Taste of Malta [Hardcover]

Claudia Caruana (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1998

More than a cookbook, Taste of Malta also includes a brief history of Malta and Maltese cooking, an appendix with basic recipes for various dough's, sauces and stocks, along with an extensive section of resources, to ensure that everything you need to prepare an authentic Maltese meal is right at your fingertips. This collection features Maltese favourites like timpana (macaroni baked with tomatoes and ground meat enclosed in pastry), ross fil-forn (rice baked in meat sauce), and aljotta (fish soup with potatoes and garlic).

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Caruana adroitly handles a lot of material, including many unfamiliar recipes, in this comprehensive cookbook on the specialties of Malta, an island south of Sicily in the Mediterranean Sea. The collection combines recipes from modern-day Malta with those passed down by Maltese immigrants in the U.S., and Caruana's own memories of her grandmothers' cooking are charming. Maltese cuisine is not well known here, but by all appearances it should be. Snacks like Broad Bean Paste and Maltese Cheesecakes are like a cross between Italian and Greek cooking, while Chestnut and Cocoa Soup and Kohlrabi Fritters go farther afield. Caruana presents several versions of Malta's signature dishes, such as the baked rice casserole known as Ross fil-Forn that can be made with ground beef, sausage, cheese, eggs or a combination of those ingredients. Interesting casseroles and baked dishes abound: Artichoke and Rice Pie, and Artichoke Hearts with Pork and Chicken Liver Casserole. A few recipes (Snail Sauce, Stewed Pigeons) feature hard-to-find ingredients, but most of these are home-style dishes, and Caruana provides variations where appropriate. Sidebars on topics such as Malti (the language of Malta, a Semitic tongue written in the Latin alphabet) and the Knights of St. John round out this solid introduction to an intriguing cuisine.

Copyright 1998 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Claudia M Caruana

Product Details

• Hardcover: 306 pages
• Publisher: Hippocrene Books; First Edition edition (May 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0781805244
• ISBN-13: 978-0781805247
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 5.8 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,206,371 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Exellent presentation of Maltese food, history and customs, June 10, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Taste of Malta (Hardcover)

I thoroughly enjoyed Ms. Caruana's book which describes Maltese food so well you can taste it as you read the recipes! As a first generation Maltese-American, it was such a pleasure to hear someone else describe their family experiences which are so similar to many of us. The combination of Maltese history and culture put the icing on the cake.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Cookbook I Have Ever Read- and Used!, March 2, 2000

By 

Jillian (Long Island, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Taste of Malta (Hardcover)

I have tried some of Ms. Caruana's recipes. They came out fabulous. My dinner guests raved over the dishes, wondering where I came up with such exquisite food. It's great trying new recipes like the maltese cuisine. This author is definitely going places. I imagine her future works will be just as great and original.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What a wonderful cooking (and tasting) experience, December 27, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Taste of Malta (Hardcover)

Claudia has done such a wonderful job of bringing together a collection of the best dishes that Maltese cooking offers.

Her major achievement has been in her idea of obtaining recipes from such a diverse group of people who have obviously enjoyed cooking.