Simon Bajada

Jan 7, 2025 | nigella.com | Simon Bajada

Introduction Imqarrun il-forn evokes memories of lunch at my grandmother’s. If this wasn’t on the table, it was often in the fridge. My cousins and I would fight each other over the irresistible crusty edges (which are helped along by a dusting of semolina in the baking dish). This dish is found in cafes and bakeries all over Malta and Gozo, sold in small aluminium containers for an easy lunch. The recipe is similar to Timpana, but less grandiose and without pastry.

Jul 16, 2024 | nigella.com | Simon Bajada

IntroductionThis dip is one of those recipes that gets tweaked and leveraged in many ways. Arjoli is a melting pot of classic Maltese flavours, but you can use what’s on hand in the fridge or pantry, omitting and adding to it ingredients such as capers, preserved artichokes, mint, beans, sun-dried tomatoes and spring onion (scallion). The dip is perfect spread over crusty ħobż or with galletti. You can even keep it cold and pack it for the beach.

Jan 10, 2024 | theguardian.com | Sarah Ayoub |Simon Bajada

Simon Bajada did not know much about his Maltese heritage when he was growing up in Adelaide. He was raised by an Australian-Irish mother and a father whose Maltese roots went “so far back” that he didn’t know the family’s origin story. So by the time Bajada was researching his cookbook on Malta’s cuisine, he had a lot to discover about family and food.

Dec 20, 2023 | glutenfreefoodie.com.au | Simon Bajada |Rhubarb Kissel

Kissel is found in many Eastern European cuisines, most typically in the form of a thick, starchy, fruit-flavoured dessert. In Lithuania I have enjoyed it thinned down to the consistency of a drink similar to a nectar. A cranberry variation is a particular favourite during the Christmas season, and is often served warm. While any tart berries can be used to make this, personally I love it thin, made with rhubarb and drunk cold at the height of summer.

Dec 11, 2023 | foodandwinegazette.com | Simon Bajada

Gone are the days when chefs barely peeked their heads out from behind the kitchen pass. The evolution of chefs from behind-the-scenes artists to international culinary celebrities is transforming the way we experience food. Whether they are serving food personally to your table or donning microphones to share their ethos with the masses, we are eating it up. Their world has become ours, and we are hungry for it, and now it has become an intrinsic part of their profession.