Maltese street food: How to make pastizzi and ftira bread at home

ATHENS - Flaky pastry pockets are found in many regions of the world, but on Malta and its small sister island Gozo, they are an absolute must.

Whether as breakfast, a snack or an energy boost, Pastizzi - the Maltese word for pastry pockets - are a genuine street food sensation, baked in specialist shops called pastizzerias. They are classically filled with ricotta or pea purée.

The pastry is a point of pride for those who make it.

"The dough is similar to Greek filo pastry, but slightly crispier than German puff pastry," says Yanick Schembri, an events chef from Birkirkara near Valletta, describing the basics of the national dish. Schembri gave us some additional tips alongside a recipe from the national food agency Malta Food.

Ingredients for traditional Maltese Pastizzi

To make 20 pieces, you will need:

For the dough:

•900 g flour

•25 g salt

•400 ml water

For the margarine mixture for brushing:

•70 g baking margarine

•150 g margarine

•30 g lard

Anyone who does not feel confident making the dough from scratch can alternatively buy ready-made filo or puff pastry for the Pastizzi experience, Schembri says.

Two classic fillings - how to make them

Ricotta and semolina filling:

1. Bring 250 ml of water to the boil.
2. Remove from the heat, add 20 g of butter and 100 g of semolina and stir well.
3. Mix 1 kg of ricotta, 1 egg, 5 g of salt and 1 g of pepper, then fold in the cooled semolina mixture.

Pea filling:

1. Soak 250 g of dried peas overnight in 500 ml of water.
2. Rinse and cook for 30 minutes with 8 g of salt.
3. Sauté 1 diced medium onion (approx. 200 g), then stir in ½ tsp of mild curry powder, ½ tsp of mixed spices of your choice, a little garlic, 1 g of pepper, 100 g of tomato paste, 1 tsp of olive oil and 15 g of butter.

How to assemble everything

The dough made from flour, salt and water comes together quickly. "But after that it absolutely must rest in the fridge for 4 hours - only then does the flavour really come out," Schembri says.

The dough is then rolled out thinly in several layers on a lightly floured work surface and folded repeatedly. According to Schembri, it is important to stretch the dough really well.

Next, cut small squares of around 13 by 13 cm from the dough. Each square is topped with one of the fillings described above.

Brush the left and right edges with water and fold into small boat shapes.

Brush the pieces with the heated, liquid margarine mixture and place on a baking tray lined with baking paper.

Bake on the middle oven shelf for around 15 minutes until golden brown. The oven temperature must be exactly 200 degrees Celsius. And there is a reason for this: "If it is lower, the butter melts and runs out. If the temperature is too high, the pastry turns black on the outside while the filling inside remains raw," Schembri explains.

The Pastizzi are best served warm.

Malta's iconic bread: Maltese Ftira

The Maltese ring bread, Ftira - pronounced "ffff-teer-ah" - may look at first glance like an ordinary flatbread. "But when you bite into it, you immediately notice the difference: it has a wonderful crispy crust," says Schembri of the plate-sized sourdough bread with its characteristic hole in the middle.

On the main island, Ftira is more of a sandwich. Cross over to the island of Gozo, 19 kilometres away, however, and the Ftira available there is more reminiscent of a pizza.

The Malta Food Agency provides the following instructions for a Ftira that has been recognized by UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage:

Ingredients for 2 loaves of 30 cm diameter

• 700 g wheat flour
• 1 tsp dried yeast
• 1½ tsp salt
• 520 ml lukewarm water

Plus:

• 2½ tbsp flour for the work surface and dusting
• 1 tbsp oil for the bowl

How to make Ftira

1. Place 700 g of wheat flour, 1 level tsp of dried yeast and 1½ tsp of salt in a mixing bowl and combine well.
2. Begin kneading the dough, gradually adding 520 ml of lukewarm water until it reaches the right consistency.
3. Flour the work surface with 1 tbsp of flour, turn the dough out onto it and fold 8 times.
4. Add 1 tbsp of oil to the bowl and spread it around.
5. Return the dough to the bowl, cover with cling film and leave to rise in a warm place for 1 hour.
6. Dust your work surface again with 1 tbsp of flour, turn the dough out again and fold a further 8 times.
7. Return to the bowl, cover again and leave to rise in a warm place for a further 1 hour.
8. Divide the dough into 2 portions and shape each into a round, flat loaf with a hole in the middle.
9. Place the loaves on a baking tray lined with baking paper, dust with a little flour, cover with a tea towel and leave to rest for 20 minutes.
10. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 220 degrees Celsius fan and place a bowl of water on the lower shelf.
11. Place the Ftiras in the oven and bake for around 30 to 35 minutes.
12. Remove the loaves from the oven and leave to cool on a wire rack.

What toppings to choose?

Ftira was originally considered the food of the poor - but the toppings make you feel like you've won the jackpot, the tourism authority says.

Traditionally it is topped with potato slices and a small, pungent cheese made from sheep's and goat's milk called Gbejna, but anchovies, olives, tuna, Maltese sausage or salty capers are also popular additions.

Schembri lists a range of further ingredients that can top the Ftira: onion rings, mixed salad, mint, basil or beans. "Also very typical is a homemade paste made from tomato paste, olives, capers, sun-dried tomatoes, thyme and pickled silverskin onions," he says.

Whatever you choose, a Ftira topping should always be a little salty, tangy and savory, but not too spicy, the events chef concludes.

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This story was originally published July 13, 2026 at 1:28 AM.