Imqaret (Maltese Fried Date Pastries)
In short: Diamond-shaped pastries filled with spiced date paste, fried until crisp and golden and served warm, a classic Maltese street sweet. It takes about 1 h 15 min in total and makes 8 servings.
- Prep
- 50 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Resting
- 30 min
- Total
- 1 h 15 min
- Servings
- 8
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 440 kcal
Imqaret are the sweet smell of Maltese street markets and village festas: thin pastry wrapped around a sticky filling of dates, orange zest, aniseed and cloves, cut into diamonds and fried until crisp. They are eaten warm, often with a scoop of ice cream. The date paste can be made days ahead, and the pastries take only minutes to fry. Keep the oil hot so the pastry crisps without soaking up fat.
Instructions
- Rub the butter into the flour, sugar and salt until crumbly. Add the cold water a little at a time until a smooth dough forms. Knead briefly, wrap and rest for 30 minutes.
- Simmer the dates with the water, orange zest, orange juice, aniseed, cloves and cinnamon for 8 minutes, mashing with a spoon, until a thick paste forms. Cool completely.
- Roll the dough into a rectangle about 30 x 40 cm (12 x 16 in) and 3 mm (1/8 in) thick. Cut it into two strips, each about 15 cm (6 in) wide.
- Spoon a line of date paste along the center of each strip. Brush the edges with water, fold the dough over to enclose the filling and press the edges to seal.
- Cut each filled strip into 8 diamond-shaped pieces and press the cut edges with a fork.
- Heat the oil to 180°C (350°F). Fry the pastries in batches for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.
- Dust with powdered sugar and serve warm.
Tips
- Keep the oil at 180°C (350°F). If it is too cool the pastries turn greasy, and if it is too hot the outside darkens before the dough cooks.
- Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, as Maltese vendors often do. Dry dates need a little extra water when you cook the paste.
Questions and answers
Can I make imqaret ahead of time?
Fill and shape them up to a day ahead and fry fresh. Fried imqaret keep for 2 days and can be reheated at 180°C (350°F) for about 5 minutes.
What kind of dates work best?
Soft, pitted dates such as Medjool or Deglet Noor give the smoothest paste. If your dates are dry, soak them in hot water for 15 minutes first.
Can imqaret be baked instead of fried?
Yes. Brush them with melted butter and bake at 200°C (400°F) for 18 to 20 minutes. They will be drier and less crisp than fried ones.
How long does it take to make Imqaret (Maltese Fried Date Pastries)?
About 1 h 15 min in total: 50 min of preparation and 25 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Imqaret (Maltese Fried Date Pastries)?
About 440 kcal per serving, with 5 g of protein, 60 g of carbohydrates and 20 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 440 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 5 g |
| Carbohydrates | 60 g |
| Fat | 20 g |
| Fiber | 5 g |
| Sugar | 28 g |
| Sodium | 90 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
