Top 5 Maltese Pasta

This flavorful Maltese dish is a baked pasta casserole that is typically made with penne or rigatoni. Although the recipe was inherited from Sicily, imqarrun il-forn is nowadays a staple of Maltese cuisine. Besides pasta, the casserole is made with ground meat, onions, carrots, garlic, tomatoes, eggs, cheese, and flavorings such as nutmeg, curry powder, or bay leaves. Baked until golden-brown in color, the dish should be crispy and crunchy on the exterior and moist on the inside. It is often served as a part of Sunday lunch on Malta.Expand

Froġa tat-tarja is a traditional pasta omelet. The dish is usually made with a combination of eggs, vermicelli, butter (or olive oil), grated cheese, salt, and pepper. The eggs are whisked and mixed with the cheese and cooked pasta. The mixture is seasoned with salt and pepper and fried in a pan in butter. Once it becomes firm, the pasta omelet is turned on the other side and cooked until golden. This pasta omelet is served immediately, while still warm. It's a great way to use leftover cooked pasta. There are many variations, including ingredients such as spinach, prosciutto, and scallions.Expand

Timpana is a pasta casserole originating from Malta. It's prepared with a combination of puff pastry sheets, macaroni or penne pasta, beef, pork, chicken liver, bacon, onions, garlic, grated cheese, eggs, tomatoes, stock, and butter. The onions and garlic are sautéed in olive oil with the bacon, livers, and ground pork and beef. The combination is covered with the stock and simmered with tomato paste or tomato purée. The pasta is cooked and mixed with grated cheese and beaten eggs. A baking dish is lined with the puff pastry sheets, then filled with the pasta and the sauce. The top is covered with another layer of pastry, which is typically pricked to let the steam escape while timpana is baked until golden brown. It's recommended to serve this casserole with a fresh green salad on the side.Expand

Bebbux mimli is a traditional pasta dish originating from Malta. The dish is usually made with a combination of lumache (snail-shaped pasta), semolina, ricotta, grated cheese, nutmeg, parsley, eggs, tomato sauce, salt, and pepper. The ricotta is mixed with the eggs, grated cheese, nutmeg, seasonings, and parsley. The pasta is stuffed with the mixture and the open ends are then dipped in semolina so that the lumaconi remain intact while they're cooking. Once the stuffed pasta rises to the top, it's cooked. The stuffed lumaconi are served in warm tomato sauce, toped with grated cheese and a pinch of freshly ground black pepper.Expand

Spagetti biz-zalza tal-qarnit is a traditional dish consisting of spaghetti with octopus sauce. The dish is usually made with a combination of octopus, spaghetti, peas, black olives, tomatoes, onions, tomato paste, red wine, olive oil, lemon zest, mint, basil, salt, and black pepper. The octopus is cut into pieces, fried in olive oil, and left to cool. Tomato paste and herbs are added to the pot, along with chopped onions, chopped tomatoes, sliced olives, and lemon zest. The octopus is placed back into the pan with peas, wine, and seasonings, and the dish is cooked for about half an hour. Once done, the octopus sauce is served on top of al dente spaghetti.Expand