An Italian and a Brit walk into a Maltese bar... what do they order?
We all know at least one person who has lived away from Malta and has experienced some intense cravings for Maltese food. Alternatives for Twistees, pastizzi and hobz biz-zejt just don't exist! But how about the opposite scenario? A foreigner moving to Malta and discovering these gems for the first time? We spoke to two expats who have been living in Malta for a few years and ask the all-important question: which are their favourite Maltese snacks to indulge in?
In the Italian corner...
Italian illustrator Magda Azab first mentions the date treat imqaret as her favourite Maltese food, with hobz biz-zejt coming in as her favourite savoury snack. With so many filler-options available, the name hobz biz-zejt alone cannot fully describe the preferred food choice, so Magda goes on to list the ingredients which constitute the ultimate hobz biz-zejt.
“Olive oil, tomato paste, onions, capers, mint, basil,” she says, adding that her first impression of the beloved sandwich was not that great. “When I arrived and I saw that inside the bread there was tomato paste, I was a bit skeptical," she admits. “For an Italian, it is quite unusual, but I have been addicted since the first bite! Now we always keep a jar of kunserva in the fridge.”
And for the Brits...
British photographer Inigo Taylor, who has spent the last eight years or so in Malta, also speaks highly about the snack. “I prefer it with very simple ingredients and occasionally some fresh gbejna, and I don’t like it when there are pickles inside,” he says, adding “of course, the bread is paramount to the experience! And my favourite is from the Bocci Club in Zurrieq.” He says that although he moved to Malta almost a decade ago, it took him a while to start eating Maltese food, and one of his first enjoyable experiences was rabbit cooked by his mother-in-law, or a cheese and bean pie in Nadur, Gozo.
Sadly, as time passes, more and more places that served up the most genuine, proper hobz biz-zejt are closing down, very often being replaced with the touristic alternative that somehow just doesn’t do the job. The most recent case of closure was OK bar in Naxxar, renowned for its delicious hobza alongside a glass of tea. However, some great ones are still scattered around the island, such as Duke’s in Msida, Buchman’s Snack Bar in Gzira, Olympic Bar in Mosta, and Farmer’s Bar in Mgarr, amongst others.