Tuna Fishcakes

MAKES 10

Fishcake recipes are always handy, featuring ingredients from the pantry. In Malta, similar patties are also made with corned beef. I like to serve these with plenty of lemon and a salad of iceberg lettuce. They are also nice eaten cold and can be added to a platt Malti. 

INGREDIENTS:

• 600 g (1 lb 5 oz) potatoes, peeled and halved if large

  Malta Simon Bajada

• 2 eggs

• 2 medium tins tuna in oil (approximately 350 g/12½ oz), drained

• 1 tablespoon chopped mint

• 1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf (Italian) parsley

• 2 tablespoons chopped spring onion (scallion)

• salt and pepper

• 80 ml (2 ½ fl oz/⅓ cup) milk

• 75 g (2 ¾ oz/½ cup) plain (all-purpose) flour

• 100 g (3 ½ oz/1 cup) dry breadcrumbs

• neutral oil for frying such as sunflower or canola

• 1 lemon, cut into wedges to serve

PREPARATION:

Bring a large saucepan of well salted water to the boil. Add the potatoes and cook until soft (about 15 minutes). Drain then place in a large bowl and allow to dry out and cool down until you are able to handle them. Grate the potatoes into the bowl using a box grater. 

Whisk 1 of the eggs and add to the potatoes along with the tuna, herbs, spring onions and some salt and pepper. Stir to combine. 

Whisk the remaining egg and milk in a bowl. Put the flour and breadcrumbs onto separate plates. Shape the tuna and potato mixture into balls slightly larger than golf balls and flatten into patties. Roll in flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs. 

Pour a generous layer of oil into a frying pan to use for shallow frying. Heat the pan, then fry the patties in a few batches until golden on each side. Drain on paper towel before serving with the lemon wedges.

Excerpted with permission from Malta by Simon Bajada published by ‎ Hardie Grant Publishing, July 2023, RRP $36.99 Hardcover.

When you shop using our links, we earn a small commission. It’s a great way to support public media at no extra cost to you!