In mine two weeks in Malta, I think I ate all the typical dishes of the island, without having missed one, or almost. I must admit that the Maltese cuisine it reminded me of several trips with its flavors. In fact, it is not surprising. The proximity to Sicily and Italy and the long foreign dominations that occurred in the past, have meant that some flavors recalled other distant lands.
Pastizzi
Pastizzi are a real drug. Throughout Malta you will find essentially two types, with ricotta or with peas. Pastry shops are found practically everywhere, you will recognize them, the real ones, because they sell practically on the street. The stalls of the pastry shops are in fact tiny. A small showcase and someone behind ready to serve you the hot delicacies. Yes, because the pastizzi they are eaten hot. Whether you prefer them in the morning, in the evening, for dinner or for a snack (here they eat them at all hours), pastizzi are served very hot, and so they should be eaten. Pastizzi are essentially savory sfogliatelle stuffed with ricotta or peas and very delicious. The cost of this godsend? From 30 to 50 euro cents the one, yes you understood very well;) A low cost lunch in Malta, no doubt!
Fenkata
A complicated name for a seemingly simple dish, we're talking about the typical meal, par excellence, of Malta, the Maltese rabbit! You can enjoy this pistto in one of the classic restaurants it serves traditional cuisine, but inquire well before entering. The rabbit comes cooked with tomato and usually served with potatoes and the meat is very tender. The portions are generous and if you have several days try to try a typical dish every day, or you will end up blowing up as soon as you arrive in Malta. My Fenkata I tried it on St. Julian, in a Maltese restaurant that I will tell you about soon! Another specialty is the fenek biz zalza, rabbit in wine with onions and herbs, while if you happen to see the talfenek cake, know that it is nothing more than the rabbit pie.
Timpana
You will find this dish even in the most well-stocked pastry shops. Timpana is nothing more than a timbale of baked pasta, with beef and pork, chicken livers, all cooked in the oven in a puff pastry crust. Quite a challenging thing to eat, but one that I recommend if you have enough of pastizzi (which is impossible to tell the truth!). In addition to this recipe, the timpana can be prepared with minced meat and smoked bacon. Both preparations offer those who taste them a mix of flavors. The cuisine here often recalls also the spices of Africa, obviously given the proximity to the Continent.
Gbejniet
Maltese cheese, gbejniet, is a typical product of the island that can be eaten in various ways. First of all, it is a cheese made exclusively from sheep's milk and which can be purchased on the Island of Gozo. You can eat it without anything or with the addition of pepper, spices and herbs as I tried it. Gozo cheese can be found aged or soft. Finally, if you go to a restaurant that serves Maltese dishes, you can also find it melted, and it's delicious, I assure you!
Qaghaq tal-ghasel and sweets
Impossible to talk about Malta without mentioning its delicious desserts. If you have a sweet tooth, as I am, here in Malta you will find your paradise. Don't miss out on getting started Qaghaq tal-ghasel, a honey ring made with molasses, black sugar, a little cinnamon and figs. The nearby Sicily imports here i Kannoli, here are obviously cannoli: pasta filled with sweet ricotta, candied fruit or pieces of chocolate. Helwa tat Tork it is also called the sweet of the Turks, and is made of chopped and whole almonds.
What I haven't tasted :(
What did I miss and what therefore can I not tell you? Unfortunately I was unable to taste the zalzett, Coriander flavored Maltese sausages e stufatt tal-qarnit, stewed octopus cooked with red wine. Instead I tasted the fish when I went in fishing village in Marsaxlokk. If you have the opportunity, I recommend that you dedicate an entire Sunday to this village and choose a good fish restaurant where you can try some local specialties, like this or like theAljotta, a soup made with fresh fish and lots of garlic. But garlic in Malta it is in almost all typical dishes.
Local drinks
After all this eating, I bet you will be a little thirsty too! There local beer and the Cisk, you will find it in all restaurants, bars and supermarkets. Honest price and right taste especially to cool off during the spring / summer heat. As a national drink, however, you can find it zinnias: orange juice and martini which are a bit like the classic spritz.
