It has been a tradition coming down since time immemorial for the Maltese people to make Figolli for Easter. My wife, Christine, keeps this tradition even though the number of figolli she makes are gradually dwindling. She gives away most of these figolli to family members.
Maltese cuisine has over the years been influenced by people around us. Among these is the island of Sicily,now part of Italy, with which Malta, until the arrival of the Knights of St John in 1530, shared a great part of its history. The word Figolla (singular for figolli) is a worn-down version of the Italian word ‘figura’ meaning form, shape or image. It is believed that the figolla tradition came from Sicily. Figolli are made of 2 rolled out pieces of pastry cut in the same shape and sandwiched with a layer of marzipan or crushed almond paste. Many people today add a small Easter Egg on top.
@sangwann great shot! I am already licking my lips :P
@chamal, @bill_d, @vkhorby I can assure you that they taste as good as they look and I must also add that one of those is for me unless my mother-in-law kept me out as a punishment this year!
I cannot say whether they taste like shortbread but they are delicious - the thicker the almont past, the better they taste. Some icing sugar on top completes the process.
April 16th, 2011
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@chamal, @bill_d, @vkhorby I can assure you that they taste as good as they look and I must also add that one of those is for me unless my mother-in-law kept me out as a punishment this year!
...they truly are delicious!..hands off mine guys! Hehehe