Imqaret are one of the the remnants of the Arab world which was left behind in Malta. Dates, citrus and spices are encased in a pastry and then deep fried. A big favourite of mine and easy for everyone to make. Another great choice for the fesitve season.
Every time I am in Valletta in Malta I always buy some Imqaret from a stall just outside of the main gates. My aunty first bought these for me from the same stall in Valletta many years ago. Other shops sell them too and they are also sold at the many Maltese celebrations which are held throughout the year, including festas.
This is one Maltese recipe which shows signs of our Arab or Phoenician past. The Arabs invaded Malta between 870AD and 11th Century. Bigilla, honey rings, stuffed peppers and marrows, ice cream, halva and the list goes on, all have roots which come from our neighbouring Arab friends. These date pastries filled with dates and spices is another example. A similar sweet is found in Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco.
The term Imqaret which is the plural of maqrut is derived from the arabic word meaning diamond. These pastries are usually cut into diamond shapes before deep frying but can also be cut into rectangles.
I just love these pastries and the fact that they are deep fried even better (although perhaps not for the waistline). You can bake them if you prefer too. Finish off with a dusting of sugar and pop them straight into your mouth or serve with ice cream. Lovely.
My recipe makes approximately 66 small imqarets. Quite a lot I know so if you want to reduce the amount just half the ingredients to make half as much!
- For the filling:
- 800 grams pitted dates chopped
- Zest of 2 lemon, 2 orange and 2 clementine
- 1 tablespoon lightly crushed aniseeds
- 1 tablespoon aniseed liqueur
- Juice of 2 oranges and 2 clemntines
- 2 teaspoon vanilla essence
- 2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 teaspoon cloves
- For the pastry:
- 830 grams flour
- 200 grams butter
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon lightly crushed aniseeds
- 320 ml water
- Vegetable oil for frying and baking (I use sunflower oil)
- Icing sugar to finish
- Prepare the pastry by mixing the baking powder and flour together. Sift.
- Add in the aniseeds and mix well.
- Rub in the butter with the flour mixture until the resemblence of fine bread crumbs.
- Slowly add in the water and mix with a knife until the dough starts to form.
- Knead for a few minutes and leave to rest while you make the filling.
- Add all the filling ingredients into a small pot and cook on a stove pot for about twenty minutes until the consistency is smooth.
- Leave aside to cool for about an half an hour.
- Cut the pastry into 6 pieces.
- Roll one of the pieces of pastry into a rectangle shape of approximately 15 x 50 cm.
- Take ⅙ of the date mixture and spread along half of the pastry (across 7.5 cm x 50 cm ) but make sure to leave some space along the edge to be able to fold the other half of the pastry.
- Wet the edges with water.
- Fold the other half of the pastry over the pastry with the date mixture and seal the ends.
- Cut along the mixture diagonally to form 11 diagonal shapes.
- Do this for the other 5 pieces of pastry.
- Turn the heat to the highest setting but when oil is ready (when a small amount of pastry sizzles) and then reduce to moderate heat so that the edges of the imqaret do not burn when entered into the oil.
- Deep fry in a pan with hot vegetable oil for about 1 minute on each side.
- If baking the imqaret, with a pastry brush, brush the imqaret with the vegetable oil.
- Place into a preheated oven of 200oC for about 18 minutes, turning over half way.
- Sprinkle with icing sugar and serve on their own or with ice cream.