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.
Ingredients
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- Make the pastry: Mix flour and pastry salt. Rub in the cold butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add cold water gradually, just until it comes together. Divide into two pieces, making one slightly larger for the base. Flatten, wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes.
- Start the filling: Heat the oil in a wide pan. Soften the onion for 8 minutes, then stir in garlic and anchovies for 1 minute. Add kunserva and cook for 1 minute. Chop the squeezed spinach, add it and stir over medium heat for 5-8 minutes until no liquid pools in the pan.
- Finish and cool: Fold in tuna, olives, capers, mint, lemon zest and pepper. Taste before adding salt. Transfer to a shallow dish and cool completely before filling the pastry.
- Fill the pie: Heat the oven to 200°C (fan 180°C), with a metal baking tray inside. Roll out the larger pastry piece to about 3mm and line a 24cm metal pie tin. Add the cooled filling without pressing it into a solid block. Brush the pastry rim with egg.
- Close and bake: Roll out the lid, cover, press the edges together and trim and crimp. Cut two steam slits. Brush with egg and sprinkle with sesame. Place on the hot tray and bake for 55-65 minutes until golden, with cooked pastry underneath and a piping-hot filling. Shield the lid loosely with foil if it colours too quickly.
- Rest: Leave for 15 minutes before cutting into six portions.
A Dry Filling Makes Better Pastry
Squeeze thawed spinach firmly in a clean cloth or sieve before weighing it into the pan. The listed 700g is the frozen packet weight before squeezing. Cook off any remaining moisture and cool the filling fully; warm, wet spinach makes the pastry difficult to handle and softens the base.
For fresh spinach, start with about 1.2kg, wilt in batches, drain, squeeze and chop. The final moisture level matters more than an exact fresh-to-frozen conversion.
Tuna, Anchovies and Seasoning
Use canned tuna in oil or brine, drained well. Break it into flakes as you fold it through. The anchovies add seasoning to the onion base; they are used here alongside the tuna. Olives and capers also bring salt, so taste the filling before adding more.
Explore other doughs and fillings in Maltese baking and pastry.
Make Ahead
The cooked filling can be cooled promptly and refrigerated overnight. Keep it chilled until assembly. Refrigerate leftover pie within two hours and use within two days, reheating until piping hot throughout.