Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/841483
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 25 JUNE 2017 34 Food Emanuel's Bakery Anyone who has ever lived abroad can appreciate just how wonderful Maltese bread is, par- ticularly when it is still warm. Of course everyone should appreci- ate it but it is not until you have to live without it that you fully un- derstand how comforting Maltese bread really is. The only thing that can make bread even better is melted cheese. At Emanuel's Bakery they mix the two, using fresh bread dough to make pizzas. Fresh, warm and ooz- ing with gooey cheese and lots of toppings, they are the perfect com- fort food on a cold and windy day or the perfect cure for a hangover. Just outside Emanuel's Bakery in Qormi a crowd of people hurry back to their cars and turn their dashboards into make shift tables while they sink their teeth into the soothing comfort of the Gozo in- spired pizzas, topped with sliced potato and sesame seeds. Qormi bread has a reputation for being the best on the island. And the Mangions at Emanuel's Bakery carry that beacon proudly. Mat- thew Mangion tells me about life at the bakery. The bakery was set up by Emma- nuel Mangion over 60 years ago. In that time very little has changed, though his son, Edwin, and later his grandchildren, Matthew, Mark, Joseph and David, took over the running of the bakery. The secret, Matthew says, is sticking to tradition. The wood oven is the most important part of any bakery and the one at Ema- nuel's is made from a rare stone from Gozo that radiates the right amount of heat for a crispy loaf, with a feathery-soft inside. Insofar as ingredients go, there is little that goes into Maltese bread – water, flour, yeast, salt and of course a portion of sour dough made from yesterday's batch. The traditional oven is still used as it was years ago when few peo- ple had their own ovens – for the Sunday roast. "People still bring their roast over to us in the morn- ing before they go to Sunday Mass to slow cook in our ovens for three or four hours." Just imagine the smells of bread and a variety of roasting meats on a Sunday morn- ing! Enough to make your mouth water! Although the hobza Maltija is at the heart of the bakery, it is not the only thing on the menu. Over the last year, Matthew has developed a following for his phe- nomenal pizza ftiras. Like the ones from Gozo, these hunks of bread contain all sorts of toppings and have garnered a following from as far away as Mellieha. Pulled pork, barbecue chicken or the Italian style Parma ham and rucola are just some of the toppings available at Emanuel's. And of course, the real Gozo influence can be seen in the finely sliced potato that covers some of their pizzas. "Working in a bakery is tough. The hours are long and it can get really hot in here. But what keeps me coming back is the satisfaction of people who really appreciate our product. A loaf of bread isn't just a loaf of bread. People come for our bread from all over the island and that, in itself, is a great reward." This isn't a restaurant as you know it. The pizzas come out of the oven and go straight into a box so you have to take them home to eat them. I challenge you to make it to your destination without tak- ing a bite or five out of dinner be- fore you make it! Emanuel's Bakery is open from 3:30pm until 10pm for bread and from 6:00pm until closing for piz- zas. Resto of the week Emanuel's Bakery Triq il-Mithna Qormi Tel: 21482239 Find them on Facebook: https://www.facebook. com/pages/Emanuels- Bakery/308149465977946 The warm comfort of bread and melted cheese Adrian Buttigieg, The Maltese San Pellegrino Young Chef in Tel Aviv Semis A signature dish by Adrian Buttigieg called 'Free-range rabbit, taro & forgotten carrots' has been selected for the semifinal group of the ongoing San Pellegrino Young Chef Competition, being held in Tel Aviv in July 2017. Chef Adrian Buttigieg, the Executive Head Chef of Le Meridien St Julians Hotel is a chef with a wealth of experience who despite his young age leads a strong kitchen brigade, will travel to Tel Aviv to represent Malta. San Pellegrino brand scouts and promotes talents globally by promotion of young chefs (30 y.o. or less). The aim is to support and enhance fine dining culture around the world by identifying talented young chefs in order to celebrate and further develop their skills. San Pellegrino Young Chef is consistent with the SP positioning as trend setter brand and Ambassador of fine dining and fine living in the world. The final stop will be the opportunity to cook on the international platform of the San Pellegrino Young Chef 2018 Grand Finale in Milan, where a top jury will crown the best young chef in the world. The official San Pellegrino imported Charles Grech & Co. Ltd., proudly wishes Chef Adrian best of luck in this competition.