Traditional Maltese Food and Drinks

1. Read the text below to learn about the food that Maltese people like to eat and drink.

People in Malta eat a lot of fresh fruit and vegetables, meat, fish and bread and pasta.

This is 'hobz biz-zejt'. 

It is Maltese bread with olive oil, tomatoes, tuna, beans, capers, olives and mint or basil.

This is a tasty snack for the hot Summer days.

These are pastizzi.

They are pastry filled with ricotta or peas.

The Maltese like to eat pastizzi as a snack with a cup of tea or a glass of beer.

'Gbejniet' and ricotta cheese are two types of cheese produced in Malta.

The Maltese eat the 'gbejniet' in salads or soups.

They can be plain, peppered or covered in herbs.

Ricotta cheese is used to make savoury dishes like cannelloni or ricotta pie. 

It is also used in sweets to make cannoli.

Rabbit stew is Malta's traditional dish.

The rabbit is cooked slowly for a long time.

Rabbit stew is usually served with spaghetti.

Fried rabbit is served with chips and salad.

'Imqarrun il-Forn' is a traditional baked pasta dish.

It is pasta mixed with a meat sauce and baked in the oven with eggs and cheese.

Another traditional pasta dish is Timpana. It is made in the same way as  Imqarrun, and it is covered with a layer of pastry.

'Ross il-forn' is a baked rice dish.

The rice is mixed with a meat sauce, eggs and cheese and baked in the oven.

These drinks are made in Malta.

Kinnie is a soft drink. It is has a bittersweet taste.

Cisk is the Maltese beer.

Maltese people drink a lot of cold beer in Summer.

Mqaret are Maltese sweets.

They are fried sweet pastry filled with dates.

The honey ring is a traditional sweet at Christmas time.

It is made of a sweet pastry, filled with cooked semolina, black honey  and spices.

The Maltese drink tea with milk like the British.

A lot of Maltese people also drink coffee like the Italians.

The Maltese like to take 'krustini' with their tea.

2. Fill in the crossword with words from the text.

 3. Answer the following questions about food in your own country.

a. What food do you eat a lot of in your country?

b. What food do you eat as a snack?

c. What is your traditional sweet dish?

d. What do people in your country drink at mealtimes?

e. Do you have a local drink?

f. Do you prefer sweet or savoury food?