Qassatat is a word derived from the Sicilian cassata, which is thought to stem from the Latin caseus, meaning cheese – the most traditional filling of these pies. This street food is consumed second only to pastizzi, and wherever you find pastizzi in Malta, this is likely to be sitting to the side. This recipe has a spinach and anchovy filling, but to make cheese qassatat, use the filling on page 40 (the pea filling can also be used). Or try making them filled with ricotta and raisins as is done on the island of Gozo.
MAKES: 8–10 pies
PREPARATION: 40 minutes + 45 minutes resting
COOKING: 40 minutes
Ingredients:
Pastry
- 500g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 250g chilled butter, diced
- 2 eggs – 1 lightly beaten, for brushing
- 60ml (¼ cup) iced water
Spinach and anchovy filling
- 80 g English spinach
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion, finely diced
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- 4 anchovy fillets, chopped, plus 1 teaspoon oil from the jar
- 50g green olives, pitted and finely chopped
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon cornflour
- salt and pepper
How to:
Start by rubbing the flour, salt and butter together with your fingers until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs or rough sand. Mix in 1 egg, then gradually add the water to form a dough. Shape into a ball, then press into a disc and cover in plastic wrap. Chill for 45 minutes.
For the spinach and anchovy filling, slice off the spinach roots, then wash and drain the leaves. Remove the excess water by tipping onto a clean tea towel (dish towel) and patting dry. Chop smaller at the stem end, larger at the leaf end. Heat the oil in a frying pan over a low–medium heat and sauté the onion, garlic, anchovies and their oil until soft (about 8–10 minutes). Increase the heat and add the spinach and olives, cooking until the spinach wilts. Leave to cool.
Whisk the egg and cornflour together in a large bowl. Drain off any water from the spinach and stir the spinach mixture into the egg, then season with salt and pepper.
Roll the pastry out on a floured surface and cut into circles 15cm (6 in) in diameter. Put a heaped spoon of filling in the middle of a circle and wet the edges of the pastry with a little water. Bring the pastry sides up over the filling but leave a gap where you can see the filling in the centre, and pleat the edges all around like a money bag. Continue making pies with the remaining pastry and filling.
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Brush the pastry with the lightly beaten egg. Bake the pies in the oven for 25–30 minutes, until golden.
Edited recipe extract from Malta by Simon Bajada, published by Hardie Grant Books. Available in stores nationally, RRP$50.
