Imqaret (Maltese date fingers)
Crisp fried pastry fingers packed with spiced, orange-scented dates. Best eaten hot, with ice cream.
- Time1 hr
- LevelMedium
- Costabout £0.40 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
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Method
- 1
Rub the dairy free spread into the flour and salt. Stir in the cold water to make a soft dough, knead briefly, then wrap and rest for 30 minutes.
30 min - 2
Meanwhile, put the dates in a pan with the 150 ml water, orange zest, cinnamon, cloves and aniseed. Cook over a low heat for 10 minutes, mashing until you have a thick, smooth paste. Stir in the orange blossom water and leave to cool.
10 min - 3
Roll the dough out into a rectangle about 3 mm thick and 40 cm long. Cut it into two long strips.
- 4
Spread or pipe the date paste along the middle of each strip. Fold the pastry over to enclose it and press the edges to seal. Cut into 6 cm fingers and pinch the cut ends shut.
- 5
Heat the oil in a deep, heavy pan to 180 C, or until a cube of bread browns in 30 seconds. Fry 4 or 5 at a time for 2 to 3 minutes, turning once, until deep golden.
3 min - 6
Lift out onto kitchen paper to drain. Serve warm, dusted with sugar if you like.
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.