Maltese Potatoes (Patata Fil-forn)
This popular dish is the perfect accompaniment to many meat and seafood dishes found in this book. It’s a feat of simple engineering – the stock creates steam, which cooks up through the potatoes, keeping the bottom soft while the top develops a beautiful crust. These contrasting textures are delivered with the aromatics of fennel seed. Another bonus is the dish is so quick to prepare.
Ingredients 8
800 g potatoes, peeled, sliced into 5 mm–1 cm thick rounds
1 onion, medium, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley (italian parsley), chopped
1 tbsp fennel seeds, plus more for the top if desired
2 tbsp olive oil
salt, to taste
250 ml chicken stock
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Method 6
Preheat the oven to 180°C (360°F).
Combine the , , , , and 1 tablespoon of the in a medium baking dish. Season with salt and mix with your hands until all the potatoes are coated in oil.
Flatten the top layer of , then pour on the .
If you like as much as I do, sprinkle a little more over the top to get browned and crunchy.
Drizzle with the remaining and bake uncovered for 1 hour.
Test the with a skewer or fork – they should be soft all the way through with a little blistering on top.
Simon Bajada's tips
If you like fennel seeds as much as I do, sprinkle a little more over the top to get browned and crunchy.
