Anna Sultana's Laham fil forn - Roast Pork or Beef, Maltese Style

Ma was no stranger to cutting up meat.

Pop raised rabbits in our garage.  Ma was well aware that meat did not just drop from the sky in pretty plastic packages.  She'd cut up quite a few carcasses in her time.

And she didn't call guys like Christopher to help her.

Pigs are farmed in Malta, especially on the island of Comino.  Pork is a common part of our diet, so we've developed a few specialities.

Laħam fil forn, or roast meat, is a recipe that can be used with either pork or beef.  To North American eyes, it's more like a stew.  But that just makes the meat more tender, especially useful if you've got a tougher cut.

In a deep baking dish, cover the bottom with

3 large onions, cut in slices

--

Place on the onions

2 1/2 pounds meat

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Chop and rub into the meat

3 cloves garlic

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Add

4 large potatoes, cut in half

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Add

1 Cup broth, your choice

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Sprinkle with

salt and pepper

1 teaspoon fennel seed

1 Tablespoon oil 

Roast in a 325º F oven for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until the center of the meat reaches 150º F.

Easier than Carmela's Roast Pork recipe.

And there's a bit of vegetables in there, too.