National cuisine of Malta for gourmets

National cuisine of Malta has absorbed the features of the subtle East; bright tastes of Italian cuisine, hearty British dishes and the elegance of dishes from France. The island state has long been the subject of controversy between the Arabs, the French, and the British, which led to a mixture of cuisines. The proximity of Italy also played a role in the formation of gastronomic preferences of the Maltese. In Malta, you can try classic Italian pizza, pasta with seafood, and these dishes will not differ from the original in taste. Seafood occupies an important place in Malta's cuisine and is one of the key ingredients in a variety of dishes.

Among the Italian dishes in the Maltese cuisine, pasta is of greater importance. In Malta, you can find a huge number of variations of this dish with a variety of sauces, the most original among them can be called octopus ink sauce. Slightly inferior in popularity is pizza. Pizzerias are the most common establishments on the archipelago. In them, you can grab a snack and try a variety of dishes based on traditional recipes. Often the Maltese cook ravioli, the favorite filling of locals is the ricotta cheese. Mediterranean traditions are also seen in the peculiarities of local cuisine. One of the striking examples is the "tympanum" dish, which is of Greek origin and is baked tubular pasta with minced meat with béchamel sauce.

Another feature of the Mediterranean cuisine is the active use of vegetables. Among the most popular vegetables are eggplants, tomatoes, cauliflower, artichokes, peppers, zucchini, chestnuts, onions. Vegetables can be an independent dish; in this case they are usually prepared with different fillings in a stuffed form. Among the cheeses Maltese usually prefer goat and sheep cheese. The most popular meats are rabbit, poultry, and beef. Among the meat dishes, you should definitely try a rabbit stew "stuffat tal-fenek", which is prepared with a unique set of spices and herbs. Another original meat dish - "bragioli", is baked meat stuffed with eggs and various kinds of greens. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

Maltese often add pasta to soups, one of the most common soups is "kusksu" - pasta soup with beans. Another original dish with pasta is an omelet "froga tat-tarja". Seafood deserves separate attention. Local chefs meticulously prepare dishes from sea fish - trout, perch, mullet. Squid, mussels, octopuses are also the most important ingredients in a variety of dishes. They can be fed with pasta, added to pizza or prepared as a separate dish. Among the most famous national dishes of seafood and fish are fish cake "lampuka", stew of snails "bebbux", stuffed octopus "arnit mimli".

Arab traditions brought spices to local recipes. Maltese chefs actively use saffron, tarragon, marjoram, basil, vanilla, cinnamon. Very often garlic is added to different dishes. Spices give the classical recipes a new sound and make the Maltese cuisine authentic and original. Bread is an integral part of any meal; very often the local housewives bake it themselves. Maltese bread is called "hobza". Among other unsweetened pastries, various fish and meat pies, puff pastry with ricotta or vegetable filling are popular. Such pies are "pasticcio"; you can buy them in any pizzeria. Poor Maltese pancakes "sfineg" are pieces of dough fried together with seafood.

In Malta, incredible surprises await fans of sweets and desserts. Very popular among the local population are cannoli, crispy wafer tubules with ricotta. Another traditional Maltese dessert - "Imqarrun", is a pastry cut into diamond-shaped or rectangular pieces. Date with the addition of various spices and additives, including anise and bay leaves are used as a filling. Also very popular in the country are almond cookies "quaresimal", sweet ravioli, chocolate cakes and pies, donuts. Among non-alcoholic drinks, Maltese prefer carrot syrup, a vanilla-based syrup, almond, water, sugar and milk supplement with cinnamon.