Imqaret
Traditional Maltese sweet pastries made of a thin, crisp pastry filled with a spiced date paste. They are typically deep-fried and infused with the flavors of aniseed and citrus.
🧂 Ingredients
- 400 g All-purpose flour
- 100 g Cold butter(cubed)
- 60 ml Water(approx.)
- 1 tablespoon Sugar
- 0.5 teaspoon Baking powder
- 1 teaspoon Aniseed liquor or Anisette
- 1 tablespoon Orange flower water
- 400 g Pitted dates
- 1 teaspoon Orange zest
- 1 teaspoon Lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
- 0.5 teaspoon Cloves(ground)
- 0.5 teaspoon Nutmeg(ground)
- 0.5 cup Water(for filling)
- Vegetable oil(for frying)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
For the dough: In a bowl, combine flour, sugar, and baking powder. Rub in the cold butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Gradually add water and aniseed liquor to form a dough. Knead lightly, wrap in plastic, and chill for at least 30 minutes.
- 2
For the filling: Chop the pitted dates. In a saucepan, combine dates, water, orange blossom water, orange zest, lemon zest, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. Cook over low heat, stirring, until dates break down into a thick paste. Let cool completely.
- 3
Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F) if baking, or heat vegetable oil in a deep pot for frying.
- 4
Roll out the dough thinly into long rectangles. Place a line of date filling along one half of each rectangle.
- 5
Moisten the edges of the dough with water. Fold the other half of the dough over the filling to enclose it, pressing to seal. Cut into diamond or rectangular shapes.
- 6
To fry: Carefully place the imqaret into the hot oil and fry for about 1 minute per side until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.
- 7
To bake: Place the imqaret on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓The characteristic diamond shape comes from the Arabic name 'maqrut'.
- ✓The intense aroma of aniseed is a key feature of imqaret.
- ✓Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a drizzle of honey.
✨ Twist Ideas
Inspiration for your own version of this recipe
- Some recipes use a mix of flours for the dough.
- Can be baked instead of deep-fried for a healthier option.