Traditional Maltese Lampuki Pie (Torta tal-Lampuki)
Lampuki Pie is a traditional Maltese dish made with flaky pastry and filled with fresh lampuki (mahi-mahi), spinach, olives, onions, tomato, and capers. It’s a hearty, flavourful pie that captures the essence of island cooking, typically served during lampuki season (late summer to autumn) when the fish is caught fresh off Malta’s shores.
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Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 426kcal
Equipment
- Oven
Ingredients
- 600 g lampuki mahi-mahi, cleaned and boned
- 300 g shortcrust pastry store-bought or homemade
- 200 g fresh spinach or thawed frozen spinach
- 150 g onion finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 50 g black olives pitted and halved
- 20 g capers rinsed
- 50 g tomato paste
- 2 tbsp olive oil 30 g
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 egg beaten (for brushing the pastry)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180°C (fan). Grease your pie dish lightly.
- Sauté the filling: Heat olive oil in a large pan. Sauté onion and garlic until soft. Add spinach and cook until wilted.
- Stir in tomato paste, olives, capers, and seasonings. Add chopped lampuki and cook gently for 5–7 minutes until just opaque. Remove from heat and let cool.
- Roll out half the pastry and line the base of the pie dish.
- Fill the pie with the lampuki mixture, then cover with the top layer of pastry. Seal the edges and cut a small vent in the center.
- Brush the top with beaten egg.
- Bake for 40–45 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown and cooked through.
- Let rest for 10 minutes before serving. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
Some Maltese versions add peas or sultanas for sweetness.
Leftovers keep well in the fridge and can be eaten cold.
Substitute lampuki with other firm white fish if unavailable.
Nutrition
Calories: 426kcal | Carbohydrates: 25.7g | Protein: 29.7g | Fat: 23.8g