Bigilla
The first dish in foods in Malta is Bigilla. Bigilla is a traditional Maltese dish made out of the tic beans, olive oil, herbs, seasoning, and garlic. It might not be presented as the most beautifully colored dip, but the taste is outstanding, so don’t judge the dip by its "cover". This dish is mostly served as a snack or eaten as a spread and it goes perfectly hand in hand with freshly baked Maltese bread but also with salad, crackers and savory biscuits. Bigilla is available in most Maltese restaurants and delicatessens around the island.
Ġbejniet
This small, round cheese made out of sheep milk (pasteurized or unpasteurized*), salt, and rennet, is a Maltese speciality. It is prepared and served in a variety of forms: fresh, sundried, salt-cured and peppered. It's also served with pasta or as a pizza topping.
*The unpasteurized milk was sold immediately on the streets and it was one of the causes for the spread of Brucellosis (The Maltese Fever) back in the late 19th and early 20th century.
Spinach and Tuna Pie
Both tuna and spinach are very popular ingredients throughout the Maltese cuisine, so it’s not a surprise that they are put together in a pie. This delicate pie consists of a soft, moist and tasty base filled with tuna, spinach, anchovies, onion, olives, and garlic. Pies are overall popular to eat in Malta especially during the colder period of the year.
Twistees
Twistees is a rice-based savory crisp snack that is one of the first types of crisps baked instead of fried. The snack was invented over 40 years ago. The first in Malta to actually adhere to the strict government and EU regulations regarding healthy eating, by launching ‘Twistees Lite’. Among the products, you also find flavors like bacon, chicken, and peanut. For cheese lovers, they also have launched a sauce/dressing called ‘Cheesy Twistees Squeezable’. Over the last few years, the Twistees market has grown also internationally and products are exported to several countries around the world, like for example to Libya, Germany, and the United Kingdom.
Maltese bread
Lastly, on our list of Foods of Malta. When it comes to Maltese bread, the village of Qormi is the place known for the best bakers. Found almost in every ‘mini-market’ across the island, because of the high demand among both locals and visitors. Since the bread is very natural, it often goes stale the next day. "Ħobż tal-Malti" is a bread with a hard and crunchy outline and white soft and fluffy bread on the inside. The round bread loaf is sometimes the star carbohydrate of a dish served at a restaurant. Other times it’s served as the perfect food item for ‘mopping’ the last bits of a thick, delicious Maltese stew. Ħobz biż-żejt is another variant of Maltese bread that is often served as lunch bread. The bread is usually topped with virgin olive oil, tomato paste and a pinch of salt and pepper.
Pssssss… if you want to know more about delicacies consumed worldwide that you would never imagine have their origins in Malta, be sure to join one of our “Corsairs of Malta” guided tours and surprise yourself! Perhaps even shock yourself a little too!