aspect of the enterprise, is currently showing at Gallery 39 and North Court at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London until 8 May 2022

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T&F MALTESE CUISINE

ISSUE 144 FEBRUARY 2022

MALTESE CUISINE T&F

THERE’S NO TASTE LIKE

HOME Michael Diacono’s personal take on traditional Maltese dishes, styled and photographed by Brian Grech, served with wine recommended by Andrew Azzopardi.

We all know that our “traditional” cuisine is basic and not refined – what our northern neighbours would refer to as a “cucina povera”. This stands to reason due to our size, geographical position, and lack of resources and water. Over the years we have naturally absorbed influences left here by the successive foreign powers that have ruled over these islands. Recently, I helped my youngest son, George, with a short presentation about Maltese food that he was to give at school. That inspired me to revisit some dishes that I would consider Maltese – or that we have made our own – and that I really do enjoy making. I obviously change and tweak these dishes, and do not stick to what many people would say is purely traditional.

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T&F MALTESE CUISINE

Kusksu bil Ful u Piżelli

These pasta beads are reminiscent of the large Israeli cous cous and closely resemble Sardinian fregola - the only differnce being that fregola is toasted before being boiled. Whenever I grate Parmesan or Grana down to the rind, I keep the rinds and freeze them to add to soups like minestra or kusksu. Besides adding flavour, they are delicious. There is no need to add any stock cubes – they’re the one ingredient I never use or buy.

Serves: 6-8 persons

Preparation & cooking: 1 hour

Recommended wine: A Maltese Girgentina or Chenin Blanc would work wonders

YOU WILL NEED

TO SERVE

a good glug of extra-virgin olive oil 1 large onion, peeled and diced 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced 2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced 2 tablespoons thick tomato paste 3 litres (approximately) water sea salt and ground pepper some pieces of Parmesan rind (optional) about 300g broad beans, both skins removed (because that’s how I like them) about 150g peas 500g pasta beads

fresh ġbejniet grated cheese good extra-virgin olive oil

1. Put the olive oil into a pot and heat it gently.

Stir fry the onions for about 5 minutes to soften them. Do not allow them to colour.

2. Add the carrots and cook them for a few minutes.

Add the potatoes and stir fry them for a couple of minutes. Now, add the tomato paste. Mix everything well and cook for about 4 minutes, stirring all the time.

3. Add the water, season well and bring the pot to the boil. At this stage, add the pieces of Parmesan rind, if you are using them. Lower the heat, cover the pot and let it simmer gently for 30 minutes. 4. Add the pasta beads. Since these take about 20 minutes to cook, stir the pot very often as they tend to stick to the bottom. After about 20 minutes add the broad beans and peas and cook on for about 10 minutes. 5. I like my kusksu a bit thick and substantial, but if I

see that it’s getting too heavy I simply add more water.

6. I like to serve this with gbejniet for whoever wants them, grated Parmesan and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.

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MALTESE CUISINE T&F

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T&F MALTESE CUISINE

“Farsiti” Maybe not as popular or as well known as Bragioli, which incidentally are an adaptation of the Sicilian Braciole, Farsiti are cabbage leaves stuffed with meat and cooked in wine. The name, I assume, must be derived from the Italian farciti, which means “stuffed”. As I mentioned above, the Maltese kitchen is quite simple and not particularly refined. Therefore, what makes all the difference is the quality of ingredients. At the moment cabbages grown in our islands are fresh and exquisite and a delight even simply steamed and drizzled with local extra-virgin olive oil and sea salt. Also, please use fresh bay leaves. Dried ones are simply a waste of time.

Serves: 6-8 persons

Preparation & cooking: 2 hours

Recommended wine: A refreshing Maltese Sauvignon Blanc or, if you prefer more weight, a mediumbodied Maltese Cabernet Franc

YOU WILL NEED

1 large cabbage • 500g equally mixed beef and pork mince 4 eggs • 250g (approximately) fresh breadcrumbs 4 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped 75g grated cheese • salt and pepper a handful parsley, chopped • seasoned flour to coat extra-virgin olive oil • 2 large onions, peeled and sliced 4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped 6 fresh bay leaves • 1 bottle dry red wine

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1. Bring a large pot of water to the boil and season with salt.

Carefully separate the cabbage leaves from the stem, wash them well, then boil them for about 4 minutes to soften. Remove them from the pot and refresh them in a bowl filled with cold water.

2. To prepare the stuffing, place the mince in a large bowl. Add the eggs and breadcrumbs, and mix them in well. Add the garlic, cheese and seasoning, and finally mix in the chopped parsley. 3. Place the cooled and drained cabbage leaves on a board and cut out the larger pieces of the central rib. We then fill and roll up the leaves as we would when making bragioli. To do this, you might need to use two leaves together. 4. Very carefully roll the stuffed leaves in seasoned flour and transfer them to an oiled baking dish. At this stage they are very fragile but if they break up, don’t worry – simply reshape them in the dish. Normally, my mother would roll these in caul and then fry them to colour before adding the onions and other ingredients. Instead, I cook these in the oven. 5. Put some extra-virgin olive oil in a large frying pan. Heat it, then

add the sliced onions and stir fry them till they start to colour. Add the garlic and fresh bay leaves and cook for 2 minutes on high heat, stirring often. Add the wine, season with salt and pepper, and let the pot bubble away for 4 minutes. Add 1 glass of water, bring it to the boil, then carefully pour the liquid all over the cabbage rolls.

6. Preheat the oven to 190°C. Cover the dish with baking paper,

then with foil, and transfer it to the oven. Bake for 45 minutes, then remove the cover and return the dish to the oven to bake for a further 15-20 minutes to brown. Serve warm.

T&F MALTESE CUISINE

Fenek fil-forn

Fried rabbit is, I suppose, my favourite Maltese dish, cooked with loads of garlic and bay leaves, with just a splash of wine reduced to a syrupy gravy. The only problem when cooking this at home is the amount of oil that gets splashed everywhere is just too much. So I leave fried rabbit for when I’m out at a select few rabbit restaurants. When at home, I bake rabbit rather than frying it. It’s faster, easier, cleaner, and still very good. When making this, I add carob syrup which gives it a touch of sweetness and an earthy, chocolate-like flavour.

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Serves: 4 persons

Preparation & cooking: 1 hour 15 minutes

Recommended wine: The Maltese Merlot blends would work, but if you’re after something richer the Maltese Syrah will stand up to the rich and chocolatey flavours of the rabbit

YOU WILL NEED:

1 fresh local rabbit, jointed 1 medium onion, peeled and chopped 1 fennel bulb, cleaned and diced 6 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped roughly 4-6 fresh bay leaves a few sprigs of fresh, cultivated thyme salt and ground pepper 2-3 tablespoons carob syrup a drizzle extra-virgin olive oil 1 bottle dry white wine

1. Set the oven to 185°C. 2. Place the jointed rabbit in a large roasting tin. Add the chopped onions, fennel and garlic and wedge the bay leaves and thyme between the meat. 3. Season well with salt and pepper. Drizzle the carob syrup all over, then add a little extra-virgin olive oil.

4. Pour the white wine into the dish and mix everything gently to coat the rabbit. Cover the dish with baking paper and then with a sheet of foil. 5. Bake the rabbit

in the middle of the oven for 45 minutes, then uncover the dish and bake it for a further 10-15 minutes to brown all over.

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T&F MALTESE CUISINE

My Ftira Maltija with Globe artichokes, Broad beans & Peas

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MALTESE CUISINE T&F

Serves: 8 well

Preparation & cooking: 2 hours

Recommended wine: A dry, refreshing Sauvignon Blanc or unoaked Chardonnay.

FOR THE DOUGH

500g strong plain flour 2 teaspoons salt 11g yeast (1 sachet) 2 tablespoons extravirgin olive oil 300ml water FILLING

One of our most popular winter/ spring vegetables must be the globe artichoke. Well, to me it is. I love them, whether they are served raw, thinly sliced and marinated, or deep fried alla Judea, stuffed with bread, olives and capers, in a risotto or made into a soup. This particular recipe is way up there in my favourites chart. Note: for the filling, the amounts are guidelines and need not be precise

3. Pour a good glug of extra-virgin olive oil into a large pot. Place the pot on the heat and add the onion and garlic together with some chopped chili. Stir fry the mixture for a few minutes to soften it. Add the halved artichoke hearts, season, and stir.

8 fresh globe artichokes extra-virgin olive oil 1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped 4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped chili 350g (approximately) broad beans, both skins removed a handful of peas salt and pepper a good handful of parsley, chopped a small amount of fresh bread crumbs a few anchovy fillets 1 egg, lightly beaten sesame seeds

4. Add just enough water to nearly cover the vegetables, cover the pot and let it simmer gently for about 20 minutes before adding the beans and peas. If the mixture is too dry, just add a little water. Cover the pot again and let it cook for a further 10 minutes. Add the chopped parsley and enough fresh breadcrumbs to just bind the mixture and absorb any extra moisture.

1. Attach the dough hook

6. On a lightly floured

to your electric mixer and sift the flour into the bowl. Add the salt and yeast. Now, add the extra-virgin olive oil and pour in the water while mixing. Knead the dough in the machine for 15 minutes. Next, cover the bowl and leave it in a warm place for about 1 hour for the dough to rise.

2. Remove the outer bracts of the artichokes and peel the stems. Cut the artichokes in half and remove the choke. For this recipe, we need just the hearts. Place the cut artichokes into acidulated water until needed. This will stop them going brown.

5. Preheat oven to 190°C.

surface, roll out the dough into a 35cm circle and place it onto a round, flat baking sheet. Put the artichoke mix onto the pastry then bring up the edges and press them inwards so that they overlap the circumference of the filling.

7. Brush the edges of the pastry with the beaten egg then pour the remainder of the egg over the filling. Add a few anchovy fillets on top and sprinkle with sesame seeds. 8. Bake in the preheated

oven for 20-25 minutes till the dough is cooked and turns golden.

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T&F MALTESE CUISINE

Sinizza

This indulgent sweet contains the essence of traditional Maltese desserts – ricotta, honey, almonds, candied fruits and sugar. It is best served warm, just after baking. You can prepare the sponge way ahead and freeze it until it’s needed.

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MALTESE CUISINE T&F

Serves: 10 persons

Preparation & cooking: 2 hours

Recommended wine: late harvest or Passito, whether from Malta or from Pantalleria, would be wonderful

FOR THE SPONGE

4 eggs 4 tablespoons sugar 4 heaped tablespoons plain flour FOR THE FILLING

4. Place the pastry onto your work surface, flour it very lightly and use a rolling pin to gently roll it out slightly. Now, place the pastry onto a large piece of baking paper.

500g fresh ricotta a little milk, if the ricotta is too thick 4 tablespoons sugar 2 tablespoons mixed candied peel 1 tablespoon dark chocolate, chopped into small pieces. a little nutmeg 2 tablespoons apricot or strawberry jam 1 sheet puff pastry 2 tablespoons brandy or dark rum 1 egg, lightly beaten

5. Use a long sharp knife to split

TO DECORATE

7. Grate some nutmeg over the cake and drizzle it with the brandy or rum. Beat the jam lightly in a bowl and spread it over the cake. Add the ricotta filling and use a spatula to spread it out evenly.

honey roasted flaked almonds icing sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C

(or 190°C, if your oven is fanoperated) and line a Swiss roll tin with baking paper.

2. Crack the eggs into your electric mixer, add the sugar and whisk until they are fluffy and creamy. 3. Sift the flour, then use a wooden

spoon to gently and gradually fold it into the egg mix. Pour the batter into a lined Swiss roll tin for 2025 minutes till it rises and turns golden. Cool the sponge slightly, then turn it out onto a wire rack.

the sponge cake down the middle and place one half onto the pastry. (Roll up the other half in paper and freeze it to use another time).

6. Prepare the filling by simply

mixing all the ingredients together in a bowl. Add milk if the ricotta seems to be too dense – the filling texture should be creamy.

8. Roll up the whole thing using the paper to help you along, as you would when making a Swiss roll. Place the filled cake onto a large baking sheet and brush it with the beaten egg. 9. Bake the filled cake in a preheated

oven at 200°C (190°C for a fan oven) for 20 minutes till beautifully golden. Remove the sinizza from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes, then drizzle it with Maltese honey, sprinkle it with flaked almonds and give it a dusting of icing sugar to finish.

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T&F MALTESE CUISINE

Imbuljuta

Traditionally, this is a Christmas offering but, over the winter months, I like to serve it as a dessert with loads of freshly whipped cream. I also like the sauce to be thick, chocolatey and bitter so I use good quality dark chocolate with a high cocoa content.

Serves: 10 persons, as it is quite rich

Preparation & cooking: overnight soaking plus 45 minutes

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YOU WILL NEED

300g dried chestnuts, soaked overnight in plenty of water 150g sugar 1 cinnamon stick 200g dark chocolate, cut into chunks rind of ½ a Maltese tangerine, finely chopped rind of ½ a Maltese orange, finely chopped ¼ teaspoon ground cloves ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon whipped fresh cream to serve

1. Drain the soaked chestnuts.

Use a sharp knife to clean away any large pieces of brown peel that are still attached and then place the chestnuts into a pot.

2. Pour in enough water to cover the chestnuts by 1 cm and add the sugar and cinnamon stick. Place the pot on the heat, bring it to the boil then cover it, lower the heat and let it simmer gently for about 30-40 minutes till the nuts are tender. 3. Remove the cinnamon stick and discard it. Add the dark chocolate, citrus peels and spices and cook the mixture on a very low heat for about 10 minutes. I like the sauce to be slightly thick and if I’m not happy with the consistency, I add more chocolate. 4. Serve this warm in bowls or glasses with lashings of whipped cream.

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T&F WINE

WINE,

DEMYSTIFIED The world of wine can be overwhelming. Andrew Azzopardi has some answers to the more common questions.

aving worked in wine for a good decade, I find that there are a few questions that hardly get the attention they deserve. Due to the oft-cryptic wine terminology – and common, though unnecessary, dose of wine-snobbery at parties and tastings – newbies often find it rather intimidating to ask a question or two. Mostly they’re worried the whole room will burst into laughter at the thought of simply asking, say, when to use a decanter. There really is nothing to fear. Some of the commonest questions are also a basis for disagreement between wine professionals. At the end of the day, wine is all about personal taste. Below are some basic guidelines that should help improve your wine experience. However, always remember that if you like red wine with fish, or sweet wine with homemade hamburgers, nobody should tell you otherwise.

How long can I keep an open bottle of wine? The short answer is about 3-5 days in a very cool, dark place with a cork or screwcap to shut out the oxygen. Generally, the more tannin and acidity the wine has, the longer it will keep, so a Cabernet Sauvignon would tend to last longer than a Pinot Noir or Gamay. Though it will invariably go bad after some time, wine that has been open for a while won’t kill you. Before pouring it down the drain, taste it – you may be pleasantly surprised. Sometimes, very young, bold, full-bodied wines may even improve the following the day and I have often preferred the taste of a young bottle of wine a day after I 38

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first opened it. I find that keeping an opened bottle of wine in the fridge helps to preserve it a tad longer than if it’s left at room temperature. And that goes for red wine as well as white wine. I pour a glass of wine straight from the open bottle stored in the fridge and let the wine warm up to room temperature in the glass. Opened wine usually starts to lose its fruit flavours after a day or two, evolving into tertiary aromas of earth and barnyard until it eventually turns to vinegar.

At what temperature should I store my wines? If you intend to store your wines for a couple of months or even years, it is important to store the bottles horizontally in a cool, dark place, preferably away from any sunlight or vibrations. In other words, the wooden rack behind the vibrating fridge, directly under the heater is not the right place for storing wine. The ideal storage temperature for all wines including red, white, rosé, sweet, and sparkling is between 13°C and 17°C. However, if you received a bottle of wine which you intend to open in a couple of months, don’t fret. Leaving it horizontally in a cool cupboard for a couple of months shouldn’t spoil it. On the other hand, if you’re taking wine storage somewhat seriously and are thinking about storing a couple of bottles for your children’s eighteenth birthday, it may be worth investing in a little specialist wine-fridge. Otherwise, opening that great vintage bottle in ten years’ time will be nothing short of a let-down.

WINE T&F

What about serving temperature? This is when different types of wine need to be treated differently. The general rule is that white and sparkling wine are to be served at 7 °C and 12°C. The fuller bodied whites, such as Chardonnay, can be served at the warmer end of the scale, whereas the lighter bodied Pinot Grigio or New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc tend to be served at the colder end. It’s much the same with red wine, where the light-bodied wines can be served slightly colder than the full-bodied ones. A light and fruity Pinot Noir or Beaujolais can be served at a cool 15°C, but a rich and decadent Californian Cabernet Sauvignon, Argentinian Malbec, or Port wine would be more enjoyable at a warmer 20°C. Do note that the old adage of serving red wine at room temperature doesn’t really hold during the typical Maltese summer – a five-minute chill-out in an ice-bucket may help during the hot summer months.

Do I get headaches after drinking wine because I am allergic to sulfites? Sulfites have been used as an added preservative to food for many years and are also a natural by-product of fermentation. However, if you suffer from headaches when drinking wine, sulfites are almost certainly not the culprit. If you eat packet noodles or dried fruit or drink bottled soft drinks without a headache, then it’s not the sulfites in wine that cause them. The amount of sulfites in wine pales in comparison to what you’d get in a packet of dried raisins or packet noodles. I would also add that those few who are allergic to sulfites generally suffer from hives or shortness of breath, not headaches.

So, if it’s not the sulfites in your wine glass that are causing your headache, what could it be? Most commonly, tannin (usually found in red wine) prompts your body to release serotonin. This may cause headaches in some people. Occasionally, the histamines found on grape skins may cause headaches. Antihistamines could provide relief, but do seek a doctor’s advice rather than self-medicating. The fruit, skin, and stalks of grapes contain a huge number of compounds that may cause your headache so it may be difficult to pin-point the exact culprit. Organic wines, which are made from organically grown grapes, have fewer chemicals and additives. Choosing these types of wine may reduce the possibility of chemically-induced headaches, so it could be worth to seeking out these types of wine as a possible alternative. Do bear in mind that many of the world’s best wines are actually organic but this is not mentioned on the bottle label. Last but not least, don’t forget that wine contains alcohol. If your head’s throbbing, it may just be that you had a great time last night and overdid the wine.

Are the legs an indication of quality? The legs, sometimes referred to as tears, are simply a measure of the amount of alcohol in the wine. So, if the wine-snob across the table comments that the wine has “great legs”, all it means is that the wine has high alcohol, which can never be an indication of quality. If you’re unsure what the legs actually are, it refers to the viscosity of the wine, which is determined by swirling the wine in the glass and waiting for the clear liquid droplets that form at the top of the glass to drop back into the wine. The longer they take to fall, the higher the alcohol content.

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T&F WINE

What are Tannins?

What is your favourite wine?

Have you ever drunk a red wine that makes your mouth pucker up with dryness? That’s the effect of tannins which come from the skin, stems, and seeds in grapes and are the reason why red wines are generally more tannic than whites. When the grapes are crushed, they are kept in contact with their skins for some time in a process known as maceration. This brings out the colour and phenolic compounds, including tannins, that make the red wine what it is. Tannins may also come from wood, so wines aged in oak will also have some tannic presence, though they are usually softer than the grape’s tannins. Tannins soften with time and this is one of the reasons people age their wine. Age-worthy wines such as Bordeaux are often too astringent with tannins upon release, but leaving the wine in the bottle for some time (usually years) will help to soften the tannins, allowing room for other complex notes to emerge to their full potential.

This is by far the most common question I get. At my last wine tasting, someone stopped me mid-sentence and asked me this very question. She continued to say that I seemed to have loved every wine we tasted throughout the course. I admit that she wasn’t far away from the truth. I do love most wines and enjoy a wide array of wine styles. I choose my wine depending on the time, place, food and experience I am having, or intend to have. I like to think I have an open mind about wine and will taste pretty much anything. I don’t always love what I taste, but I will savour and appreciate the experience and I do not necessarily rate the wine on whether I like it or not, but on its typicity, grapes and region. The key question when tasting a wine is, does it taste as it should? I then evaluate the aromas, taste, complexity, structure and length of the wine. It’s a combination of the technical aspect of wine and the enjoyment factor. It’s comparable to reviewing a book – I rate wine not only based on each of its components, but also according to the overall impression it leaves. Do I have a favourite wine? Like everyone, I go through phases when I drinking more of one type of wine than any other. Sometimes Bordeaux trumps Californian, or I may be looking for certain producers and so choose a particular type of wine, but as much as I love a rich and powerful Meursault from Burgundy, I’d still choose the lighter styled Albariño to accompany a delicately grilled fish as the former would have overpowered the dish. Wine enjoyment is all about the whole experience where the scenario and food pairing trump everything else. That said, if pressed further I would say that there have been wines that wowed me – wines that I enjoyed so much I got that warm fuzzy feeling inside and was lost for words. These particular wines from specific vintages were not necessarily the most fancy or expensive, but they were tasted at the perfect moment in time, leaving a lasting impression. n

Why do wine professionals swirl and slurp their wine? I confess that I have also swirled my morning coffee. Obviously, it was unintentional, but old habits die hard. It has indeed become a habit of mine to swirl my wine before drinking it. Swirling and slurping the wine simply introduces oxygen to the wine and aerates the wine further on the palate, opening up the wine to expose the aromas, flavours and complex components that enhance the overall experience of wine tasting. It’s similar to pumping up the volume on your car stereo when you hear one of your favourite songs. You would still enjoy the song if you left it at a low volume, but letting it rip from the surround-system speakers makes it a whole new and wonderful experience. Speaking of the stereo system, I have no doubt that you would prefer listening to that favourite song of yours on a professional sound system, as opposed to the little old cassette player still lying around your parents’ house. Likewise, use a proper wine glass to taste the wine. Using any old plastic cup to drink your wine is like listening to that favourite song on an old stereo-system that has louder interference noise than song volume.

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Andrew Azzopardi is a wine specialist certified by the Wine and Spirit Education Trust.

Open Daily From 7.30 am to 8.00 pm

CUISINE T&F

THEWORLD INYOUR KITCHEN Special dietary requirements limit enjoyment of one of life’s greatest pleasures – choosing what to eat and enjoying a meal with family or friends. Dipping into different cuisines turns up a world of possibilities and shifts focus from what you can’t eat to what you can. All the recipes in this feature are gluten-free and packed with flavour.

Photography: Infraordinario Studio for Dalcò Edizioni S.r.l. The Gluten Free Cookbook by Cristian Broglia is published by Phaidon

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T&F CUISINE

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CUISINE T&F

Jacket Potatoes with Cheese, Sour Cream, Scallions, and Crispy Bacon Jacket potatoes – a typical English dish – are popular in almost all English-speaking countries, including the United States, where they are known as Twice-Baked Potatoes or, sometimes, Loaded Potatoes. Baking potatoes are cooked and cut open, then the potato flesh is scooped out and mixed with cheese and other ingredients such as bacon, butter, ham, or mushrooms. The filling is popped back into its “jacket” and can then be served as is or reheated in the oven. If you would like to make a homemade sour cream, pour 75 ml milk into a bowl, add 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice and stir the mixture gently. Let it rest for 15 minutes, then stir in 300 ml heavy (whipping) cream. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and let it rest at room temperature for at least 24 hours.

Preparation time: 45 minutes Cooking time: 75 minutes Serves: 4 YOU WILL NEED

8 medium baking potatoes, scrubbed and patted dry 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 120 g smoked bacon, cubed 15 g unsalted butter, at room temperature 150 g cheddar cheese, grated 195 g sour cream 1 spring onion, minced sea salt TO GARNISH

2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (Gas Mark 6). Line

a baking tray with parchment paper.

2. Prick the potatoes all over with a fork. Rub them with the oil and place them on the lined tray. Bake the potatoes until they are tender but firm (about 55 minutes). Remove them from the oven and let them cool for 15 minutes, while leaving the oven on. 3. Meanwhile, in a frying pan, cook the bacon over medium-high heat until it is crispy (7–8 minutes) and then drain it on a paper towel. 4. Cut open the potatoes lengthwise, but do not go all the way through. Scoop the potato flesh out with a spoon into a bowl, leaving enough in place to create a sturdy shell. Place the scooped-out potato shells in a baking dish. 5. Mash the potato, then stir in the butter, half of the bacon, half of the cheddar,

145 g of the sour cream, and the spring onion. Season to taste with salt and mix well. Fill the potatoes with the mixture and top with the remaining cheddar.

6. Return the filled potato jackets to the oven and bake them

until the cheese is golden brown (about 12 minutes).

7. Transfer the potatoes to a serving plate, top with the remaining bacon, and garnish with the parsley. Top with the remaining 50 g sour cream.

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T&F CUISINE

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CUISINE T&F

Beet Borscht Borscht is one of the most beloved dishes of Ukraine and Russia, as well as other countries in Eastern Europe. There are many variations on the theme, with different vegetables— usually hardy winter vegetables— taking centre stage, but the distinguishing feature of a Ukrainian borscht is red beets, which give the soup its characteristic flavor and beautiful burgundy color. Note: If the beets come with their greens, cut them off and rinse well. Cut them into shreds and add them to the soup, then boil until tender (about 3 minutes).

Serves: 4 persons

Preparation: 30 minutes Cooking: 1 hour 20 minutes

YOU WILL NEED

455 g beef strip steak (sirloin), cut into 5cm chunks 5 black peppercorns 2 bay leaves 1 onion, chopped 300 g red beets (see Note), peeled and diced 1 white turnip, diced 200 g diced peeled celeriac 200 g sliced cabbage 2 carrots, diced 1 tablespoon sugar 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar Sea salt 1 tablespoon tomato paste (“kunserva”), dissolved in a little warm water 4 tablespoons Greek yogurt, for serving ½ tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, for serving

1. In a soup pot, combine the beef, peppercorns, bay

leaves, and 950 ml cold water. Bring the pot to a boil over medium- high heat, then reduce it to a simmer and cook until reduced by one-third (about 45 minutes).

2. Discard the bay leaves. Add the onion, beets, turnip, celeriac, cabbage, carrots, sugar, vinegar, and salt to taste. Cover and simmer until the vegetables are soft (about 30 minutes). 3. Remove the meat chunks and divide them among the soup bowls. Stir the tomato paste mixture into the soup and let the pot simmer for 5 minutes over high heat. 4. Pour the vegetables and broth over the meat. Top each serving with 1 tablespoon yogurt and some chopped parsley. Serve immediately.

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T&F CUISINE

Miso Soba Soup This simple noodle soup gets its umami flavor from the miso, a fermented soybean paste that comes in several forms, the most common being white (used here) and red. The vegetables we’ve added are simply suggestions; just use whatever vegetables you have on hand. Note: When buying soba noodles, read the label to be certain that they are 100% buckwheat flour, as many brands add some wheat flour to the noodle dough to give them more structure.

Serves: 4 persons

Preparation & cooking: 25 minutes

YOU WILL NEED

80 g soba noodles 2 tablespoons sesame oil 4 tablespoons canola (rapeseed) oil 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger 3 spring onions, chopped ½ head broccoli, chopped 2 carrots, cut into matchsticks 4 Tuscan kale (cavolo nero) leaves, stemmed and midribs discarded 200 g shelled edamame TO GARNISH

4 tablespoons white miso sesame seeds

1. In a pot of boiling water, cook the soba noodles

until al dente (about 2 minutes). Drain the noodles, rinse them and set them aside.

2. In the same pot, heat the sesame oil over low heat. Return the noodles to the pot and toss them to coat them with the oil. Remove the pot from the heat. 3. In a soup pot, heat the canola (rapeseed) oil over low heat. Add the garlic, ginger, and spring onions and sauté until fragrant (about 4 minutes). 4. Add 1.4 liters water to the pot and bring it to a boil. Add the broccoli, carrots, kale (cavolo nero), and edamame and simmer for 3 minutes. 5. In a small bowl, blend the miso with a spoonful of hot

water from the soup pot, then stir the miso into the soup.

6. To serve, divide the noodles among four bowls. Pour the

soup over the noodles and sprinkle sesame seeds on top

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CUISINE T&F

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T&F CUISINE

Pho is a traditional Vietnamese noodle, beef, and vegetable soup that has become popular all over the world. In Vietnam, you can choose various cuts of beef for the recipe: brisket, shin, stewing beef, tendons, or tripe. Pho can be served topped with various fresh garnishes such as chilies, scallions (spring onions), onions, and bean sprouts, and is accompanied by lime wedges or sauces such as Sriracha (a type of hot sauce made from a paste of chili peppers, distilled vinegar, garlic, sugar, and salt) or fish sauce.

Serves: 6 persons

Preparation: 30 minutes Cooking: 3 hours

YOU WILL NEED

1.2 kg beef bones 500 g beef sirloin (rump) 2 large onions—1 chopped, 1 halved 2 sprigs parsley, chopped 2 tablespoons chopped peeled fresh ginger • 1 star anise 8 black peppercorns 2 teaspoons fine sea salt 3 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs, such as cilantro (coriander), mint, or Thai basil 500g dried rice vermicelli noodles 2 fresh chili peppers, deseeded and sliced coarse sea salt

1. In a large pot, combine the beef

bones, beef, 1.9 litres of water, the onions, parsley, ginger, star anise, and peppercorns. Bring the pot to a boil over high heat, then reduce it to a simmer and cook for 2 hours, removing any foam from the surface with a skimmer. Add the fine sea salt and simmer for 1 hour longer.

2. Pull out the meat and bones. Discard the bones and slice the meat very thinly. Strain the broth into a clean pot, discarding the solids, and stir in half of the chopped herbs. 3. In a saucepan of boiling salted water, cook the noodles until tender (about 5 minutes) and drain them well. 4. Add the sliced meat to the broth and reheat. Add the noodles and chilies and sprinkle some coarse salt over the meat. Serve hot, garnished with the remaining herbs. 50

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Beef Pho

T&F CUISINE

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CUISINE T&F

Shakshuka Shakshuka is a North African dish, nowadays popular all over the Middle East, especially in Israel, where it was imported by Maghrebi Jews who immigrated there. The name of the dish comes from a Berber word that means “mixture”. It can be breakfast, lunch, or dinner, but in Israel it is often breakfast, served with warm crusty bread for dipping into the sauce. By tradition, Shakshuka is served straight out of the terracotta pan it is cooked in, which is placed in the centre of the table.

Serves: 4 persons

Preparation & cooking: 50 minutes

YOU WILL NEED:

1 tablespoon olive oil ½ onion, diced 1 clove garlic, minced 1 red bell pepper, chopped 4 cups (720 g) diced tomatoes 2 tablespoons tomato paste (“kunserva”) 1 teaspoon mild chili powder 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon paprika 1 pinch of cayenne pepper 1 pinch of sugar sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 8 eggs TO GARNISH

½ tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

1. In a large frying pan, heat the oil over medium heat.

Add the onion and sauté until translucent (4–5 minutes). Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant. Add the bell pepper and sauté until softened (about 12 minutes).

2. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, paprika, cayenne, sugar, and salt and black pepper to taste. Stir and simmer over medium heat until the mixture starts to reduce (about 10 minutes). 3. Crack the eggs into the tomato mixture, spreading them evenly. When you add the eggs will depend on if you want the eggs cooked soft, medium, or hard. 4. For hard-cooked eggs: Cover the pan and simmer until the eggs are fully cooked (10–15 minutes). Keep an eye on the sauce to make sure it doesn’t reduce too much, which can lead to burning. 5. For soft to medium eggs: Let the sauce reduce for a

few minutes uncovered, before cracking the eggs on top. Cover the pan and cook for 7 minutes for medium eggs, 5 minutes for soft eggs with runny yolks.

6. Serve hot. Garnish with chopped parsley, if desired.

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T&F CONTEMPORARY

THE HIDDEN HOUSE No stone unturned, no wall untouched

Architecture and interiors: Daniel Scerri Periti Photography: Alan Carville

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CONTEMPORARY T&F

The pool and deck area were built up over a pre-existing reservoir. The outdoor kitchen area with a cooking and storage solution is by BBQ Store Malta.

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T&F CONTEMPORARY

“Open-minded clients are a blessing. Return clients who trust you and your work even before the project begins is a recipe for success,” says Daniel Scerri. The 1980s villa in Lija is set back from the road and well-hidden from public view. When the architects first visited the site with their clients, then new owners of this property, the house was quite rundown, particularly the garden, and it needed some love and care. The firm’s brief was for a complete re-invention of the space. And that’s what they delivered.

When new owners take on an existing property they tend to want to extend its built-up space to suit their needs. In this case, the architect’s advice was to reduce the building fabric as the original house was too large for its current owners. A kitchen and dining room extension that had been built in the 1990s was completely removed. The existing garage and workshop were demolished and replaced by a generouslysized covered car port. Unusually, rather than being built over, the garden was enlarged and backfilled by one storey to reach the internal first floor level of the house. At almost double its original size, it is now the focal point of the building and includes a new purpose-built canopy to provide much-needed shade in the hot summer months.

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Surfacing the most beautiful spaces

StoneOne by Marca Corona surfaced the flooring for both indoor and outdoor areas, pool coping and internal pool steps.

Leading provider of natural stone products and a wide spectrum of related services. Vast selection of marble, granite, travertine, onyx, quartzite, hardstone, composite stone, exposed aggregate, porfido, quartz and ceramic.

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www.halmannvella.com

T&F CONTEMPORARY

ather than excavating the land for the swimming pool and deck, these were built up above an existing very large reservoir. This meant that the orientation of the house interior had to change drastically, with the focus upon entry rotating by 90 degrees. The door and porchway were pushed outwards to create a double-height entry orientation space where one can perceive the size of the 2-storey house and get one’s bearings. The large entrance pivot door posed a particular challenge to ensure adequate weatherproof sealing; the details were custom-designed and built.

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CONTEMPORARY T&F

p The facade and outdoor areas are clad in Blue Limestone in brushed finish. The sleek dark charcoal-coloured marble richly contrasts with the light painted walls. The material was supplied by Halmann Vella.

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T&F CONTEMPORARY

hen “landing” in this space, the focus shifts from the opened-up view to the south onto a relocated and strategically placed mandarin tree to the east and to the enlarged garden. The staggered volumes of the house in the widening side garden open up direct views towards the back garden from all areas of the house.

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p StoneOne by Marcacorona surfaces the flooring in indoor and outdoor areas, pool coping and internal pool steps, complementing the Calacatta Fusion marble interior stairs. Materials were supplied by Halmann Vella. The pool is by Mermaid Pool Services.

T&F CONTEMPORARY

t ground level, most internal walls were removed to open up specific viewing angles from strategic positions. The successful open-plan layout is underpinned by careful positioning of the utilities. The existing staircase was retained as it was already in the ideal location, but the last flight of stairs was diverted to fit in a comfortably-sized guest bathroom. 62

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T&F CONTEMPORARY

he concept of the kitchen in “the contemporary house” was taken back to its 19th century equivalent, a time when the food preparation area and the scullery were separate. Here, the open part of the kitchen houses a large island, which serves as a food preparation and breakfast area, and the tall cupboards through which one can enter a hidden chamber serving as the “scullery”, complete with dishwashing area, sink, secondary cooking oven, pantry and storage space. This space lies behind an undulating semi-see-through timber louvered screen with an undulating CNC-cut pattern for each individual section. The whole scullery is designed as a central feature – a massive piece of timber furniture.

The ‘scullery’ area of the kitchen is hidden inside a custom-built timber structure. The lighting is by ESS Lighting and Elektra.

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CONTEMPORARY T&F

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T&F CONTEMPORARY

he actual kitchen is now part of the entertainment area, serving both indoor and outdoor areas. The 10m glass back facade can be completely opened up too, for a seamless transition between inside and outside spaces. This alternative kitchen layout has worked well with the owners’ lifestyle, due to their love of entertaining and unusual eating hours. All clutter can be stored out of sight temporarily and then cleared away when guests depart.

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T&F CONTEMPORARY

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CONTEMPORARY T&F

he spacious dining area acts as a visual pivot in the open plan. Views to and from the area were carefully studied to interlink between the living room, car port, kitchen and outdoors. A large canopy acts as an outdoor living room and has become the favourite space of both the owners and their large adorable dog. The first floor houses 3 large bedrooms, and a generouslysized terrace overlooking the back garden. Privacy to the main bedroom was achieved with the use of a custom-built mesh screen that acts as a semi-see-through panel that creates a play of light and shadow.

t The kitchen serves both the indoor and outdoor entertaining spaces. The outdoor drainage gutters around the house and garden are by ACO and supplied by JM Vassallo Vibro Steel Ltd. The garden landscaping is by Medisun Landscapes Ltd.

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T&F CONTEMPORARY

flying beam above the terrace was installed purely to achieve a sense of enclosure to the terrace. This creates a play of shadow that glides across the garden over the course of the day, indicating the time to the owners who have become accustomed to the position of the shadow on the decking at different times of day. The new interiors reflect a clean raw natural palette, combined to achieve the right balance of cool and warm, smooth and textured, rough and refined, light and shade, vertical and horizontal, background and foreground, layering effects and reflections. n Daniel Scerri Periti is participating in this year’s MASP Awards - Categories: Rehabilitation & Conservation; Interior Architecture Award for Residential Projects.

t Glass walls in the light-filled interior offer uninterrupted views of the garden. The wallpaper on the far wall is from Satariano.

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T&F HERITAGE

RESTORED GRANDEUR Tucked away in the side roads of Malta’s capital city is one of the oldest functional theatres in all of Europe. The Manoel, also known as Teatru Manoel, is keeping up with the times. Lisa Gwen interviews AP Valletta about the restoration of a much-loved national treasure.

Project lead AP Valletta Executive Director Konrad Buhagiar Restoration Guillaume Dreyfuss, Charlene Jo Darmanin, Elena Zammit, Nigel Degaetano Architecture Edward Cuschieri, Guglielmo Avallone Interior Design Rory Apap Brown, Francesco Gerbaudi, Sarah Jane Bilocca Structural Engineering Joseph Calleja, Mario Pace, Jurgen Vassallo

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HERITAGE T&F

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T&F HERITAGE

Built in the first half of the 18th century in Valletta, Malta’s best-known theatre was the brainchild of Grandmaster Manoel de Vilhena, who personally funded its construction as a recreational space for the people. In under 12 months, the theatre was functional and could host some 600 spectators. Today, the Manoel Theatre is one of several public cultural organisations extant within Valletta. Having an active and vibrant cultural programme, the theatre periodically hosts an array of performances, dances, operetti, festivals, concerts and award ceremonies, among other events. Yet, despite its vibrant programme, the building has been in dire need of restoration, maintenance, upkeep and upgrading to meet contemporary needs. As early as the late 1990s, Teatru Manoel embarked on a refurbishment and expansion programme, for which AP Valletta was engaged. The team explains that the brief was to “create a master plan to manage, consolidate and expand the functions of the theatre and surrounding properties, in particular its artistic offering and the cultural productions created for, and performed at, the theatre.” Over the past 25 years, the theatre has “sought to reorganise its premises in such a way as to derive revenue to support the operation, improve the theatre facilities and provide better conditions for audience and performers alike, while increasing its legibility, locally and internationally.” The team elaborates on the research phase, which was crucial to set the groundwork for all the phases of the project and which was chiefly informed by a unique set of plans contained in the Cabreo Vilhena (1736), a detailed register of properties in Malta and Gozo that includes plans of all the levels of the theatre, together with a façade elevation. Besides this crucial document, however, as AP Valletta points out, any other description of works undertaken over the theatre’s 250-year history is scarce. In fact, the team had to conduct analyses of the timber roof to understand the build-up, geometry and mechanisms of decay, “while an analysis of the existing stereotomy on the façade highlighted any idiosyncrasies resulting from past interventions.” Traces of cornices and mouldings, that had been hacked off at one point, served as a basis for the reconstruction of the missing elements. Other technical studies included modelling the environmental performance of the existing and proposed auditorium, with measurements of the acoustic parameters before the intervention, and studying sightlines for the new platea seating.

Left: Night View of balcony railing - Photo Guillaume Dreyfuss

Above: Interior view of the restored platea of Teatru Manoel

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HERITAGE T&F

The team explains that the brief was to “create a master plan to manage, consolidate and expand the functions of the theatre and surrounding properties, in particular its artistic offering and the cultural productions created for, and performed at, the theatre.”

Right: Architectural animation showing the study of the new railing - AP Valletta

Right: Palmi proportions applied to the facade AP Valletta Far right: The Restored Facade of Teatru Manoel - Photo Guillaume Dreyfuss

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T&F HERITAGE

When it came to the refurbishment and expansion, the first phase involved adding a new bar and foyer to the neighbouring courtyard of Casa Bonici, which has been covered with a retractable roof. The refurbishment and expansion programme also included the creation of a theatre museum, the reallocation and redesign of the ticket booking offices, the creation and fitting-out of a specialised book and record shop, the construction of a new backstage setup, and the insertion of three studio apartments for visiting artists. Subsequently, the backstage facilities were extended, the administration offices refurbished, and a VIP room was created and, more recently, a climate control system was introduced inside the theatre. The restoration of the theatre’s façade involved recreating architectural elements, including mouldings, and reworking and framing the doors and windows to bring back the proportions of the original openings. Columns have been reinserted and now flank the main door at ground floor and the balcony on the first floor. The work conducted by AP Valletta was not without challenges and hurdles. The unearthing of archaeological remains that predate the construction of the theatre led to a redesign of the climate control system to ensure their in-situ preservation. Similarly, the intervention on the façade was guided by the discovery of remains of the original moulding which had been previously hacked off. “The continual discovery of historical evidence on the original fabric required the adoption of an iterative process to safeguard and integrate these remains,” AP Valletta says. The refurbishment, expansion and restoration of Teatru Manoel has been a seminal project. As AP Valletta explains, “the restored façade today harmonises with the interior of the theatre. The classical order composition of the façade is once again visible at all levels, and the stone architecture has regained its structural integrity.” With the installation of a new acclimatisation system, the indoor environment of the theatre is now controlled, reducing fluctuations and contributing to the preservation of the most delicate building components. It also ensures adequate environmental levels for performances on period instruments. The new seating layout has recreated the original atmosphere of the auditorium, with the surrounding parterre boxes providing the intimate setting of an 18th century theatre. The audience can now benefit from better sightlines created from a new floor raking as well as better comfort in the restored parterre boxes. The insertion of a temporary steel structure on the roof serves to protect the historical timber trusses pending both further studies and the allocation of funds for its restoration. n AP Valletta has been nominated in the restoration category of the MASP Awards for their work on Teatru Manoel’s façade and their implementation of a hybrid climate control system inside the auditorium.

Above: View of the restored platea seatings area - Photo Guillaume Dreyfuss

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HERITAGE T&F

Above: Detail of the restored facade of Teatru Manoel - Photo Guillaume Dreyfuss

Above: View of the new offices of Teatru Manoel

Above: Site photo showing the study of the proportion of the facade and the mouldings - Photo Guillaume Dreyfuss

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T&F SWEETS

Legend has it that a Persian woman had fallen in love with a prince, and had baked this pretty, delicatelyflavoured cake to enchant him, hence its name. Baking: Amy Mallia • Photography: Megan Mallia

ersian love cake combines three key ingredients of Persian cuisine: rose water, cardamom, and pistachios. For centuries, roses have been cherished in Persian culture, blooming in walled gardens and poetry and used both culinarily and medicinally. A celebrated Persian doctor, Avicenna, tried to use a phial of rosewater cordial to cure heartbreak – the origin of the love potion, perhaps, and a possible reason for the association of roses with romance. As its name suggests, there is a love story behind Persian love cake. Legend has it that a Persian woman fell deeply in love with a prince. To win his affection in return, she baked him this heavenly scented, delicate-tasting cake, filled with enchantments – in the belief, perhaps, that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. The way the story ends differs according to who tells it. In one version, the prince did fall in love with the woman; in the other, her love was unrequited. Whichever way it went, though, at least she still had the cake. Persian love cake itself has many versions, reflecting the individuality of the person who bakes it. It can be extravagantly frosted, or embellished with figs and rose petals. But however it is put together, the magic ingredient is to make it with love. Don’t be tempted to omit the rose water because it works wonderfully with the other ingredients to give this cake its very particular flavour.

A Cake 1. Line a 20cm-diameter cake tin

Serves: 6-8 persons

Preparation & baking: 60 minutes

YOU WILL NEED

2 eggs, at room temperature 50g ground almonds 115g butter, at room temperature 180g plain flour 200g sugar zest of 1 lemon ¾ teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking powder 2 teaspoon ground cardamom 1 tablespoon lemon juice 2 tablespoon rose water 3 tablespoons olive oil TO DECORATE

1 tablespoon rose water 1 ½ tablespoons milk 200g icing sugar 30g pistachios, lightly roasted and crushed

with baking paper and set it aside. Preheat the oven to 180°C.

2. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter, sugar, eggs and oil together until they are light and fluffy. Add the rose water, lemon zest and lemon juice to the creamed mixture, and beat them in. 3. Using a spoon, mix the ground almonds, ground cardamom, plain flour, salt, and baking powder together in a separate bowl, then add them to the creamed cake ingredients, and mix them in gently until just combined. 4. Pour the cake mix into the lined tin, then bake in the preheated oven until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean (around 40 minutes). 5. Allow the cake to cool in the tin

for a few minutes, then invert it onto a wire rack and let it stand until it is completely cool.

6. Keeping the cake upside

down so that the completely flat underside is now on top, place it on a serving plate.

7. Prepare the glaze by whisking together the milk, rose water, and icing sugar. The resultant glaze will be quite thick. To make it easier to handle, warm it slightly in a microwave oven for a few seconds to make it a little runny. 8. Coat the cake with the glaze,

then sprinkle it with lightlyroasted crushed pistachios.

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SWEETS T&F

toFall inLove with

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T&F TRENDS

t Introducing a NEW brand at Satariano - OZZIO ITALIA. Extendable, expandable, small or large, round, square or rectangular tables are the true protagonists of OZZIO ITALIA. Visit the large selection available on display at Satariano, Msida Valley Road, Birkirkara. T. 2149 2149

t Aria Appliqué by SLAMP. Zaha Hadid’s luminous architecture is visionary, fluid and dynamic, infusing the revolutionary and iconic semantics of the celebrated architect into domestic and public interiors. The result is the harmonisation of beings and their surrounding spaces. The 25-layer appliqué version is available in either a transparent or gold finish that casts refractions on the wall behind it. This is a beautiful piece to complement the iconic chandelier designed by the same celebrated architect. SLAMP is exclusively available at ESS Ltd.

The next issue will be out in February next year with The Malta Independent on Sunday.

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p Impeccable designs are the hallmark of the Emotions Collection by Porcelanosa Kitchens. Satariano’s experienced design team will help you tailor your kitchen to your lifestyle, preferences, needs and price tag. Satariano, Msida Valley Road, Birkirkara. T. 2149 2149

For advertising, contact Sean Ellul on +356 7921 0705 sellul@independent.com.mt

Reducing Food Waste Some important considerations to be made to avoid food wastage include meal planning for the week ahead, the number of people to be fed and the leftovers remaining. Reducing food waste is an important way of stretching the budget and saving money. Indeed, the National Statistics Office* (2012) stated that a quarter of the amount of purchased food ends up being wasted and discarded. Reducing food waste in your home starts with a mentality change. It includes being careful about planning for meals and purchases. This might seem time consuming, but at the end of the day it will save on time and money. Some important considerations to be made to avoid food wastage include meal planning for the week ahead, the number of people to be fed and the leftovers remaining. Prepare meals with food items available at home and write down any missing ingredients. Get into the habit of checking the ‘best before’ and the ‘use by’ dates of the food products you have at home * National Statistics Office (NSO) (2012) Household Waste Composition Survey. National Statistics Office. Valletta, Malta

when planning your shopping list. Then, check on what food is available in your freezer, pantry, and fridge to see what you can use up. Do not forget the leftovers; once they are packed into containers, keep them in an easily accessible area (at eye level - as if placed at the back of the fridge they may be forgotten) and plan to eat them. Finally, freezing can be the best waste-free strategy in the kitchen. Freeze in portions, use airtight containers to reduce freezer burn, and label the food items. Reducing food waste can be one significant way to contribute to an environmentally sustainable diet which is a ‘win-win’ for the planet, your health and your pocket.

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