Falda tal-Majjal Mimlija (Maltese Stuffed Pork Flank)
A pork-flank pocket filled with Maltese sausage, grated cheese, parsley and whole hard-boiled eggs, roasted in stock until tender.
Ingredients
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- Prepare the eggs and onion: Lower the eggs into gently boiling water and simmer for 10-11 minutes, then cool in cold water and peel. Meanwhile, soften the small chopped onion in the filling oil for 8-10 minutes. Spread on a plate and cool completely.
- Make the filling: Mix the sausage meat, cooled onion, grated cheese and parsley with black pepper. Maltese sausage and cheese are already seasoned, so use extra salt sparingly. Keep the mixture chilled until you are ready to fill the pork.
- Fill the pocket: Heat the oven to 180°C (fan 160°C). Open the butcher-prepared pocket without cutting through its sides. Put half the sausage mixture inside, lay the peeled eggs end to end in the centre and tuck the rest of the mixture around them. Leave a little room for expansion. Sew the opening with food-safe butcher’s thread or secure with metal skewers, then tie with cooking string as needed to hold the shape.
- Roast covered: Scatter the sliced onion in a roasting dish and set the pork on top. Rub the outside with the remaining oil and pepper. Pour stock around it, cover tightly with foil and roast for 2 hours to 2 hours 15 minutes. Check occasionally and add hot water if the base is drying out.
- Brown and check: Remove the foil and raise the oven to 200°C (fan 180°C). Roast for another 30-40 minutes until browned and tender. Check with a thermometer in several places: the thickest pork and the sausage filling must both reach at least 75°C. Check the filling beside the eggs as well as the centre. Continue cooking if needed, covering again if the surface is already brown.
- Rest and slice: Rest loosely covered for 20 minutes. Remove all thread, string and skewers before cutting thick slices. Spoon over some of the cooking juices.
Ask the Butcher for a Pocket
Explain that you want falda for stuffing: a boneless piece thick enough to hold a pocket, with the skin removed for this recipe. Ask the butcher to prepare the opening while leaving the other sides intact. A thin sheet of meat for rolling needs a different assembly and cooking schedule.
The weight, thickness and amount of fat affect cooking time. Use the stated time as a guide, then check tenderness and the temperatures of both meat and filling.
The Maltese Sausage Filling
Fresh Maltese sausage brings its own coriander and pepper seasoning to the filling. Remove the casings and combine the raw sausage meat with cooled onion, cheese and parsley. Keep it cold until stuffing, and do not taste it raw.
Put the eggs along the centre rather than near the opening. Fill loosely enough to close without forcing the seam. If a little filling is left over, cook it separately in a small covered oven dish until it reaches 75°C.
Serving and Leftovers
Serve thick slices with Patata l-Forn and a vegetable dish. Plan oven space if baking the potatoes separately, or choose another accompaniment from Maltese Sunday lunch.
Refrigerate leftovers within two hours and use within two days, or freeze in portions. Reheat covered with a little stock until piping hot throughout.