Growing up as a kid, I have many fond kitchen memories. The kitchen was the place everyone wanted to gather. The table was always filled with great tasting traditional Maltese foods. And the conversations were never boring. Rather, we all shout over one another, either agreeing or disagreeing with someone who brought up a topic at the table. We broke bread, said grace, and drank Burgundy wine with every meal.
One of my favorites was what I call the “afternoon snack.” It was the go to snack after school. But my dad loved it on a Sunday afternoon.
Picture in your mind a gallon jug of Gallo Burgundy Wine, A large loaf of rustic Maltese bread, referred to in Maltese as “hobz”. A large plate with olive oil, a can of tuna, fresh tomatoes, and capers. If you didn’t have fresh tomatoes, a can of tomato paste was a good stand-in.
We would sit around the table with my dad and eat our snack, while my mom was laboring over the stove or ensuring her pastizzi’s were nice and golden in the oven.
So today I share with you, my open-faced tuna sandwich in honor of our tradition.
- 1 6 ounce can of Albacore tune, packed in water, drained
- ½ Tablespoon or so of capers
- chopped tomatoes
- ½ Tablespoon of Extra Virgin Olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
- 4 slices of Rustic French Bread, like a Batard
- Take the tuna out of the can and place on a plate. Pour the olive oil on the plate.
- Add salt and pepper to the olive oil.
- Sprinkle with capers. and chopped tomatoes
- Take one slice of bread and soak it in the olive oil, add the tuna and the tomatoes.
Certainly not “gourmet” but it tastes fantastic and we all have lasting memories.
Have a Great Day!
So healthy and light. A great snack. It also reminds us to sit down and not just take something like a granola bar on the run!
Sometimes its the simple things in life that make us happy. Those were the days.
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