Malta, Gozo, and Comino

Malta, Gozo, and Comino are the largest of a group of islands in the C. Mediterranean. One of these islands, Comino, is said to derive its name from cumin, one of Malta and Gozo’s principal cash crops, second only to cotton, from the late Middle Ages.

Although the two largest islands are separated by only a few miles of water, their cooking shows some distinct variations. Both are influenced by physical closeness to italy and N. Africa and is largely based on pasta and vegetable dishes, while the Gozitans have developed some local dishes, mainly rich pies using rice, pumpkin, and soft cheeses called gbejniet.