Each month we feature a recipe using local produce in season brought to you in collaboration with
The recipe of the month for April 2026 is
Garlic & Gbejna Pasta Shells
400g Pasta Shells
1 Garlic Bulb
500g fresh Irkotta
30ml fresh cream
1 dry white gbejna
500g fresh tomato puree or Passata di Pomodoro
1 Small Shallot (finely chopped)
1/2tsp Sugar
1tbsp Tomato Paste
1tsp Olive Oil
Thyme
1tbsp Fresh Parsley (finely chopped)
Salt & Pepper (to taste)
Method:
- Cut the head of the garlic bulb and brush a little oil on top. Wrap in foil and bake for about 40 minutes at 180°C until soft. Let it cool off completely before using.
- Fry the shallot in the olive oil until soft, then add the pasta, tomato paste, sugar, and thyme.
- Mix well, bring it to a boil then lower the heat to a minimum.
- Season with salt and pepper and let it cook for 10 minutes.
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta shells, 2 minutes less indicated on the packet.
- For the filling, place the irkotta in a bowl. Squeeze out the soft garlic pulp from its bulb.
- Grate half of the dry ġbejna.
- Add half a cup of cream the parsley and salt & pepper.
- Mix well until nice and creamy.
- Place a spoon of the tomato sauce on the bottom of your baking dish.
- Place the filling in a piping bag, and fill the shells.
- Make a layer of the filled shells on the tomato sauce. Make the shells face up so they will hold the filling well. This is a creamy filling, if you want it more solid, add an egg to the cheese mixture.
- Make some dollops of tomato sauce and cream and repeat the process until you fill the whole dish.
- Finish it off with the remaining grated ġbejna, add some freshly ground pepper and bake in a preheated 180°C oven for about half an hour, or until nicely brown and bubbly.
Recipe courtesy of https://cheat.mt
