What Librarians Eat! Vol:3 Issue: 5 - May 2015

What Librarians Eat! V O L :

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I S S U E : 5

M A Y

2 0 1 5

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

Health Tip

2

Maltese Baked Macaroni

3

Stuffed marrows

4

Maltese Vegetable Soup

5

Tomatoes, Cheese & Eggs

5

Maltese Style Pizza

6

Maltese Steamed Beef

6

Spaghetti Octopus Stew

7

Village Biscuits

8

Maltese Almond Drink

8

Men‟s Section

9

Women‟s Section

10

Effective Communication

11

Ask Us Something!

12

May ….spring is in the air!!!

Spring is in full bloom and some might have already noticed that the daylight is longer and the weather starts to be warmer.

It is said that this is the month when plants really start to grow and also one can find a larger choice of seasonal vegetables and fruits in the market.

So it is the perfect month to be more adventorous in the kitchen, experiment with new ingredients and come up with new good recipes, to share with your family and friends.

For this issue we have prepared for you a selection of Traditional Maltese dishes. Some receipes might bring back the memories of your childhood, so let’s refresh our memories and bring back the forgotten traditional Maltese dishes!!!......

L-Ikla t-Tajba..!

Activities for this month: Sat 02nd: Library Soccer Match (for more info ask Ryan) Sat 23rd: Badger Carting (more info comming soon)

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Health Tip for the month of May Learn the Signs and Symptoms of a Stroke

A stroke occurs when blood supply to the brain is cut off or when a blood vessel bursts. If you think that you or someone else is having a stroke, call 911 immediately. All the major symptoms of stroke appear suddenly, and often there is more than one symptom at the same time. With timely treatment, the risk of death and disability from stroke can be lowered. By knowing the signs and symptoms of stroke, you can be prepared to take quick action and perhaps save a life—maybe even your own.

Take a few minutes to learn the five major signs and symptoms of a stroke:



Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arms, or legs



Sudden confusion or trouble speaking or understanding others



Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes



Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, or loss of balance or coordination



Sudden severe headache with no known cause If you think someone may be having a stroke, act F.A.S.T and do the following simple test: F—Face: Ask the person to smile. Does one side of the face droop?

A—Arms: Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?

S—Speech: Ask the person to repeat a simple phrase. Is their speech slurred or strange?

T—Time: If you observe any of these signs, call 112 immediately.

Note the time when any symptoms first appear. Some treatments for stroke only work if given in the first 3 hours after symptoms appear. Do not drive to the hospital or let someone else drive you. Call an ambulance so that medical personnel can begin life-saving treatment on the way to the emergency room.

TRADITIONAL MALTESE FOOD

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Maltese Baked Macaroni (Timpana) Traditional Maltese food is clearly marked with Mediterranean references. Italy and especially Sicily (referred to as „the elder sister‟), have left a significant mark on Maltese food. Pasta dishes like 'ravjul' (ravioli), lasagna, 'imqarrun' (baked macaroni), with their hundreds of sauces, are all dishes sprinkled with Italian influence. Since Malta is so close to Italy, pasta has always been one of the staple foods of the country.

Most of our Maltese recipes have been passed on from mother to daughter for generations and luckily some of theses recipes were penned on paper and collected in cookery books by various Maltese authors.

Make your own traditional Maltese baked macaroni

in a pastry case Ingredients to make your own Timpana: 

500g puff pastry (frozen sheets)



500g dried macaroni or penne



300g beef mince



300g pork mince



300g chicken livers, diced (optional)



300g bacon, finely diced



500g onions, finely diced



4 cloves garlic, crushed



150g parmesan cheese, grated



150g tasty cheese, grated



7 eggs, beaten



200g tomato paste



200g tomato purée



500ml chicken or beef stock



150g butter



Salt and pepper

For glaze: 

100ml milk



1 egg beaten

Don't worry, preparing Timpana is not hard!!: Preheat oven to 180˚C. Fry onions and garlic in olive oil for 5 minutes, then add bacon and pork mince, stirring well to separate.

Add beef mince and continue stirring, cooking for another 10 minutes. If you want to try the traditional recipe, add chicken livers and cook for another 5 minutes.

Pour the stock, mix well and bring to boil. Simmer for 20 minutes. Add tomato paste and tomato purée.

While the sauce is cooking, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until just undercooked, a bit before al dente, to give you an idea. Drain and mix with sauce, adding parmesan and tasty cheese.

Stir in beaten eggs to give consistency to the mixture.

Line a greased baking dish with the pastry, also on the sides. Fill it with the pasta dressed up with the bolognaise sauce and cover the top with another layer of pastry which has been pricked all over with a knife to let steam escape.

Bake for 1 to 1 ½ hours and enjoy!

Source: http://www.malta.com/en/dining/maltese-specialities/timpana-recipe

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Stuffed Marrows Ingredients 

800 grms large round marrows



1 large onion finely chopped



1 clove of garlic minced



2 fresh bay leaves



3 large tomatoes, chopped



2 tbls tomato paste



600 grams minced beef (Traditionally, 300gms meat and 300gms corned beef the type you get in a can)



150 grams of bacon (vegetarians can use 700gms of ricotta mixed with some parsley and a bit of milk)



2 eggs beaten



4 tbls of grated parmesan cheese



Olive oil

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Semolina

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Sea salt & freshly ground pepper

Method Preheat the oven to 180C/350F Cut the marrows lengthwise in half and scoop out the insides with a teaspoon. Reserve about half the pulp.

Fry the onion, garlic and bay leaves in some olive oil until soft. Add the chopped tomatoes and tomato paste and cook for a further few minutes.

Place the bacon in a food processor and blend until finely minced.

Add the beef and bacon to the onion mix and cook until done. (vegetarians, add the ricotta mix) Stir in the marrow pulp and then allow to cool.

Once cool add the eggs and cheese and season the mixture to taste.

Fill the marrow halves with the meat mixture then lightly sprinkle with semolina.

Place in a lightly oiled baking dish and then drizzle a little more olive oil over the filling.

Bake for about 45 minutes until the meat mixture is golden and crisp. Another alternative is to slice about 6 potatoes and an onion and place them on a dish, then add the stuffed marrows and cook the whole thing together.

A great meal in one dish!

Source: http://felicekitchen.blogspot.com/2009/07/stuffed-marrows-qarabaghli-mimli.html

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Maltese Vegetable Soup (Kawlata bix-Xikel tal-Majjal) For the majority of Maltese people, this is heaven in a bowl. It is a simple dish made out of the freshest vegetables and meat. If you are not so keen on the meat bit, just eliminate the pork shank.

Ingredients: 

1 Pork/Ham shank



3 large Potatoes, roughly diced



½ butternut squash or 500g pumpkin, diced



1 small Cabbage, chopped



1 courgette or Marrow, diced4 small Onions, split into 4 pieces small Cauliflower, split into florets



4 Carrots, diced



1 Turnip or ½ a swede, diced100g



Pulse mix or yellow split peas (pre-soaked sovernight or longer)



3 tbsp tomato paste



2 vegetable or pork stock cubes or stockpots



75g of small shaped pasta such as ditalini



Salt & pepper



2 litres of water

Method To start with, put the pulse mix or yellow split peas in a small pan cover with water, bring to the boil and simmer for 510 minutes. Drain and set aside.

At the bottom of the large pot, put the shank, skin part down and then add all the other ingredients, apart from the pasta. Give the pot a stir with a wooden spoon.

Bring to the boil on a medium heat and then turn heat to low and simmer for 3-4 hours, stirring occasionally. About 1015 min before turning off heat, add the pasta and cook until pasta is done. serve with grated cheese and some crusty

Tomatoes, Cheese & Eggs (Maltese Balbuljata) Ingredients:  2 large onions roughly chopped 

2 cloves garlic crushed



6 ripe tomatoes peeled and seeded



8 eggs



Salt and pepper



Chopped Parsley



Grated Cheese

Method:

Shallow fry the onions and garlic until soft. Add the tomatoes and simmer for 5 minutes.

Whisk the eggs and pour over the tomatoes. Cook slowly until creamy.

Season with salt & pepper, chopped parsley and grated cheese.

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Maltese Style Pizza ! (Ftira tal-Forn) Nothing beats the aroma of fresh bread taken out of the oven. For many poor people (“ftira tal-forn”), was their only daily meal – lunch (“fatar”), or dinner (“fatra”). Traditional “ftira” was made with an unbaked loaf dough, flattened in a medium sized plate and covered with ripe red tomatoes, olives and capers.

They fold the edges of the dough inwards and drizzle with oil, sea salt and pepper and baked until golden brown. They baked various qualities of “ftira tal-ħemi”.





Herrings (“tal-bakkaljaw”), – herrings, chopped onions, garlic, bold cod, oil, and parsley.

Curd cheese (“tal-ġbejniet”), – thinly sliced potatoes with small round cheeslets on top.

Anchovy (“tal-inċova “), – anchovy, tomatoes, onions and basil, topped on sliced potatoes,



Whitebait (“tal-makku”), – whitebait rolled in flour, sweet marjoram, sliced onions, and spearmint.



Onion (“ftira tat-toqlija”), – lightly fried onions, garlic and ripe tomatoes.



Method for making the dough (ghagina) Mix 600g plain flour and 2 sachets yeast, with 60g melted butter, 3 tbs olive oil and some salt; work into a dough by adding water as necessary.

Spread some olive oil on a work surface and kneed for about ten minutes; rest until doubled in size then use as required!

Source: https://vassallohistory.wordpress.com/brief-history-of-food-in-malta/maltese-traditional-recipes

Maltese Steamed Beef (Laham Fuq il-Fwar) This dish brings back many fond memories of my childhood years when my family moved to live with nanna and nannu in Tarxien. To make this dish, nanna would put the meat in a Pyrex plate over a big pot of simmering broth that would then be served as the first course - frugal cooking to save electricity .This is one of my favouriste dishes which I prepare in the colder days of winter.

Ingredients: 

8 very thin slices of beef



3 garlic cloves, crushed and chopped

Method: Place the meat, garlic, tomatoes, and chopped parsley in a large plate.

Drizzle the oil on top and season with salt and pepper.

Cover with foil or another plate and steam over hot water or a



2 tablespoons of chopped parsley

saucepan of simmering soup for about an hour.



2 tomatoes, halved

When the meat is tender, serve with mash or boiled potatoes and



1 tbs olive oil



Salt and pepper

vegetables.

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Spaghetti Octopus Stew Well here is another classic from the Maltese islands which is one of our favourites. Not everyone like octopus because of its rubbery texture but try and cook it this way and you will definitely love it. It is absolutely gorgeous served on some freshly cooked spaghetti (that is how this stew is usually served in Malta). Octopus in the Maltese islands is very common and is quite easily caught as they lurk around the rocky seashores of the islands.

For 4-5 people you will need...

Ingredients 

500g spaghetti



1 kilo octopus, cleaned and cut into bite size pieces



2 medium onions, roughly diced



2 large carrots chopped



500ml tomato passata



6 tablespoons tomato paste



1 tablespoon currants or sultanas



A handful of black olives



2 tablespoons mixed spice and 1 teaspoon hot curry



½ cup red wine



2 tablespoons vegetable oil



Pepper, to taste

Method: In a heavy based pot heat the oil and cook onions, garlic and carrots covered on medium heat, add mixed spice and curry and cook until onions are soft and transparent.

When onions are cooked add the octopus and increase the heat, cook for about 10-15 minutes stirring occasionally.

Sometimes it releases a lot of water so make sure all the water is evaporated.

Add the wine and stir until all the wine has evaporated.

Now add the passata, tomato paste, olives, currants and season well with pepper. Stir well bring to the boil and simmer on medium heat for about 45 minutes stirring occasionally so it does not stick.

In the meantime cook the spaghetti al dente.

Drain the spaghetti. Serve in a bowl or plate and spoon some octopus stew/sauce on top.

Serve hot.

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Village Biscuits (Biskuttini tar-Rahal) Ingredients:  200g flour  150g sugar  50g margarine  grated orange and lemon zest  pinch of cloves  pinch of cinnamon  one egg  some milk  royal icing Method: Mix the sieved flour and margarine until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

Add the zest, cloves and cinnamon to the flour mixture. Mix well.

In a small bowl mix egg, sugar, and some of the milk. Add this mixture with the flour mixture and mix well to make a smooth paste.

Pre heat the oven.

Grease a baking dish and sprinkle with flour.

With the mixture form oval shaped biscuits approximately 10cm x 6cm and about 11cm thick. Sprinkle some castor sugar on top.

Bake them in a moderate oven for twenty minutes. Cover with foil whilst cooking.

Decorate with colored royal icing.

Maltese Almond Drink (Ruggata tal Lewz ) Ingredients:

 12 cloves

 5 cups water

 1-2 sticks cinnamon

 600gr sugar

 2 tsp almond essence (or more to taste)

 lemon rind

 tsp vanilla essence



 Evaporated milk (about a quarter cup)

Method: Place the water, sugar, lemon rind, cloves and cinnamon in a pot and let it boil.

Reduce the heat and let simmer for 15 minutes.

Remove from heat. When the mixture cools, pass it through a sieve to remove rind and cloves.

Add essences and a little bit of evaporated milk.

Pour in clean bottles and place them in the fridge.

Dilute with water to taste.

MEN’S SECTION

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Understanding Women!!

Men, do you think understanding women is impossible?

Well, here are a few tips from a woman to help you on your way to getting rid of that defeatist outlook!

Now, we’re not going to talk about any particular personality traits but here are some things you need to know about women “in general” to come a little close to understanding them.

1. Women like to talk Everyone knows that women like to talk, but what men seem to forget is that as much as women like to talk, they liked to be listened to even more. You may think that there‟s an awful lot of needless descriptions and detail in her conversations. And, maybe you could have made the same point in two sentences – tops, but those details are important to a woman, and you can bet that two years later if you don‟t remember these details you will hear the words, “See? You never listen to me!”

2. Women expect you to “know” Your response is usually, “What? Am I a mind reader?” For some reason, this is very common. “I shouldn‟t have to tell you!” is something only a woman would say. And you can be sure to hear it when she‟s mad, really, there‟s nothing you can do in this situation other than to ask and wait. You‟ll find out soon enough exactly what you did wrong. Which leads us to…

3. Women keep a list of your deeds – good or bad It might not be on paper, but it‟s all written down in her head. And don‟t let her forgetfulness at the grocery store fool you either. She may forget to buy toothpaste, but she‟ll never forget “what you said”.

Your “bad” deeds are sure to stay on that list for years and years, whereas, the good might only stick around for a couple of weeks – give or take a couple of weeks. This is probably #1 when it comes to understanding women in relationships. The only way to offset the “bad deeds” (that add up to a very lengthy list in due time) is to make sure you are totally forgiven (and it wouldn‟t hurt to do something wonderful at least once a month.)

4. Women are control freaks A man can not expect to live peacefully with a woman until he relinquishes all say as to his place in the household – which, if he‟s lucky, might include a spot on the couch. Every room must be hers to do with as she pleases. The kitchen? Of course. Floral patterns in the bedroom? You bet„cha ! The bathroom?

Don‟t even think about it. Unless there‟s a garage or basement, you will never see any football trophies proudly displayed, and most assuredly, not that comfy bean bag chair of yours either.

5. Women think they know what’s best for you It‟s the nurturer (ahem! mother) in us! We will offer advice on everything from your golf game (even if we don‟t play she can still offer some pointers – right?) to how you can move ahead in your job, right down to how you should handle the country if you happen to be President. Then, of course, there‟s the small stuff, like what you should eat, what you should wear, and what to do for your cold.

In all of these and no matter how exasperated you get, just bear with us, it’s a love thing - and that’s all you really need to understand!

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Tips to Get Pink Lips Naturally!!!

Lips are one of the most basic features that define your face and expressions. Your lips give the ultimate appeal to your face. Without proper care your lips can become dark and dull. To get a natural pink colour on your lips, it is very important to follow a proper lip care regime regularly. So, here are few effective tips that will help you get that natural pink colour.

W O M E N’ S S E C T I O N

Scrubbing your lips is one of the best natural remedies for getting pink lips without spending on expensive cosmetics. At night, before you hit the bed, use a soft toothbrush to scrub your lips. This will not only help to remove the dry chapped skin from the lips but will also keep your lips soft.

Moisturise your lips - It is very important to keep your lips hydrated and moisturised at all times. Dry and chapped lips look shabby and unkempt. When you are going out during the day, it is essential to apply some sun protection or petroleum jelly on your lips. If you are indoors then use some cocoa butter, which is an effective natural remedy for getting pink lips.

Magic of pomegranate seeds - crush the seeds of pomegranates and blend it well with milk cream. Now, apply it on your lips. This is one of the best homemade remedies for lightening dark lips. However, since it is a natural remedy, the change in the colour of your lips will not be overnight but gradual. So, be patient.

Stay hydrated - For beautiful and naturally pink lips, it is very important that you always keep your body hydrated. It is best to increase your water intake and include a lot of fresh fruit juices in your diet as it would keep your lips healthy and soft.

Never lick your lips - One thing that most people tend to do when they feel their lips are getting dry and chapped is to lick them. Before you plan to do the same, it is best to hold that tongue back in your mouth because you are just going to make it worse for your lips.

Avoid the temptation of licking your lips as it would just leave your lips more dry and dull.

Quit smoking - Smoking is one of the major reasons why your lips become dark and dull.

Naturally, one of the homemade remedies for lightening dark lips also includes finding a motivation for quitting smoking. Besides, if you quit smoking, you will also be enjoying in terms of other health benefits as well, such as a longer life and healthy lungs. So, where is the harm, we say?

So, use these beauty tips to get those naturally pink lips and show off that pout proudly!

EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION

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Good communication skills go beyond conversations, but employees must know how to communicate well in written reports and emails.

Understanding the benefits of effective communication helps companies place a focus on developing a workforce that is able to communicate within the institution and with customers, vendors and international business partners. 

Acknowledge others communicating with you verbally and non verbally.



Rephrase thoughts. It is often good to rephrase and repeat what is being said to you back to those who are speaking. This insures not only that you understood what they said but more importantly what they meant.



Give examples. Using examples or personal experiences is a helpful way to communicate your ideas.



Use good diction. Speaking clearly and distinctly is extremely important. People may miss your point if you are hard to understand.



Maintain a positive attitude. You can communicate with a positive attitude whenever you speak. People will be more interested in what you say if you are using a positive sentence structure too.



Listen actively. Listening is the key in developing any type of relationship.



Interpret. Read between the lines of what is being said. Some people have a hard time expressing themselves. You can help them by trying to interpret what they mean.



Share. Sharing your ideas is a personal effort to relate to others.



Build trust. You need to build a bond of trust between you and the others in the conversation. Make them feel more at ease and they will be more likely to exchange ideas.

Make a connection. True communication requires a connection between the parties to a conversation. Try to build a connection. Find a common ground or common interest to open the way to a good conversation.

“Ask Us Something!” you d i D w?? kno 

Bertha’s Nutella Cheesecake Bertha our colleague has provided us with this delicious dessert recipe.

It is super easy to make and a MUST DO for all the chocolate lovers.!!!I Ingredients 

250g digestive biscuits



75 grams butter or margarine



1 jar of (400grams) Nutella



100 grams crushed hazelnuts



500grams Philadelphia



60 grams icing sugar

Method In a food processor or mixer, crush well the biscuits. Add the butter and one tablespoon of the Nutella.

Mix thoroughly together and layer the mixture in a Pyrex dish.

Place in the refrigerator for 30 mins.

In the mixer bind together the Philadelphia, icing sugar and Nutella. Layer the cheese mixture on the biscuits mixture and place in the refrigerator preferably overnight.

Before serving sprinkle on top the hazelnuts.

Whilst thanking Bertha for sharing with us the recipe, we urge you to share with us more of your recipes. Perhaps you use a secret ingredient which gives a signature to that particular dish!

Well surprise us...and share your food creations with us all!

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