# Maltese Street Food: Pastizzi, Qassatat, Ftira and Sweet Snacks Source: https://www.malteserecipes.com/collections/maltese-street-food/ Explore Malta's snack foods and make them at home: flaky pastizzi, open-topped qassatat, bread with tomato and tuna, Gozitan ftira, and date pastries. Maltese snack food is not one kind of pastry. Pastizzi, qassatat, filled bread, and topped Gozitan ftira differ in dough, filling, and how they are eaten. This guide helps you recognise those differences and choose a recipe to make at home. [Visit Gozo describes pastizzi as savoury snacks and Imqaret among village-festa street foods](https://visitgozo.com/experience/local-delicacies/). Bakery counters, snack bars, and festa stalls are different settings; not everything in this collection is sold from a street cart or reserved for a festival. ## What should I try first? For an assembly-only lunch, begin with Ħobż biż-Żejt. For your first filled pastry, compare the qassatat methods with the pastizzi methods before choosing: an open shortcrust shell and a flaky folded shell involve different handling. For something sweet, Imqaret requires frying as well as making a filling and dough. Look at the filling rather than relying on an English nickname. Ricotta pastizzi are savoury, even if a menu calls them cheesecakes. Pea pastries are not sweet cakes. The recipes here keep the Maltese names and describe the ingredients so you can make an informed choice. ## Put together a snack table A small selection is easier to finish well: one pastry, one bread-based option, and a sweet may be enough. If you prefer a seated spread, add [Bigilla](/recipes/bigilla/) with [Maltese bread](/recipes/hobz-malti/) as an accompaniment, rather than treating dip as a handheld pastry. For home entertaining, work backwards from when people will eat. A dough that needs rising and a filling that must cool cannot be started at the same moment you want to serve. Follow each recipe's cooling, storage, and reheating advice, and keep hot frying oil away from a crowded serving area. For more doughs and pies, explore [baking and pastry](/collections/maltese-baking-and-pastry/). For seasonal gatherings, see [festa and celebration food](/collections/maltese-festa-and-celebration-food/). If the names are new to you, start with [Maltese food explained](/maltese-food-explained/). ## Pastizzi: flaky pastry and a choice of filling Compare savoury ricotta with spiced peas. Both recipes need attention to the pastry; they are not interchangeable with open shortcrust pies. For a mixed platter, keep the fillings identifiable and plan to serve the pastries while their shells are crisp. - [Pastizzi tal-Irkotta (Maltese Ricotta Pastries)](https://www.malteserecipes.com/recipes/pastizzi-tal-irkotta/): Malta's beloved flaky pastries filled with seasoned ricotta. Crisp, golden, and best eaten warm from the oven. - [Pastizzi tal-Piżelli (Maltese Pea Pastries)](https://www.malteserecipes.com/recipes/pastizzi-tal-pizelli/): Classic Maltese flaky pastries filled with spiced mushy peas. Crisp, savoury, and a favourite from every pastizzeria. ## Qassatat: open-topped savoury pastries Pea qassatat has a thick legume filling; the anchovy version adds tomato, olives, and capers. These recipes use a sturdier pastry folded around an open centre. Fish-filled qassatat is not a vegetarian alternative; check the pea version's pastry ingredients for your needs. - [Qassatat tal-Piżelli (Maltese Pea Pies)](https://www.malteserecipes.com/recipes/qassatat-tal-pizelli/): Traditional Maltese open savoury pastries filled with spiced mushy peas. Hearty, inexpensive, and perfect warm from the bakery. - [Qassatat tal-Inċova (Anchovy Pies)](https://www.malteserecipes.com/recipes/qassatat-tal-incova/): Maltese savoury pies filled with anchovies, tomato, capers, and olives. A salty, tangy fish-filled alternative to pea qassatat. ## Bread-based lunches Ħobż biż-Żejt is assembled with crusty bread, tomato, oil, and toppings. Ftira Għawdxija is a topped bake with potatoes and savoury additions, not simply the same sandwich under another name. Choose the sandwich for a no-cook lunch or the Gozitan ftira for a dough-making project. - [Ħobż biż-Żejt (Maltese Tomato and Tuna Sandwich)](https://www.malteserecipes.com/recipes/hobz-biz-zejt/): Malta's iconic rustic sandwich of crusty bread, kunserva, olive oil, tuna, capers, onion, and tomato. - [Ftira Għawdxija (Gozitan Potato Flatbread)](https://www.malteserecipes.com/recipes/ftira-ghawdxija/): A rustic Gozitan ftira topped with potatoes, tomatoes, onion, olives, capers, and anchovies or tuna. Simple, savoury, and deeply satisfying. ## A sweet finish Imqaret brings a spiced date filling and fried shell. Sesame rings are a simpler baked snack to eat with a drink. They offer different textures and preparation methods; choose one rather than adding another last-minute task to a full pastry session. - [Imqaret (Maltese Date Pastries)](https://www.malteserecipes.com/recipes/imqaret/): Traditional Maltese fried date pastries scented with citrus, aniseed, and warm spice. Crisp outside, sticky and aromatic inside. - [Qagħaq tal-Ġulġlien (Maltese Sesame Rings)](https://www.malteserecipes.com/recipes/qaghaq-tal-gulglien/): Traditional Maltese sesame rings with a crisp crust, tender crumb, and fragrant aniseed. A simple bakery classic for tea or snacking.