LOVIN KITCHEN: ‘Kusksu Bil-Ful’ With A Modern Twist – How To Prepare A Healthy Version Of The Traditional Comfort Food
You can’t say that you’re Maltese and not know what kusksu bil-ful is. A delicious tomato-based soup with bead-like pasta, fresh broad beans, and fresh local ġbejniet (and in my household, a poached egg), the traditional Maltese delicacy is comfort in a bowl.
Every Maltese person has their own signature version of kusksu bil-ful, but with intolerances settling on our island and carb-phobias popping their ugly heads, the Lovin Kitchen decided to get creative and add a modern twist to the Maltese recipe.
Hungry yet? Me too!
One of the main changes you’ll notice is we’re replacing pasta with buckwheat. Gluten-free, high in protein and fibre and low in carbs, buckwheat is available at most local supermarkets and health food stores.
Without further ado, here’s how to prepare our healthy ‘not-kusksu salad’
Ingredients
- Buckwheat (150 grams)
- One spring onion
- Two tomatoes
- Two cloves of garlic
- Broad beans (50 grams)
- A handful of basil
- Two fresh ġbejniet
- Two cups of rucola
- One egg
- One teaspoon of kunserva
- One teaspoon of apple cider vinegar
- Three tablespoons of olive oil
- Salt & Pepper
Directions
Sautée garlic in olive oil and toast the buckwheat. Add enough water to cover the buckwheat and cover with a lid. Cook for six minutes and drain from excess water.
In a food processor, add fresh tomato, half a teaspoon of kunserva, pepper, salt, a tablespoon of olive oil, a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, and blend into a saucy vinaigrette.
Dress the buckwheat (once cooled) with the vinaigrette. Chop the spring onions and add freshly-peeled broad beans.
And now, for the plating! Chop the fresh ġbejna into the buckwheat mix, place onto a bed of rucola and top with a poached egg. Season with pepper, salt and any left over vinaigrette.
If you’re feeling extra and want to impress your friends, blend the ġbejna into a creamy mixture and set aside.
In the centre of the plate, add a layer of buckwheat mixture, a layer of creamed ġbejna, another layer of buckwheat mixture and a layer of broad beans tossed in pesto. Season with pepper, salt and basil.
Serve with a rucola, tomato and peppered ġbejna salad topped with a poached egg. Season with a tomato vinaigrette, crushed pepper and salt.
et voilà!