Ftira

Ftira is a flattened sourdough bread with a thick crust and a light, open crumb full of large, irregular holes. According to the UNESCO nomination, it is flatter than other Maltese breads, bakes at a hotter temperature and still needs skilled bakers to shape it by hand, even where other breads are made by machine. In 2020 UNESCO inscribed il-ftira, the culinary art and culture of flattened sourdough bread in Malta, on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

The bread is only half the story. A ftira is halved and filled, and UNESCO lists the classic fillings as olive oil and tomato, tuna, capers and olives. The same idea drives hobz biz-zejt, literally bread with oil: Visit Malta describes it as a round of bread dipped in olive oil, rubbed with ripe tomatoes and filled with a mix of tuna, onion, garlic, tomatoes and capers. Families, bakeries and snack bars all have their own version, and seasonal fillings are common.

Where to try it

• At village bakeries and snack bars across Malta, filled to order for a picnic or lunch.
• In Gozo, where bakeries also sell ftira tal-incova and ftira tal-gbejniet, open pies on a potato layer (see below).
• As a packed lunch for a beach day at Golden Bay or a boat trip to Comino.

Gozo uses the word ftira for something a little different. Visit Gozo describes ftira tal-inċova as an open pie with a crust holding a layer of thinly sliced potatoes, and ftira tal-ġbejniet as a filling of fresh local cheese and beaten eggs over sliced potatoes, both sold by most Gozitan bakeries all year. If you are crossing on the Gozo ferry, try both styles in one trip.