Top 3 Maltese Pastries

Pastizz is Malta's national snack, a phyllo pastry filled with ingredients such as peas, ricotta, anchovies, corned beef, or apples. The thin dough is stretched and rolled with layers of fat in between, which is used to achieve the typical flaky texture of the finished product. The dough is then filled with any of the aforementioned ingredients, shaped into diamonds or semicircles, then baked until golden brown. Pastizzi can be consumed as a snack or served as appetizers in bars.Expand

Imqaret is a traditional pastry that is filled with a combination of dates, citrus, and spices, shaped into a diamond, then deep-fried in hot oil. The name of the dish is derived from the word maqrut, meaning diamond-shaped, referring to the visual appearance of this flavorful pastry, although it may also be shaped into rectangles in some cases. Imqaret is often dusted with powdered sugar, and it is sometimes paired with a scoop of ice cream on the side.Expand

Qagħaq tal-għasel is a traditional pastry filled with a treacle mixture. The pastry is made with flour, egg yolks, margarine, and either anisette liqueur or water, while the filling is a mix of black treacle, water, sugar, semolina, cocoa powder, aniseeds, orange flower water, and grated tangerine, orange, and lemon zest. The dough is rolled into long rectangles, filled with a treacle mixture, then shaped into rings. The top is usually decorated with a few slashes before the pastry is baked until it develops a light beige color – it should never be baked until golden brown. Qagħaq tal-għasel is especially popular during the festive Christmas season.Expand