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SERVES 4:

• 1kg small fish (traditionally SCORFON or VOPI) cleaned and cut into 4 pieces alternatively Azzopardi Fisheries offers seasonal , boneless fish trimmings freshly prepared daily ideally for soup 
• 8 cups water (and a fish stock pots if available)
• 1 cup of white wine
• 1 medium onion
• Marjoram (merqtux)
• 3 cloves of garlic
• fresh mint
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 lemons (one for juice one for decoration)
• 6 tomato and 1 spoon tomato paste kunseva
• Lemon wedges
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 cup of cooked rice (optional)

Doris's secret ingredient : a handful of deveined fresh local medium red prawns (gambli). 

♦ Helpful tip: Azzopardi Fisheries Gzira, stocks stainless steel sifters , that can be used instead of the traditional messy net. Were the fish bones and prawns shell are securely locked inside,this will help avoid any unpleasant pieces, fish scales and bones. 

Slowly fry the chopped onions in oil till they turn golden, add the handful of red prawns and pan fry them together with the fish heads and bones, this is essential to bring out the flavours

In a seperate pot , add the garlic, the mint, the marjoram, the tomatoes and the tomato paste. 

Cook slowly for about 5 - 10 minutes 

Add the fish fillets,the bones and heads in the shifter or net, the wine and the water (with some salt added) and cook for 30 minutes.

Doris Suggests that you let the soup shimmer for an additional 30 mins on low heat before serving as this help bring out the flavors and the palate.

Towards the end of the cooking time you can add the rice -the rice which was added turns the soup into a whole meal.While if the soup should be served as a starter , it is best to avoid including the rice

Add juice of 1 lemon immediately before serving and ensure the soup is piping hot before eating. Add extra fish trimmings (in the sifter) for more flavor and serve with crusty bread

The aljotta is not meant to have a thick or heavy consistency but should look more like a fish broth.