Traditional Maltese recipe, prepared especially during lent period and Good Friday. This is a vegetarian soup since it is prepared mainly with broad beans, kusksu pasta and fresh goat cheese (gbejniet).

Ingredients

3 medium sized onions

450 grams broad beans

500ml water

500ml vegetable stock

225 grams kusksu pasta

4 fresh goat cheese ( gbejniet  friski)

1 large garlic clove

4 bay leaves

2 tablespoons fresh parsley

4 tablespoons tomato paste

1 tablespoon basil

salt and pepper for taste

 

Heat  olive oil in a pan, add the coarsely chop onions and the finely chopped cloves.   When the onions become tender add the tomato paste to the pan until they absorb the red colour.   Reduce the heat and add the chopped parsley, basil and bay leaves and let them simmer for 5 minutes.

Pour the water and vegetable stock in a large pot.  Add the kusksu pasta, the peeled broad beans and the onion mixture and let them simmer for about 60 minutes.  When ready add the goat cheese (if using) or you can add an egg per person when serving.