The first time I met my Nana Marija was the summer of 1977 when my parents took us back to Malta for four months. This particular childhood memory is by far my most memorable as it was marked by a whole lot of 'firsts'. It was the first time I flew on an airplane, the first time I drank Kinnie, the first time I saw fireworks for real, the first time I caught a ferry, the first time I swam without floaties and the first time I tasted my Nana Marija's ricotta pie.

It just so happened that this summer holiday also coincided with the passing of Elvis Presley. Hence, I distinctly remember walking into my nana's house that doleful day in August to find all my aunts sobbing and wailing and about to border on hysterics. My understanding of Maltese at the time was minimal, but you didn't need to understand the language to realise that someone had just died. I vaguely remember someone trying to explain that the 'King had died'. Seriously, the whole island went into national mourning shortly thereafter. Well maybe not the whole island, but my dad's family definitely did and probably still are to this day.





Torta tal - Rikotta u Ful  Ricotta & Broad Bean Pie

I have introduced you to this pie before, but in that instance I used fresh peas instead as broad beans were unavailable. If you're unsure about adding the sultanas to this pie, then by all means leave them out.

Ingredients

1.5 kg fresh ricotta

3 organic eggs, beaten

1 cups of pecorino, grated

500g fresh or frozen broad beans, shelled & blanched

100g sultanas

1 cup of flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

sea salt & freshly ground pepper

2 x 375g packets of Carême all butter puff pastry




Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6

2. Bring a saucepan of water to the boil and add fresh or frozen broad beans. Return to the boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes until beans are cooked through. Drain in a colander and once cool remove the fine skin from around each broad bean.

3. In a large bowl combine the ricotta, pecorino, peas, eggs and parsley. Season to taste and mix well.

3. Lightly oil a 40x26cm baking dish and then roll out half the puff pastry to fit the baking dish. Spoon the ricotta mixture into the baking dish. Cover with the remaining puff pastry and fold the edges. Glaze the top and edges with a beaten egg.

4. Bake at to 200C/400F/Gas 6  for 15 minutes and then reduce the oven to 180C/350F/Gas4 and bake for a further 20 minutes or until the pie is golden.