Bigilla makes a substantial plant-based filling for crusty bread. Here it sits under ripe tomato, olives and capers, with onion and lettuce for crunch. Kunserva and olive oil give the bread its biż-żejt flavour without needing tuna or cheese.

Ingredient Substitutions Outside Malta

Use a crusty sourdough roll or ciabatta and concentrated tomato paste. Check the bread and prepared dip ingredients for a vegan lunch. Our bigilla recipe uses broad beans; making it from dried beans takes additional soaking and cooking time.

If you cannot make or buy bigilla, hummus is a practical bean-spread alternative, but it changes the flavour. Keep the salad combination and describe it as a hummus filling rather than bigilla.

Serving Suggestions

Serve with a few extra olives or kapunata on the side. For a shared platter, cut each ftira into quarters just before serving.

Notes & Tips

• Drain the capers and dry the lettuce to help the crumb keep its texture.
• Spread the bigilla thinly across the whole bread rather than piling it in the centre.
• If the onion is too sharp, soak the slices briefly in cold water, then drain and dry them.
• For a packed lunch, refrigerate the dip and salad separately and assemble close to eating.

Use the ftira guide and filling planner to compare this with the tuna, cheese and warm fillings.