Short crust pastry (See Ricotta Pie)

1 kilo cooked spinach

1 large tin of tuna in brine

200g leeks

3 or 4 garlic cloves

100g black olives, stoned and chopped.

freshly grated nutmeg

fresh basil chopped

olive oil

grated lemon rind

seasoning

sesame seeds

1 egg lightly beaten

Method

Wash, peel and chop the leeks and garlic.  In a large frying pan heat some oil and fry the leeks, onions, garlic to a nice golden colour.  Add the cooked chopped spinach, drained tuna, freshly grated nutmeg, chopped basil, chopped olives, grated lemon rind and seasoning.  Mix carefully so as not to squash the mixture.

Preheat the oven, 180⁰C, Gas Mark 4.

On a lightly floured table roll out half of the pastry and line a pie dish with it.  Fill the dish with the tuna mixture.  Roll out the remainder of the pastry.  Moisten the edges of the pie dish and cover the pie dish with it.

Cut two slits in the top of the pastry lid to allow the steam to escape.  Sprinkle some sesame seeds.

Bake for 60 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown in colour.

                                                                             For the shorcrust pastry
1kg ricotta                                                             420g flour
4 soft cheeselets                                                     180g margarine
100g grated cheese                                                 8g salt
4 eggs                                                                             112g cold water
1 egg lightly beaten
seasoning
chopped parsley
freshly grated nutmeg

Method
 

Sieve the flour. Add the margarine, cut into smallish lumps, then begin to rub it into the flour using your fingertips only and being as light as possible. Add this mixture to the flour mixture. Add the cold water and work into a dough.

Preheat the oven, 180⁰C, Gas Mark 4.

Put the ricotta in a large bowl and mash either with a fork or with a potato masher.  You have to mash till the ricotta is smooth and creamy.  Add chopped parsley and eggs to the ricotta mixture and blend well.  Add seasoning and freshly grated nutmeg.  Mix well till all the ingredients are combined.

On a lightly floured table roll out half of the pastry and line a lightly greased 25 or 30cm pie dish with it.  Fill the dish with the ricotta mixture.  Roll out the remainder of the pastry.  Moisten the edges of the pie dish and cover the pie dish with it.

Seal the rim of the pastry to the dish by pressing the back of a fork down onto the pastry all the way around the edge.  Cut two slits in the top of the pastry lid to allow the steam to escape.

Bake for about 50-55 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown in colour.

Ingredjenti
għaġina tat-torti
600ml ħalib
4 bajdiet
bżar u melħ
60g ġobon tat-toqba
60g pancetta jew bacon
Metodu

1. Idlek dixx tal-flan u iftaħ l-għaġina.

2. Ġo taġen qalli ftit il-pancetta. Ferrixha fuq il-qiegħ ta’ l-għaġina.

3. Fuqha poġġi biċċiet żgħar tal-ġobon.

4. Ġo bieqja qiegħed il-ħalib u l-bajd, il-bżar u l-melħ. Ħallat tajjeb flimkien u ferrex din it-taħlita fuq il-ġobon. It-torta trid tintela b’ din it-taħlita. Jekk tiggosta fil-wiċċ tista troxx ftit ġunġlien.

5. Sajjar fil-forn 1800C Gas Numru 4-5 għal madwar 40 minuta.

NOTI

Tista tagħmel tipi ta’ quiches żgħar.

Il- varjazzjonijiet biex timla l-quiche huma kbar u tista tuża l-imaġinazzjoni tiegħek. Dawn huma ftit eżempji:

Asparagus

Tadam bil-mustarda

Il-ħaxix kollu huwa tajjeb

Gobnijiet differenti

Avocado

Tonn taż-żejt

Ingredjenti

420g dqiq plain
180g margarine
112g ilma
ftit melħ

Metodu

1. Ġo bieqja għarbel id dqiq.

2. Żid miegħu l-margarine u ħaddem tajjeb sakemm it-taħlita tiġi qisha ramel. Żifd il-melħ u erġa ħawwad.

3. Żid l-ilma u għagen f’għaġina. Ma tridx iżżid l-ilma f’ daqqa; għax jista jkun li jkollok bżonn anqas. Dan jiddependi sew mid-dqiq kif ukoll mis-sħana li jkun hemm fil-kċina int u tagħmel l-għaġina.

4. Għatti bl-istretch and seal u ħalliha toqgħod għal mhux anqas minn siegħa. Jekk tkun ħafna sħana jew inkella l-kċina tkun sħuna trid tqiegħed l-għaġina fil-fridge.

Ingredjenti

Forma ta’ l-għaġina baked blind. L-għaġina l-aħjar li tkun frolla (shortcrust)

400g tamal taċ-ċappa

3 grokkijiet Anisette

70g ġewż imqatta biċċiet

qoxra ta’ mandolina

pecan nuts

Metodu

Qatta t-tamal f’ biċċiet żgħar u poġġi ġo kazzola.

Żid ftit ilma u saħħan għal ftit ħin fuq nar moderat sakemm it-tamal jibda jinħall. Trid toqgħod ħafna attenta li ma tħallix it-tamal idub kollu.

Żid il-ġewż, anisette u l-qoxra tal-mandolina.

Neħħi minn fuq in-nar u qiegħed ġo bieqja. Ħawwad tajjeb.

B’ din it taħlita imla l-forma ta’ l-għaġina. Kemm tista illixxa l-wiċċ.

Żejjen ix-xifer bil-pecan nuts.

Pasta frolla ħelwa (Shortcrust pastry)

Għall-mili

120g zokkor
120g margarine
120g bajd
120g intrita
8g dqiq
qoxra ta’ lummija maħkuka
essenza tal-vanilja u tal-lewż
ftit lewż imqatta kbir
ftit ċirasa maqsuma minn nofs
ftit jam tal-frawli jew tal-berquq

Metodu

1. F’bieqja ħaddem tajjeb iz-zokkor u l-margarine sakemm jiġu krema.

2. Ma’ din it-taħlita żid il-bajd, l-intrita, il-qoxra ta’ lummija maħkuka u l-essenzi. Trida tagħmel ħafna attenzjoni għax jekk tagħmel iżżejjed it-taħlita tiġi morra. Min ikun irid jista jżid xi ftit lewz imqatta kbir u ftit ċirasa. Ħawwad tajjeb.

3. Sadanittant iftaħ l-għaġina u biha iksi dixx tat-torti. B’furketta taqqab l-għaġina. Idlek bil-jam u ifrex it taħlita fuq l-għaġina.

4. Irranġa x-xfarijiet.

5. Bil-biċċiet ta’ l-għaġina li jkun baqa, qata strixxi twal. B’dawn l-istrixxi għamel forma ta’ kannizzata fil-wiċċ tat-taħlita. Idlek dawn l-istrixxi jew bi ftit bajd imħabbat jew bi ftit ħalib.

6. Sajjar għal madwar 50 minuta ġo forn moderat.

7. Din hija torta li meta tiksaħ tkun itjeb.

PLAIN PASTRY
130g all-purpose flour
½ tsp salt
150g unsalted butter
3 to 4 tbsp water

LEMON FILLING
175 sugar
7 tbsp cornstarch
¼ tsp salt
3 eggs, separated
175g water
1 tbsp butter or margarine
2 lemon juice
1 tsp grated lemon peel

DECORATION
Peach jelly
3 egg whites
130 powdered sugar
60g flaked almonds, toasted

1. For Pastry; preheat oven to 400F (205C). In a medium bowl, combine flour and salt. Cut butter until pieces are size of small peas. Add 3 tablespoons water; toss with a fork until flour is moistened and mixture begins to form a ball. Add more water to crumbs in bottom of bowl, if necessary. Gather dough into a flat ball.

2. Roll out pastry; place in an 8 or 9-inch pie plate. Prick pastry with fork. To prevent pastry from rising during baking, cover with waxed paper. Bake 10 to 15 minutes.

3. For filling, in a double boiler or saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch and salt. Beat egg yolks and water until smooth; stir into sugar mixture. Cook over medium heat until thickened, stirring constantly.

4. Remove from heat. Stir in butter or margarine, lemon juice and lemon peel. Let cool. Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry. Fold carefully into cooled lemon mixture.

5. Pour filling into baked pastry.

6. Melt jelly over low heat. Glaze surface or pie with a thin layer of melted jelly.

7. For meringue topping, beat egg whites, until stiff but not dry. Gradually fold in sugar. Using a piping bag fitted with a wavy tip, pipe meringue in diagonal crisscross lines. Decorate edges with a thick band of meringue and flaked almonds. Bake at 400 F (205C) 5 minutes to set meringue.