Imqaret facts for kids
Imqaret are yummy traditional sweets from Malta. They are made with a special pastry and filled with sweet dates. The name Imqaret comes from a Maltese word meaning "diamond-shaped." Even though they are often sold as rectangles, their name reminds us of their original diamond form.
These delicious treats are super popular in Malta. You can often find them at busy street markets and fun village festivals. Sometimes, they are even served with a scoop of cool ice cream!
How Imqaret Are Made
Making Imqaret involves a few special steps. First, the pastry is carefully folded. A tasty date filling is placed right in the middle of this pastry.
After the pastry is filled and shaped, the Imqaret are deep-fried until they are golden brown. During this cooking process, they are often flavored with special ingredients like aniseed and bay leaf. These give the sweets their unique and delicious taste. Since the pastry is long, many Imqaret pieces are cut from one long fried pastry strip.
History and Origin
Imqaret have a long history in Malta. They were first brought to the island by the Arabs. This happened a very long time ago, between 870 AD and the 11th century.
You can find similar sweets in other countries too! Across the sea in Tunisia, there is a sweet called makroudh. This sweet is also popular in Algeria and Morocco. In these countries, it might be called makrout, maqrout, or mqaret. This shows how food traditions can travel and be shared across different cultures.
See also
In Spanish: Imqaret para niños
