Top 7 Finger-Licking Meat Dishes in Malta

Malta is very well known for its crystal blue waters and having a very rich history, but it might be a bit less known for its culinary traditions, particularly meat dishes. Nonetheless, Maltese people are great meat eaters, and have mastered skills in cooking rabbit, horse and several other mouthwatering meats to perfection. 

What are the top 7 Maltese meat dishes?

1. Braġjoli (beef olives)
   The Braġjoli dish is one of the most interesting Maltese plates, reason being that different families cook it in different ways. It uses thin cuts of beef meat, stuffed, wrapped and cooked to perfection in rich tomato sauce. You will find braġjoli stuffed with a minced beef mix, others with ham, mozzarella and boiled eggs, some with parmesan cheese and bacon. The world is your oyster with your dish. These are then cooked to perfection in a tomato stew, aromatised with bay leaves, onions, carrots, peas, celery and a glass of red wine.
   
   
2. Fenek biz-Zalza (rabbit in tomato sauce)
   The Fenek biz-Zalza puts the rabbit in the heart of the dish, cooked until tender in tomato sauce, like a stew, alongside several aromatic herbs, carrots, peas, onions and garlic. The sauce can be used to accompany a plate of spaghetti prior to digging in the rabbit stew. One can add a side of potatoes or simply enjoy the rabbit, sauce and vegetables alongside a couple of slices of fresh and crunchy Maltese bread.
   
   
3. Fenek Moqli (pan-fried rabbit)
   If you’re more of a pan-fried meat kind of person, in Malta we also have the tradition of cooking rabbit in a pan. Before cooking, the rabbit is marinated in a mix of white wine, garlic, thyme or rosemary, salt and pepper. After a few hours in marinade, the rabbit is then fried in a pan in some olive or sunflower oil, alongside some thyme or rosemary, white wine and garlic. This is then served with potatoes, whether fried or baked, and alongside a couple of slices of Maltese bread to finish off the plate.
   
   
4. Laħam taż-Żiemel (horsemeat)
   Another local delicacy and a sought after dish by locals and tourists alike, is horsemeat. It is a dish one will find in several traditional restaurants around the islands, but that can also be easily cooked at home. The meat is traditionally cooked slowly over several hours, in a stew that includes red-wine, as well as peas, onions and a variety of herbs and spices. Add in a spoonful of kunserva (local tomato paste), to give your dish an added rich and delicious touch. Once cooked, the horsemeat stew is then paired with roasted potatoes and a couple of slices of Maltese bread.
   
   
5. Falda mimlija (stuffed flank steak)
   If you thought that Maltese dishes lacked pork meat, then you’re in for a treat! In fact, another traditional Maltese dish is known as the Falda mimlija or stuffed flank steak. This dish is made by cutting open a flank steak and stuffing it with both ground pork and bacon, as well as some breadcrumbs, onions, eggs and grated cheese. It is then sprinkled with some salt and pepper. The flank is then closed off with a twine and left to simmer for a few hours in some chopped vegetables like potatoes, turnip, celery, carrots and onions. This is then served alongside some mashed or roast potatoes as well as a couple of slices of Maltese bread.
   
   
6. Qarabagħli Mimli (stuffed courgette)
   Another traditional and mouth watering Maltese dish is Qarabagħli Mimli or stuffed courgettes. For those who love the rich taste of the courgette vegetable, merged with juicy stuffed meat, this dish serves the best combination. It is made by cutting marrows in half and carving them, removing the pulp. Then stuffing with minced pork or beef or a mix of both, onions, garlic, beaten eggs, tomato paste, fresh and finely chopped parsley, the courgette pulp and olive oil, and garnished with salt, pepper and some grated cheese. This dish is usually accompanied by some roasted or baked potatoes.
   
   
7. Brunġiel Mimli (stuffed aubergines)
   If courgettes are not for you, you can stuff aubergines in the same way, choosing between pork or beef mince, or a mix of both, and combining them with beaten eggs, onions, tomato paste, fresh and finely chopped parsley, aubergine pulp and olive oil, and garnished with salt, pepper and some grated cheese. You can serve this by itself or else accompanied by roasted or baked potatoes.

Planning to give one of these dishes a go?

Whether cooking for your family or inviting friends over for a traditional Maltese meal, you can find all that you need and more from Meats & Eats.