Maltese Baking and Pastry: Bread, Pastizzi, Pies and Sweets

Explore Maltese bread, ricotta and pea pastizzi, qassatat, savoury pies, and sweet pastries, with guidance on choosing your next baking project.

The Maltese bakery offers several kinds of cooking project: a loaf with a crisp crust, small pastries to eat warm, a pie to share, or a box of sweets. This collection helps you choose by dough and filling rather than treating every pastry as the same task.

For an introduction to flaky pastry and its two fillings, use the pastizzi guide. The qassatat guide covers open-topped ricotta, pea, and anchovy pastries. For the distinction between bread for sandwiches and topped Gozitan dough, read the ftira guide.

For a first attempt, choose a recipe whose timing fits your day. Yeasted bread needs rising time, flaky pastry benefits from careful handling, and filled pies need a filling that is ready before assembly. Measure ingredients before you begin and follow the resting times in the individual recipe.

Torta tal-Irkotta in this collection is a savoury ricotta pie. If you want something sweet, head to the biscuit and pastry group below. For the occasions associated with Figolli, Kwareżimal, and other sweets, see Maltese celebration food. Pies also fit into our Sunday lunch guide.

Put a Pie Meal Together

Choose one pie as the main: Torta tal-Laħam for beef and peas, Torta tal-Irkotta for a savoury cheese filling, or Torta tal-Lampuki for fish, spinach, olives and capers. Kapunata makes a vegetable side for the ricotta or fish pie; Patata l-Forn is another option with the meat pie.

For a longer meal, serve a small bowl of Brodu before the meat pie, or compare alternatives in the Maltese soups collection. Choose the portions and number of courses to suit your table. If making roast potatoes as well as a pie, check their different oven temperatures and plan to cook them in sequence.

Bread and Gozitan ftira

Ħobż Malti is a crusty loaf for slicing, dipping, and filling. Ftira Għawdxija is a topped Gozitan bake with potatoes, tomatoes, and savoury additions. Galletti add thin crackers for dips, while Qagħaq tal-Appostli are almond-topped bread rings for Lent. Allow rising time for each dough.

Watercolour illustration of a crusty round Maltese loaf with slices showing its airy crumb.

Ħobż Malti (Maltese-Style Home Bread)

Bake a crusty Maltese-style loaf with bread flour, dried yeast, and two rises. This home version of ħobż Malti needs no sourdough starter.

Watercolour illustration of Gozitan flatbread topped with potatoes, tomatoes, olives and anchovies.

Ftira Għawdxija (Gozitan Potato Flatbread)

Make traditional Gozitan ftira with a crisp, chewy base topped with potato, tomato, olives, capers, and anchovies or tuna. Serves four.

Watercolour illustration of thin round Maltese galletti crackers with a small bowl of bigilla.

Galletti (Maltese Water Crackers)

Thin, crisp Maltese crackers made with flour, semolina and yeast. Roll them finely and prick the dough for a light snack with dips.

Watercolour illustration of a large Maltese Apostles bread ring with sesame seeds and whole almonds.

Qagħaq tal-Appostli (Maltese Apostles' Bread Rings)

Maltese bread rings topped with sesame seeds and whole almonds, associated with Lent and Holy Week. Makes two rings for sharing.

Pastizzi and qassatat

Pastizzi use flaky pastry around ricotta or pea filling; qassatat are open-topped pastries shaped around their filling. Choose the pea version to compare the two styles, or try anchovy qassatat for a salty, savoury variation.

Watercolour illustration of golden boat-shaped pastizzi filled with savoury white ricotta.

Pastizzi tal-Irkotta (Maltese Ricotta Pastries)

Maltese ricotta pastries made with a folded home pastry. A practical variation on the finely stretched and rolled bakery version.

Watercolour illustration of golden boat-shaped pastizzi with spiced split-pea filling.

Pastizzi tal-Piżelli (Maltese Pea Pastries)

Classic Maltese flaky pastries filled with spiced mushy peas. Crisp, savoury, and a favourite from every pastizzeria.

Watercolour illustration of golden pleated Maltese qassatat with white ricotta filling and black pepper.

Qassatat tal-Irkotta (Maltese Ricotta Pies)

Make 10 Maltese ricotta qassatat with shortcrust pastry, a savoury cheese filling, and an open pleated top. Includes shaping and troubleshooting advice.

Watercolour illustration of round pleated Maltese pea pies with an open top.

Qassatat tal-Piżelli (Maltese Pea Pies)

Make traditional Maltese qassatat with shortcrust pastry and a warmly spiced split-pea filling. A bakery-style recipe for 8–10 savoury pies.

Watercolour illustration of pleated Maltese pies with spinach, anchovies, olives and capers.

Qassatat tal-Inċova (Spinach and Anchovy Pies)

Bake Maltese qassatat with shortcrust pastry and a bold spinach, anchovy, caper, and olive filling. This traditional recipe makes 8–10 savoury pies.

Watercolour illustration of Gozitan Easter qassatat with pleated pastry and browned dry-ġbejna and egg filling.

Qassatat tal-Għid (Gozitan Easter Cheese Pastries)

Gozitan Easter qassatat with a firm yeasted pastry and a peppery filling of grated dry sheep's-milk ġbejniet and eggs.

Pies for sharing

These larger pies make a meal at the table. Ricotta gives a softer filling, meat pie is hearty, and lampuki pie combines fish with vegetables and sharp capers. Timpana wraps baked macaroni in pastry; pumpkin and rice pie offers a savoury vegetable filling for autumn.

Watercolour illustration of savoury ricotta pie with a white cheese and parsley filling.

Torta tal-Irkotta (Maltese Ricotta Pie)

A traditional Maltese savoury ricotta pie with eggs, parsley, and cheese in golden shortcrust pastry. Simple, comforting, and excellent warm or cold.

Watercolour illustration of Maltese meat pie with a cut slice showing beef, peas and tomato.

Torta tal-Laħam (Maltese Meat Pie)

A traditional Maltese meat pie filled with minced beef, peas, tomato, herbs, and shortcrust pastry. Hearty and perfect for family meals.

Watercolour illustration of Maltese corned-beef pie with potato, carrot and kunserva filling in golden shortcrust.

Torta tal-Bulu Bijf (Maltese Corned-Beef Pie)

A Maltese shortcrust pie with tinned corned beef, potato, carrot, onion and concentrated kunserva in a firm, savoury filling.

Watercolour illustration of a sliced lampuki pie filled with fish, spinach, olives and tomato.

Torta tal-Lampuki (Maltese Fish Pie)

Maltese lampuki pie with mahi-mahi, spinach, olives, capers, and pine nuts in shortcrust pastry. Makes one 24cm pie for 6-8 people.

Watercolour illustration of Maltese spinach and tuna pie with a golden shortcrust lid and a cut wedge.

Torta tal-Ispinaċi u t-Tonn (Maltese Spinach and Tuna Pie)

A Maltese shortcrust pie filled with spinach, tuna, olives, capers and mint, with a sesame-sprinkled lid.

Watercolour illustration of golden macaroni pie with a cut wedge showing pasta and beef sauce.

Timpana (Maltese Baked Macaroni Pie)

A classic Maltese baked macaroni pie with rich meat sauce, eggs, and cheese wrapped in golden pastry. A true Sunday and festa favourite.

Watercolour illustration of a golden pumpkin pie with a cut slice showing orange pumpkin, rice, tomato and black olives.

Torta tal-Qargħa Ħamra (Maltese Pumpkin and Rice Pie)

A savoury Maltese pumpkin pie with rice, tomato, black olives, and mint enclosed in golden shortcrust pastry. A filling autumn bake to share.

Sweet pastry and biscuits

Figolli and Kwareżimal introduce almond-based Easter and Lenten baking. Try treacle-filled rings or sesame rings for a different flavour. Imqaret are fried rather than baked, but belong here as another useful filled-pastry technique to explore.

Watercolour illustration of decorated Maltese Easter almond pastries topped with chocolate eggs.

Figolli (Maltese Easter Almond Pastries)

Malta's iconic Easter sweet - two layers of pastry filled with almond paste, baked and decorated with colourful icing and a chocolate egg on top.

Watercolour illustration of honey-glazed Maltese Lenten almond biscuits with citrus and spices.

Kwareżimal (Maltese Lenten Biscuits)

Traditional Maltese Lenten biscuits made without eggs, butter, or dairy. Dense, aromatic, and rich with almonds, citrus, and warm spices.

Watercolour illustration of Maltese pastry rings with dark treacle filling visible through small slashes.

Qagħaq tal-Għasel (Maltese Honey Rings)

Traditional Maltese honey rings filled with treacle, citrus, spices, and semolina. A fragrant festive sweet with a rich, sticky centre.

Watercolour illustration of golden Maltese sesame biscuit rings and figure eights.

Qagħaq tal-Ġulġlien (Maltese Sesame Biscuits)

Crisp Maltese sesame ring biscuits with aniseed, citrus and a little clove, made with biscuit dough rather than yeast.

Watercolour illustration of Maltese figure-eight ottijiet biscuits coated with sesame seeds.

Ottijiet (Maltese Figure-Eight Biscuits)

Crisp Maltese figure-eight biscuits scented with orange, aniseed and cloves, with sesame seeds pressed into the tops.

Watercolour illustration of Maltese village biscuits decorated with fine pastel pink, blue and white icing.

Biskuttini tar-Raħal (Maltese Village Biscuits)

Light Maltese village biscuits scented with aniseed, cloves, citrus and orange blossom, finished with fine lines of pastel icing.

Watercolour illustration of diamond-shaped fried date pastries with orange and warm spices.

Imqaret (Maltese Date Pastries)

Traditional Maltese fried date pastries scented with citrus, aniseed, and warm spice. Crisp outside, sticky and aromatic inside.

St Martin baking for autumn

Sweet aniseed buns need time to rise; the date, fig and nut cake needs cooling before slicing. Both belong to the November feast of St Martin, with different doughs and serving styles.

Watercolour illustration of glazed St Martin sweet buns with sesame, liquorice sweets, walnuts and dried figs.

Ħobża ta' San Martin (St Martin's Sweet Buns)

Soft Maltese aniseed buns with a sugar glaze, sesame and an optional liquorice sweet, baked for the November feast of St Martin.

Watercolour illustration of St Martin fruit and nut cake with a cut slice showing dates, figs and nuts.

Torta ta' San Martin (Maltese Fruit and Nut Cake)

A dense Maltese November cake packed with dates, dried figs, walnuts, hazelnuts and almonds. This version has no pastry crust.

Almond pastries for November

Għadam tal-Mejtin use matching bone-shaped pastry pieces around almond filling. Seal the edges before baking and let the pastries cool completely before adding white icing. Their seasonal association is with All Souls' Day and November remembrance.

Watercolour illustration of white-iced Maltese bone-shaped pastries with a cut piece showing almond filling.

Għadam tal-Mejtin (Maltese Almond Bone Biscuits)

Bone-shaped Maltese sweet pastries with almond filling and white icing, associated with All Souls' Day and November remembrance.

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