Favourite Maltese snacks
Pastizzi
A filling of ricotta or peas wrapped in puff pastry
Bigilla dip
A mixture including broad beans, garlic, marjoram, mint, parsley and olive oil with a dash of Tabasco with crusty bread
Hobz biz-zejt
Translates into English as bread with oil. A thick slice of ftira bread (round loaf of sourdough crusty bread shaped like a big bagel) with tomato paste called kunserva and topped with capers, olives, garlic, black pepper with tuna or anchovies optional.
Maltese specialities
Stuffat tal-fenek – Traditional rabbit stew
A succulent slow cooked dish rendering tender meat. Maltese families love to serve a first course of rich tomato sauce with pasta followed by the rabbit with vegetables as a main.
Imqarrun il-forn – Macaroni the Maltese way
Sunday lunch often features this meat containing dish of macaroni with a special Bolognese sauce.
Lampuki Moqlija – Maltese traditional fried fish
Fisherman use a special technique of laying palm fronds on the water to provide shade for the fish before catching them in nets.
Maltese Deserts / Sweet Treats
Figolla
They come in different shapes hearts, rabbits, butterflies, or Easter eggs, but you can also find them shaped like men and women too. A mouth-watering mixture of biscuit, marzipan and icing, and an almond paste in the centre, sometimes come with chocolate on top. You can buy them all year round but they are especially popular at Easter time in Malta.
Imqaret
Imqaret is one of the traditional remnants of the Arab world that was left behind in Malta. Cut in fine rectangular shapes, this is a delightful recipe consisting of date filled pastries. The dish name itself is the plural of ‘maqrut’ which derives from the Arabic word meaning diamond.
Prinjolata
Prinjolata is a traditional Maltese Carnival dessert. A huge dome shaped no bake cake made from a mixture of biscuits, cake, nuts and buttercream covered with Italian meringue and other toppings!
