List of Maltese dishes facts for kids

Some tasty Maltese vegetable dishes

Malta is a beautiful island country in the Mediterranean Sea. Just like its history, Maltese food is a mix of different cultures! You'll find influences from Italy, North Africa, and the Middle East. Get ready to explore some yummy and unique dishes from Malta!

Tasty Starters

Before the main meal, Maltese people love to enjoy some delicious starters, also known as appetizers.

• Żebbuġ Mimli are green olives with their pits removed. They are filled with a tasty tuna mix.
• Fażola bajda bit-tewm u t-tursin means white beans with fresh parsley, garlic, and olive oil. It's a simple and healthy start!
• Ful bit-tewm is a dish made from fava beans, often cooked with garlic.
• Bigilla is a popular dip. It's made from mashed "Tic beans," which are also called "Ful Ta' Ġirba" in Malta.
• Galletti are special Maltese crackers. They are often eaten with dips like Bigilla.
• Bebbux are snails! Yes, snails are a traditional Maltese dish, often cooked with herbs.

Warm Soups

Kusksu is a hearty soup often eaten during Lent.

Soups are a big part of Maltese meals, especially in cooler weather. They are often packed with vegetables and flavor.

• Brodu is a clear soup, like a broth. It can be made with either beef or chicken.
• Minestra is Malta's version of minestrone. It's a thick, hearty vegetable soup, similar to Italian styles.
• Kusksu is a special vegetable soup. It has tiny pasta beads called kusksu and fresh broad beans when they are in season. It's often eaten during Lent.
• Soppa tal-armla means "Widow's Soup." This vegetable soup has fresh cheeselets and beaten eggs added to it.
• Aljotta is a light fish soup. It's made with lots of garlic, herbs, and tomatoes.
• Kawlata is a comforting soup. It's made with cabbage and pork.

Pasta and Rice Dishes

A delicious slice of timpana

Pasta and rice are very popular in Malta, often baked into delicious casseroles.

• Imqarrun is a baked macaroni casserole. It's made with macaroni pasta, a meat sauce similar to Bolognese, and eggs.
• Timpana is another baked casserole. It features macaroni pasta mixed with a rich tomato sauce.
• Ravjul are Maltese ravioli. These are pasta pockets usually served with a simple tomato sauce.
• Ross il-forn means "baked rice." It's a flavorful rice dish cooked in the oven.
• Għaġin grieg uses small pasta beads. It's cooked with minced pork and cheese.
• Froġa tat-tarja is a type of fried omelette. It's made with thin vermicelli pasta mixed in.

Meaty Mains

Maltese cuisine features a variety of meat dishes, from stews to sausages.

• Stuffat tal-fenek is a traditional rabbit stew. Rabbit is a very popular meat in Malta.
• Fenek moqli is simply fried rabbit. It's another common way to enjoy rabbit.
• Braġjoli are thin slices of meat. They are stuffed with a filling and then rolled up, like a roulade.
• Laħam fuq il-fwar means steamed beef slices. It's a tender and healthy way to cook beef.
• Falda Mimlija is a flank of pork. It is stuffed with a delicious filling before cooking.
• Laħam taż-żiemel is stallion meat. It's usually fried or baked in a white wine sauce.
• Zalzett tal-Malti is a short, thick Maltese sausage. It's made from pork with sea salt, black pepper, coriander, and parsley.
• Mazzit is a traditional Maltese blood sausage.

Fresh Fish Dishes

Grilled calamari, a popular seafood choice

Being an island, Malta has many delicious fish and seafood dishes.

• Lampuka is a type of fish also known as mahi-mahi. It's a very popular catch in Malta.
• Stuffat tal-qarnit is a hearty octopus stew.
• Qarnit bit-tewm is octopus cooked with lots of garlic.
• Klamari mimlija are stuffed calamari (squid). They are often filled with breadcrumbs and herbs.
• Pixxispad is fried swordfish. It's a common and tasty fish dish.

Eggs and Cheeses

These dishes often feature local Maltese cheeses or eggs.

• Ġbejna is a small, round cheese. It's a very famous Maltese cheese, often eaten fresh or dried.
• Froġa is a type of omelette. It can be made with ġbejna cheese, broad beans, or meat.
• Balbuljata is a dish of scrambled eggs. These eggs are cooked with fresh tomatoes and onions.

Vegetables and Sauces

Qargħabagħli mimli (stuffed marrows)

Maltese cuisine uses many fresh vegetables, often stuffed or made into flavorful side dishes.

• Qarabagħli mimli are stuffed courgettes (zucchini).
• Brunġiel mimli are stuffed aubergines (eggplants).
• Bżar mimli are stuffed peppers. All these stuffed vegetables are very popular!
• Patata l-forn means baked sliced potatoes. It's a simple and delicious side dish.
• Kapunata is Malta's version of caponata. It's a sweet and sour vegetable stew, often with aubergine.
• Aljoli (arjoli) is a Maltese aioli. Unlike some aiolis, this one does not contain egg.
• Qaqoċċ Mimli are stuffed artichokes.

Savory Pastries

Pastizzi, a beloved Maltese snack

A Qassata with spinach and peas

Maltese pastries are often savory and make great snacks or light meals.

• Torta tal-irkotta is a pie filled with ricotta cheese. It's a very popular savory pastry.
• Sfineġ are fritters. They can be made with vegetables, fish, or cheese.
• Pastizzi are perhaps the most famous Maltese snack! They are flaky pastry parcels, usually filled with ricotta cheese or mushy peas.
• Qassatat are small, round pies. They are similar to pastizzi but have a thicker pastry crust.
• Torti tar-ross u l-qargħa ħamra is a pie made with rice and pumpkin.

Maltese Bread

Bread is a very important part of Maltese food culture.

• Ħobża tal-Malti is traditional Maltese bread. It has a crispy crust and a soft inside.
• Ftira is a Maltese flatbread. It's often used to make sandwiches.
• Ħobż biż-żejt u t-tadam is bread with olive oil and tomato. It's a simple, classic Maltese snack.
• Ftira Għawdxija is a special ftira from the island of Gozo. It's often topped like a pizza.
• Qagħaq tal-Appostli is a ring-shaped bread, traditionally eaten during Holy Week.

Sweet Treats

Qagħaq tal-ħmira, a sweet ring-shaped cake

Maltese sweets are often rich and flavorful, many linked to special holidays.

• Qagħaq tal-ħmira is a soft, sweet, bagel-shaped cake. It has a hint of aniseed and is topped with sesame seeds.
• Imqaret are deep-fried, diamond-shaped pastries. They are filled with a sweet date mixture.
• Kannoli tal-irkotta are crispy pastry tubes. They are filled with sweet ricotta cheese, similar to Italian cannoli.
• Ravjul moqli are sweet fried ravioli.
• Torti tat-tamal are tarts filled with dates and cocoa.
• Torti tal-marmorat are delicious pies made with almond and chocolate.
• Ħelwa tat-Tork is a sweet, nutty halva. It's made from sesame seeds and sugar, often with nuts.
• Pudina tal-ħobż is a baked bread pudding. It usually contains raisins and cocoa powder.
• Prinjolata is a special Carnival sweet. It's made from biscuit and sponge cake, covered in frosting and decorated.
• Kwareżimal is an almond biscuit. It's eaten during Lent and flavored with orange, lemon, spices, and orange blossom.
• Ftira tar-Randan are crispy, deep-fried pastry squares. They are drizzled with honey and eaten during Lent.
• Karamelli tal-ħarrub are hard candies. They are flavored with carob and also eaten during Lent.
• Figolla is an Easter biscuit. It's coated with icing and filled with a sweet almond paste.
• Ħobża ta' San Martin is a sweet bread roll. It's associated with Saint Martin's Day and sweetened with mastic resin.
• Qagħaq tal-għasel or tal-Qastanija are Christmas sweet rings. They have a light pastry and a filling of treacle, honey, semolina, citrus zest, cinnamon, and cloves.
• Għadam tal-mejtin means "bones of the dead." These are pastries shaped like bones and filled with almond paste.
• Zeppoli are sweet fried dough balls.
• Qubbajt is traditional Maltese nougat.

Refreshing Drinks

Malta has some unique and traditional beverages.

• Ġulepp tal-ħarrub is a syrup made from carob. It's often used as a natural sweetener.
• Imbuljuta is a warm drink. It's made with chestnuts, tangerine zest, and cocoa.
• Kafè is coffee. In Malta, it can be boiled with aniseed, cinnamon sticks, or rosewater for extra flavor.
• Ruġġata is a sweet drink. It's made from cinnamon, vanilla, bitter almonds, sugar, water, and milk.
• Te fit-tazza is a local type of builder's tea. It's traditionally served in a glass with condensed milk and sugar.
• Kinnie is a famous Maltese soft drink. It has a unique bittersweet taste.
• Bajtra is a liqueur. It's made from the prickly pear fruit, which grows on the island.