An Insight Into Maltese cuisine

Maltese cuisine has some elements of the most exciting and flavoursome of the cuisines of Europe- mainly because it is a combination of different cultures. Essentially basic rustic fare, Malta’s food borrows heavily from that of neighbouring countries in particular, Italy but also from other cuisines like the Turkish, Arabic and British. Meats, a wide variety of seafood, vegetable and fruit are the main ingredients that are further spiced up with onions, garlic, tomatoes, herbs and seasonings. Pastry is used extensively- popular snacks like pastizzi - thin pastry parcels stuffed with ricotta and egg, lampuki pie -shortcrust pastry stuffed with fish, spinach, chestnuts, cauliflower and sultanas and timpana pasta with meat sauce, topped with pastry are very common. Most foods are slow-cooked traditionally in earthen ovens or stewed and baked. Seasonal salads, soups, pasta and bread are staple ingredients of Maltese meals, which usually end with fresh fruit, rather than with desserts. There are some sweets, of course, mainly of psatry, dates, nuts, chocolate, ice cream and candied fruit.

Maltese wine is fairly good; beer and lager are excellent. Gozo wines are the stronger full-bodied ones in contrast to the more delicate notes of the Maltese wines.