Bigilla

Bigilla is a thick, coarse paste traditionally made from dried Djerba beans, with dried broad beans also used, mashed with garlic and seasoned with olive oil, herbs and, for some, a little chilli. Visit Malta describes it as a thick pate of broad beans with garlic and notes that you will see it on most food shop counters. It is served with Maltese bread and olive oil, and in Visit Gozo's words it is one of the dips that open a traditional meal.

This is peasant food in the best sense: cheap, filling and made from beans that store well through the year. You meet it in two settings. In a village bar, a small dish of bigilla might arrive with olives and a glass of local wine. In restaurants, it is a common part of the bread and starters that come before the meal, sometimes on a Maltese platter with gbejniet, olives and sausage.

Where to try it

• On Maltese platters at traditional restaurants in Valletta and Mdina and Rabat.
• From delis and food shops, sold by the tub to take away.
• In village bars across Malta and Gozo, as a snack with a drink.

Bigilla is vegan when made in the usual way, so it pairs well with kapunata for a meat-free starter. Spread it on ftira or a crusty roll, add a drizzle of olive oil, and you have one of the simplest Maltese lunches there is.