Lampuki Pie is one of Malta’s most iconic traditional dishes, combining flaky pastry with Mediterranean fish, spinach, olives, capers, and tomato-rich filling.

Made with lampuki — known internationally as mahi-mahi or dolphinfish — this savory pie reflects the strong connection between Maltese cuisine and the sea. The filling is rich but balanced, with briny olives and capers cutting through the sweetness of onions and fish.

Served warm or cold, lampuki pie is deeply rooted in Maltese home cooking and especially popular during lampuki fishing season in late summer and autumn.

What Is It?

Lampuki Pie is a baked savory Maltese pie filled with fish, spinach, onions, olives, capers, and tomato inside shortcrust pastry.

The pie is traditionally made with fresh lampuki, a seasonal Mediterranean fish prized in Maltese cuisine for its firm texture and mild flavor.

Unlike heavier fish pies found elsewhere in Europe, Maltese lampuki pie keeps a lighter Mediterranean character through olive oil, greens, and briny ingredients.

A Little History

Lampuki fishing has been part of Maltese culture for centuries. During late summer, fishermen traditionally catch lampuki using floating palm fronds to attract schools of fish.

As lampuki became abundant seasonally, Maltese households developed many recipes to use the catch, with lampuki pie becoming one of the best known.

The pie reflects Malta’s layered culinary influences from Sicily, North Africa, and broader Mediterranean cooking traditions.

Today, it remains a staple of Maltese family kitchens and traditional restaurants.