Maltese bread crumbed potato and corned beef patties

Crisp golden croquettes packed with potato and corned beef – these traditional Maltese classics are pure comfort food, perfect for family meals and entertaining.

Credit: Josh Martin

• makes

  24

• prep

  30 minutes

• cook

  45 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

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Shane Delia's Malta

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Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 30 g milk
• Salt
• Freshly cracked pepper
• 100 g fine breadcrumbs
• 150 g sourdough breadcrumbs, coarsely ground
• 1 sprig fresh thyme, leaves picked and chopped
• 150 g plain flour
• Vegetable oil, for deep frying (approx 3 L, depending on the size of the pot)

Patty filling

• 2 large (600 g) potatoes, peeled and quartered
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 150 g brown onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped
• 1 spring rosemary, chopped
• 1 tin (340 g) corned beef, diced
• 20 g spring onion, sliced
• Freshly cracked pepper
• Salt, to taste
• 1 lemon, zested
• 10 g parsley, chopped
• 1 egg

Chilling time: 15 minutes

Instructions

1. For the filling, place potatoes in a pot with cold water, add a pinch of salt and bring to the boil. Simmer for 12-15 minutes until just tender.
2. Strain potatoes, then add to a large mixing bowl and crush with a fork. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
3. Heat a medium-sized frying pan over a medium heat. Add 1-2 tbsp of the olive oil, onions, garlic and rosemary and sauté until onions and garlic soften.
4. Add in the diced corned beef and sauté until well combined, then remove from heat.
5. Add the corned beef mixture into the potatoes. Add spring onion, cracked pepper, salt, lemon zest and parsley, egg and remaining olive oil. Mix everything together until evenly combined.
6. Roll the potato mix into 40 g (tablespoon-sized) patties.
7. Line a plate with paper towel, ready to place the patties after frying.
8. Prepare three large bowls for the crumbing station. In one bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, salt and pepper for the egg wash. In another bowl, mix together the two breadcrumb types and the fresh thyme. Add the flour to the third bowl.
9. For each patty, first coat in flour, dusting off any excess. Then, coat completely in egg wash. Finally, coat in the breadcrumb mix, ensuring all the surface area is covered. Repeat with remaining mixture and set aside in a refrigerator until needed (ideally, set aside for at least 15 minutes to allow the patties to set).
10. Prepare vegetable oil in a large pot, big enough to deep fry in without the oil overflowing once the patties are added. Heat oil to a medium heat (170-180˚C) and fry patties, turning, until golden. Cook in batches if needed.

Watch how to make this recipe on Episode 2 of Shane Delia’s Malta, streaming free on SBS On Demand.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.

Stream free On Demand

Shane Delia's Malta

series • 

Travel

PG

series • 

Travel

PG