FIGOLLA - BY DORIS FENECH MYTHOLOGY SYMBOL According to mythology symbols were presented as a gift to the mother Goddess Astarte, role as combined heavenly mother and earth mother, as prayers for good harvest, fertility, problems, tranquillity and paganism. Pictorial representations often show her symbols, the dove, the horse, the lion, the sphinx, a star within a circle indicating the planet Venus. Homage was paid to the Goddesses in the form of honey, beer, wine, incense, animals. These offering were an important part of honouring the goddess and insuring future blessing for them self and the community. The tradition of "Figolli", has its roots in ancient time thousands of year back, it is assumed to have originated in Sicily, Italy. The mythology symbols represent animals, fish, stars, figure of a man or women were gradually associated with popular "Figolli", templates. FIGULINA Figulina is "picciola", figure of a man or women of paste cooked to the furnace that it holds to breast, or the hands one or more uovi inks color pavonaccio. These little figures are worked in the Saint Simian, give the children because they ate them to opening of Passover Di Risurrezione". Giova to bring back here famous on interesting one of Bernardo; "It deserves famous special the use delle figolle, than one studious English succeed in to say to be", equally prevailing in Malta how much in whichever other city or province of Italy". This figolla, ( figure, Figulina) is crushed mainly paschal of the famous figured type antropozoomorfo, that it can therefore represent a Turk, one women, a horse, and then also one star, a basket, one grill, which an entire egg is the entire egg (symbol of fertility) in the center, stopped from crossing of strips on the same paste (cfr, the canestrelli genovesi and the doves of others you leave of Italy), red colouring in (in order representing the blood of Redentore). The curious such feminine shapes of canestrelli anthropomorphous could also recall talora the shapes steatopige of the primitiva maltese scolutra; but we do not want to rick hypothesis on therefore I arched to us fornelli. The "figolla", was appropriate as a traditional Maltese sweet, baked during the holy week and donate to their family, friends, and small children to be eaten on Easter Sunday. The earliest recalled "figolli", were made of sweet pastry and decorated with dyed eggs symbol of fertility. The eggs were natural dye sundered shades form onion skin, vegetables and fruits to option bright peacock chart - blue, green, yellow, white, brown or red. The earliest recalled Maltese "figolla", shapes were Maltese boat, siren. butterfly, a dive, a horse, a star, a moor or a female figure. Sometimes the "figolla", come in a shape common to Christian symbolism such as a lamb a fish or a cross. The glorious "figolli", became more popular with children and adults when almond "intrita", filling was placed between two similar shapes of pastry and embellished
with icing "ġelu", or chocolate coating. A half chocolate egg wrapped in
colourful foil paper is put on the shape to make it more attractive
for children. On human shaped "figolla", an oleograph depicting a head adorned in an
old costume used to be stuck on the icing. Many housewives still enjoy making delicious "figolli", in the company of young
children who draw their favorite shapes on cardboard or use ready made shape templates about 20cm to 25cm long. Source; Archaeology and Fertility Cult in the Ancient Mediterranean Edited by Anthony Bonanno Melita Historica; Journal of the Malta Historical Society. 3(1961)2(31-54) (p. 31) Antichi Maltesi Foods by G. Cassar-Pullicino Astarte - New word Encyclopedia spirralgoddess.com.phtemp.comastarte.html TRADITIONAL MALTESE FIGOLLA RECIPE Ingredients 400g plain flour Method - Rub the flour and margarine and sugar well. On a well floured surface roll out the pastry 2cm tick, using ready made templates cut two shapes and roll the almond paste in the center cover with the second shape and transfer to a baking try. Ingredients : Almond Paste Filling 250g Pure ground almonds 250g Castor sugar 2 Medium egg whites 1tsp Almond extract Method Add all the ingredients together Method; On a well floured surface roll out the pastry 2 cm tick and cut two "figolla", shapes, spread the center on one of the shape after put the second shape on and press the side so that the filling will not go put. Place them on a greased baking try. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown. DYEING EASTER EGGS Choose the dye material - Put eggs and plenty of dyeing material in a large pan and cover with little water. Sources: Astarte- New Word Encyclopedia Archaeology and Fertility Cult in the Ancient Mediterranean Edited by Anthony Bonannornight |