Hobz biz-Zejt u Tadam and more delicious Goods from the Maltese Rock
by meike peters
Today I will share some special food with you! I got a wonderful gift from Emma, my boyfriend’s sister who lives in Malta and came to visit us for a few days. She put a big smile on my face when she opened her bag and I saw all the nice food she brought for me (well, not just for me actually). Emma knows which food I love and miss so much from her home island in the Mediterranean, especially now that it’s been a few months since I was last there. Her gift reminded me of the taste and smell of this island which I got to know so well over the past years, during so many holiday trips and summers we spent there. Our family and friends, the food, the sea, so many memories connect me to this rock in the Mediterranean (this is what many Maltese affectionately call their home island).
This is a very personal introduction to Maltese food through my eyes and taste buds.
Whenever I’m in Malta, first thing in the morning I go to a wonderful traditional bakery, St. Josephs Bakery in Msida, to buy the most amazing white bread with the perfect crust. Every Maltese is proud of this bread and it’s famous for good reason. There are two different types of bread, the big loaf called Hobz Malti (Maltese Bread) and the round Ftira with a hole in the middle. Usually, I cut thick slices off the loaf, dip them in olive oil and spread the sweetest tomatoes and some crushed pepper on top which makes the Hobz biz-Zejt u Tadam (Maltese bread with oil and tomato). There is also a famous (and quick) beach version which is made with Kunserva, a concentrated tomato paste full of ripe Maltese tomatoes and some mint or basil in between two slices of this amazing bread. There’s nothing better than sitting on the beach after a long swim, this sandwich in your hands and your fingers staining with juicy tomatoes and olive oil – I love it!
Fruits and vegetables are heavenly in this sun kissed place, strong and honest in taste, ripe, with the flavours of a soil rich in clay. There’s not much water, but the sun and the ground make up for it. My taste buds are always disappointed when I’m back home and have to get used to the store bought quality again. Maltese sausage is another speciality I’m very fond of as it’s full of spices, the meat is coarse, its taste so strong that you can season a meal with it. Dairy products are limited, this rock isn’t really made for cows, but the Maltese make a strong cheese from goat milk which is called Gbejna, delicious tiny round cheeselets. There are two kinds, the hard one which is a bit salty, great for salad and pizza, and the soft one, milky and mild. On the photos you see the hard ones from Gozo, Malta’s sister island.
One of my favourite places is Busy Bee Confectionery where I get my daily dose of delicious cakes and pies. I love their sweet Mediterranean specialities like Cannoli, Cassata Siciliana and Ottijet (figure of 8 shaped tea time cookies with sesame seads). Unfortunately the Cannoli didn’t survive the flight very well so I can’t show them to you. On the savory side there is Qassata tal-Irkotta (a round short crust pie filled with ricotta), Pastizzi tal-Irkotta or tal-pizelli (puff pastry filled with ricotta or peas) and a huge Torta tal-Laham (Beef Pie), filled with tasty beef stew.
The colourful sweets are Perlini, filled with almonds, a traditional Maltese carnival treat.
Go visit and enjoy!
All this beautiful food sure brings back many memories. I have had a lot of it but I still crave for more now that I am so far away.
Hi Natalie! I feel the same, whenever we go back to Berlin I take bags full of ottijiet, bread, kunserva, twistees and ottijiet back home with me – and sometimes even cannoli from Busy Bee in Msida! We’ll be off to Malta in a few weeks and I can’t wait to visit all my bakeries, butchers and vegetable men selling the best fruits and vegetables from their trucks 🙂
Meike, I’ve been enjoying diving into your recipes – particularly the Maltese-inspired ones. My husband and I moved to Valletta a few months ago, and have already become enchanted with the island’s citrus. We’re now eagerly awaiting wild asparagus and the figs yet to come!
Hi Tricia, that sounds exciting! Enjoy the islands and the food, I can’t wait to go back!!
Meike xx
[…] towns and villages. They sell this pasta dish cut into large squares along trays full of buttery Pastizzi and rich ricotta filled Qassata. It’s a street food lunch classic on the island. When I ate a piece of this hearty dish for […]
[…] Last week’s guest, my Mediterranean mama Jenny, brought so many mouthwatering delicacies from her home island to our kitchen that I didn’t even know where to start: Maltese sausages, pies, bread and cheese! Earlier this year, I shared our table with you, covered with gifts from another frequent and beloved guest, my partner’s sister Emma. To get an idea of our delicious feast, take a look here. […]
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Now I feel like hobs biz-zejt you always make me feel like eating!! Whenever I go to busy bee I mention you! That place reminds me of you. Thanks by the way – I love the way you speak about Malta our lovely little ‘rock’! Take care hun xxxx
You’re sweet!! I miss Busy Bee so much and I was so happy when Emma brought all the nice food from there!
And thank you, it makes me happy that you like the way I write about your home. It’s very important to me as I describe it through my eyes but I think we all love it in a similar way. Love, Meike xx