Maltese Froga Tat-Tarja (Egg-Free)
Enjoy a taste of Malta – this egg-free Froga tat-Tarja has just 7 ingredients, perfect for busy weeknights and late night snacking.
Hi, Kat here! This week we’re sharing a veganized recipe for one of my favourite Maltese foods. Maltese food can be hard to come by because of the country’s small population so I always get excited to share these foods.
What is Froga tat-Tarja?
Froga tat-Tarja is a Maltese dish that traditionally comprises of vermicelli pasta and eggs. Malta is a small country (it’s the 10th smallest country in land area) located just south of Italy in the Mediterranean sea. Malta is full of delicious food, but one of my favourites is Froga tat-Tarja. Known as tarja in Kat’s household, it’s basically a vermicelli omelette. Kat’s family always enjoyed Froga tat-Tarja as a late night snack.
Top tips for making Froga tat-Tarja:
Cook until just al dente. If you’re using freshly cooked pasta, be sure not to overcook it. If you cook it too long, then it will get too mushy. Alternatively this is also a great use for leftover pasta!
Keep it simple. While this recipe is an easy base for add-ins, we like to keep it simple. The beauty of Froga tat-Tarja is it’s simplicity!
Do not disturb. While the vermicelli omelette crisps in the pan try not to disturb it so much. To get that beautiful deep golden brown colour you need to let it rest in the pan. Every once in a while it’s okay to take a peek to see how it’s coming along.
How to make an egg-less Froga tat-Tarja:
Prep Time: 5 Min | Cook Time: 15 Min | Total Time: 20 Min
Makes: 2 servings
Ingredients
300 g vermicelli
28 g (2 tbsp) vegan butter
45 g (6 tbsp) chickpea flour
3 g (1 tbsp) nutritional yeast, optional
105 mL (7 tbsp) water
pinch black salt
pepper, to taste
Instructions
Bring a pot of water to a boil, cook pasta until al dente.
While the pasta cooks, in a big bowl combine chickpea flour, nutritional yeast, water, black salt and black pepper. Stir until smooth, if too mush like a paste add just a splash of water to thin.
Over medium-low heat, melt butter in a non-stick pan.
Once the pasta is cooked, add from the water directly to the bowl with chickpea flour mixture and stir immediately until evenly coated with chickpea mixture.
Add a thin layer of pasta to the heated non-stick pan so it’s like a pasta pancake just smaller than the size of the pan you’re using. Cook until the bottom is a deep golden brown and it starts getting crispy around the edges. You may need to gently press it down with a spatula to get it flat. Shake the pan every couple of minutes to ensure it’s not stuck to the bottom. Flip and cook the other side until golden.
Repeat with remaining pasta. You may need to re-butter the pan between each batch.
Serve with fresh parsley or vegan parmesan.