Recipe: Traditional Maltese Kusksu
Emily A. Francis steps into the kitchen of Ta’ Marija – Your Gastro Maltese Kitchen since 1964, eager to witness the preparation of the traditional Maltese dish, Kusksu, featuring broad beans and cheeslets (ġbejna). Owner Ben Muscat warmly welcomes her, providing an insightful overview and even shares the wholesome recipe!
Kusksu, a cherished dish in Maltese cuisine, is a flavourful blend of tradition and local ingredients. Made with tender broad beans, hearty pasta pearls, and the distinctively tangy gbejna cheese, it embodies the essence of Maltese culinary heritage.
Slow-cooked to perfection, its rich aroma fills the air, promising a comforting dining experience. Each spoonful offers a taste of Maltese history, with its roots tracing back generations.
Whether enjoyed as a warm appetiser or a satisfying main course, kusksu captivates the palate with its simplicity and depth of flavour, making it a beloved staple in Maltese kitchens.
Serves 6
Ingredients
- 2 tbs vegetable oil
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 1 carrot, cut into rings
- 1 fresh celery stick, chopped
- 1 tbs tomato paste, Kunserva
- 1 cup (200 grams) broad beans
- 1 can polpa
- 1 can peas
- 1 vegetable stock cube
- 8 cups (2 liters) water
- 1 cup (250 grams) kuskus (couscous) pasta
- Sprinkle salt and fresh peppercorns
- 1 tspn Sugar
- For topping: 6 Ġbejniet, fresh parmesan cheese and fresh cracked pepper
Method
- In a proper cooking soup bowl, heat 2 tablespoons of oil. Add the onion, carrot, celery and brown gently.
- Stir in the tomato paste, then top with beans, polpa (crushed tomatoes), and peas.
- Dissolve the vegetable stock cube in the water and add it to the cooked ingredients.
- Bring to a boil and add the kusksu, salt, pepper and sugar.
- Keep stirring so the pasta doesn’t stick to the bottom.
- Cook for 15 minutes until the pasta is tender.
Presentation
For a fine presentation of this very typical Maltese dish, you will impress your guests if you put a whole fresh cheeselet on each soup bowl. Top also with fresh parmesan and cracked pepper.
