Let’s face it, we all love to eat. You don’t need to be a foodie or a connoisseur, to know and enjoy good food. And although cuisines and palates differ substantially from one person to the next, most would agree that the Mediterranean-style of cooking, together with some of the more popular recipes and its hearty ingredients, is sought after the world over.
And Maltese cuisine certainly makes the list when it comes to sumptuous, mouth-watering dishes. We’ve picked a few of our favourites, which we definitely recommend you sample during your stay on the Islands. We’ve also included the Maltese names and terms, so you’ll know what to look out for, and order!
- The first item on our list had to be Maltese bread. Simple is always best, and the hobza Maltija (Maltese loaf), together with the ftira (flat bread) are decidedly special. But what makes it so? The hobza, for instance, has a thick crusty (and crunchy) exterior, with a fluffy interior. It’s delicious with a drizzle of olive oil together with a little salt and pepper. And if you’re lucky enough to find a warm hobza, just treat yourself to a large dollop of salted butter. The ftira, on the other hand, is often used to make hobz biz-zejt (bread with {olive} oil). If you’re after a quick, yet hearty bite to eat, most bars and take-aways supply this treat. Typically, hobz biz-zejt is made with olive oil, sweet tomato paste and a dash of salt and pepper. However, there are many variants which also include tuna, olives, capers, raw onions and once in a while, also cheeselets (ġbejniet). It makes for an excellent snack, especially when washed down with an ice-cold beer.
- Fried rabbit and rabbit stew are both (very) popular dishes in Malta, which, unless you happen to be vegetarian, you should definitely try sampling, at least once. The secret is generally in the marinade and / or in the gravy. The fried rabbit variant needs to be cooked with a generous amount of garlic, white wine, and Mediterranean herbs. Both the fried rabbit and the rabbit stew, are generally served with a generous portion of roast potatoes and grilled / roasted veg. The villages of Bahrija and Mgarr are reportedly the best places to enjoy a rabbit dish; our concierge / team will be happy to recommend and book a table at one of the top restaurants.
- Don’t let the name ‘fool’ you, because there are actually no olives, in the flavour-packed Beef olives (Bragjoli) dish! The name is thought to originate from the shape of these slow braised, stuffed beef bundles, which (somewhat) resemble elongated olives when served. The key here, is in the stuffing, which generally involves hard-boiled eggs and bacon (because more is more, where meat is concerned) together with assorted ingredients, the beef olives are then slow cooked in a rich sauce which leaves the meat tender enough to cut with a fork. Just like the rabbit stew / fried rabbit, this dish is generally served with roast potatoes or thick fries, and grilled vegetables.
- Strangely, Maltese cuisine is not immediately associated with pasta-based dishes. However, being a stone’s throw-away from Sicily and Italy, we had to include at least one pasta dish to our list. We chose to include the Baked pasta or alternatively, baked rice (Imqarrun il-Forn and ross il-forn) as well as the Timpana dish, which we feel are more than worthy of mention. The former is generally made with a meaty sauce, whilst the latter is encased in pastry. The beauty of these dishes, is that one can sample them as easily in a restaurant as much as a takeaway, which often offer smaller portions, which are nonetheless generous enough to satiate you.
- Finally, we’ve decided to include Stuffed marrows (qarghabali mimli) on this select and concise list. As you can tell, Maltese food is quite rich – with stews, meat and pastry present in most recipes; and this dish is no different! Generally quite large and bulbous, marrows make an excellent vessel for stuffing. Traditionally, a mixture of meat (including beef and pork, and often also Maltese sausage), tomato sauce, onion and garlic and some cheese are used for the filling, which is decidedly mouth-watering. This is another oven-baked dish, which is generally accompanied by roast potatoes* and grilled vegetables.
* We always love including a little extra in our blog posts, and that’s why we felt that Roast potatoes (patata l-forn) deserved a strong mention. Maltese potatoes are packed with flavour, so much so, that they are exported to several countries. Generally cooked with fennel seed, or fresh rosemary as well as a hint of onion and garlic, and diced into fantastic little morsels; we definitely recommend ordering a side of roast potatoes with your main dishes!
Get in touch with us if you are planning to come and visit Malta’s charming capital city, and the Amery House team would love to help you plan your itinerary so that you can get the best out of your holiday.
