Because eating meat during Lent was not permitted, Aljotta was very popular during Lent. This soup calls for the whole fish—head and tail included—in order to develop the best flavor possible.
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
6 tomatoes, sliced
1 bay leaf
Fresh mint
8 cups water
1 whole small fish, about 800 grams (1.75 pounds; traditionally rock fish, substitutes include halibut, flounder, or snapper), cleaned and cut into 4 pieces
100 grams (3.5 ounces) rice
Salt
Pepper
2 lemons (one for juice, one for garnish)
Fresh parsley
Recipe courtesy of Malta.com, photo courtesy of Fotolia. Learn more about Maltese cuisine and find more recipes for traditional Maltese dishes at Malta.com
Airi Yamaguchi says: Hi! I am going to make this dish in Japan, but I don’t know how much time it will take… Could you tell me, please?
Cathy Mifsud says: It only just hit me, searching for answers for an illness related to a hormone imbalance. I come from Malta, an Island who’s traditional food staple is fish and broth made from heads to tail. This is a super nourishing food source, especially healing and supportive to thyroid function! Exactly what I need! So I made this soup using snapper heads and frame slow cooked 24 hours in my slow cooker, outside so it didn’t stink out the house. It is surprisingly delicious! I can’t stop eating it. Thank you!
hannahdepin says: Hi Cathy, so glad that you enjoyed the recipe!
natasha mangion says: i make aljotta today and I went here to check if I did it right 🙂 … but I put in 2 potatoes … it s not wrong I think ,. good day all
Cynthia says: Hi Natasha. In most recipes, adding or subtracting recipes is fine, so your potatoes are absolutely right if it tasted good to you! The only exception is baking, where changes can upset the balance of the recipe so that it may not work. Happy cooking adventures.
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