Malta Recipes
A fortress island with a Sunday stew all its own. Not sure what to eat in Malta? Start with Lampuki Pie (Torta tal-Lampuki), Ftira, Imqaret and Pastizzi. Here are 9 authentic Malta recipes, each from a specific region, with cultural context and dietary substitutions for every table.
9 recipes
Timpana (Baked Macaroni Pie)Valletta, Malta · advanced · 2 h 15 minTubular pasta in a rich meat-and-tomato sauce, bound with egg and cheese and baked inside a pastry case until golden, then cut into slabs.
Timpana (Baked Macaroni Pie) Stuffat tal-Fenek (Rabbit Stew)Valletta, Malta · medium · 2 h 25 minMalta’s national dish: slow-braised rabbit in red wine, tomato, and bay, the centerpiece of a village fenkata feast.
PastizziValletta, Malta · medium · 55 minDiamond-shaped flaky pastries filled with ricotta or mushy peas, Malta's favorite savory bite.
FtiraValletta, Malta · easy · 15 minA crusty ring of Maltese bread filled with tuna, tomato, capers, and olives, the island's sun-soaked sandwich.
ImqaretValletta, Malta · medium · 45 minDiamond-shaped fried pastries filled with spiced date paste, a Maltese street sweet scented with aniseed and orange.
Lampuki Pie (Torta tal-Lampuki)Valletta, Malta · medium · 1 h 30 minAn autumn fish pie of lampuki baked in pastry with spinach, cauliflower, olives, capers, and pine nuts in a rich tomato filling.
Bigilla (Maltese Broad Bean Dip)Valletta, Malta · easy · 13 h 45 minSmall dried broad beans soaked, simmered until soft and mashed with garlic, chilli, parsley, mint and olive oil into a rustic, spicy spread for crusty Maltese bread or galletti.
Patata il-Forn (Maltese Baked Potatoes with Fennel Seed)Valletta, Malta · easy · 1 h 40 minThin slices of potato layered with onion, garlic and toasted fennel seeds, moistened with stock, olive oil and a little tomato paste, and baked until soft underneath and crisp and golden on top.
Qassatat (Maltese Ricotta Pastries)Valletta, Malta · medium · 1 h 40 minRound shortcrust pastries pleated up around a filling of fresh ricotta, egg and a little grated cheese, left open at the top and baked golden, sold beside pastizzi in every Maltese pastizzeria.
📋 Teaching Malta?A free, printable Country of the Week guide for the classroom: geography, a kid-friendly recipe, and discussion prompts.
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