From my kitchen to your plate.
Vegan Kusksu bil-Ful – Maltese Broad Bean Soup with Spooky Halloween Eyes
Malta – Mediterranean Islands with a Rich Culinary Heritage Malta is a small island nation in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Sicily, known for its historic cities, beautiful coastlines and distinctive culinary traditions. Maltese cuisine reflects centuries of Mediterranean influences, particularly from Sicily, Italy and North Africa. Seasonal vegetables, legumes, tomatoes, olive oil and fresh herbs are central to many traditional dishes. Broad beans are especially popular in spring and feature in several beloved Maltese specialties. What Is Kusksu bil-Ful? Kusksu bil-Ful is a traditional Maltese springtime soup made with broad beans, vegetables and tiny pasta pearls called kusksu. Depending on the family recipe, it may also include poached eggs and fresh Maltese cheeselets known as ġbejniet. For my Via Veggie Vegan Halloween interpretation, I replaced the traditional pasta pearls with giant conchiglioni shells and transformed vegan mozzarella, black olives and delicate chili threads into spooky edible eyeballs. The thick tomato and vegetable broth, flavored with rosemary and nutritional yeast, makes this comforting Maltese classic a deliciously playful Halloween creation.