Bread & pastries / RICETTI
Maltese sourdough ftira bread
Malta’s flattened sourdough bread with a central hole.
◷ 350 min / 8 servings
Method
- Mix flour, water and starter. Rest 30 minutes and work in the salt.
- Ferment covered for 3–4 hours, with four sets of folds in the first 2 hours.
- Divide into two on an oiled surface. Rest 30 minutes and stretch into flat 25 cm rounds. Make a central hole.
- Put on semolina-dusted trays and prove 45–60 minutes. Bake in a preheated oven at 240°C, or 220°C fan, for 20–25 minutes until crusty.
✳ From the kitchen
Maltese ftira is bread; Gozitan ftira is baked with toppings.
Tradition reference
Malta National Inventory · The culinary art of ftira ↗Reference for the dish tradition. This recipe is an original home-kitchen adaptation; family versions vary. Not professionally kitchen-tested.