“Nobody goes to Malta to diet. The food is Italian, Arabic and British all at once. Heavy, carb-loaded and absolutely delicious.”
Let us be honest: nobody goes to Malta to lose weight. Maltese cuisine is the child of Italian and Arabic cooking, adopted by a British grandmother who added flour and fat. It is hearty, carb-heavy — and genuinely fantastic.
The island's religion in pastry form. Crispy filo dough filled with ricotta (tal-irkotta) or curried peas (tal-piżelli). Costs 50–60 cents. Hot, fatty and brilliant. Where? Crystal Palace in Rabat, open almost around the clock.
Do not think "sandwich". Ftira is a round bread (like a flattened tyre), crispy outside, soft inside. Spread with kunserva (sweet tomato paste), filled with tuna, olives, capers and onion. Listed on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage — yes, a sandwich in UNESCO.
A pastizzi cousin made from shortcrust pastry in a pouch shape. Filling: spinach with tuna, or ricotta. Less common but always worth trying.
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Malta Food Guide: Maltese Cuisine and the Best Restaurants
Pastizzi, rabbit stew, ftira and Kinnie — a guide to Maltese food with specific recommendations.