Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/567101
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 6 SEPTEMBER 2015 34 Food Rachel Agius takes a look at a restaurant and brings a recipe, wine and delicacy of the week. Write to us with your comments on restaurants or submit your own recipes to rzammitcutajar@mediatoday.com.mt Resto of the week Charles Grech wines division was recently entrusted an official and exclusive distribution of the famous Australian wine maker, Penfolds. Australia's winemaking history of less than two hundred years is brief by European measures, though, like Europe, punctuated by periods of extreme success and difficult times. From the earliest winemaking days Penfolds has figured prominently and few would argue the importance of Penfolds influence on Australia's winemaking psyche. Without the influence of Penfolds the modern Australian wine industry would look very different indeed. Sitting comfortably outside of fad and fashion, Penfolds has taken Australian wine to the world on a grand stage and forged a reputation for quality that is without peer The wine manager Zoran Crncevic adds: We are very proud to have become partners with Penfolds. Their prestigious wine brands are fully in line with our 'on-trade' and wine boutiques' strategy and we feel very privileged to be also associated with some of the finest wines worldwide. Along with Baron Philippe de Rothschild, Louis Roederer, Frescobaldi, Luce and number of others, Penfolds wines will surely add an extra star to the Charles Grech wine portfolio. We truly look forward to working with Penfolds wines and contributing to its success. Charles Grech appointed to officially represent Penfolds wines THE local, seasonal trend has taken the food world by storm and this is why some of the greatest dishes have their roots as a poor man's treat. When the cost of trans- porting food was high, only the rich could afford exotic ingredients and the poor man had to make do with whatever was available at the time. Now that we have become more aware of how travel time affects the quality of ingredients it's no wonder that the local fare is taking its spot in the limelight. When you think of the delicious Maltese ftira, brimming with beautiful tomatoes, gbejniet, olives, capers and potatoes, one bakery instantly comes to mind. Maxokk Bakery, in Nadur, specialise in this iconic Gozitan treat. Somewhere between a pie and pizza, these Gozitan delights are well worth every calorie in the box. Every Mediterranean country has its unique shape and form of bread. They also have their own fillings to go in them for a snack lunch; the traditional choices in- spired by what working folk in poorer times could rustle up. Just because ftira was a poor man's dish doesn't make it any less yummy and a good ftira stuffed with the right ingredients still attracts a large number of Maltese and tourists indulging in culinary treats. The idea is to take the ftiras home, or somewhere special to eat them, however most will find it difficult not to devour the entire thing in the car before getting a change to get to the right spot. Though I have heard the rave reviews of this little spot I hadn't been until late this summer. Having taken a trip to Gozo for a massage, we decided to stop at Maxokk bakery on the way to the beach. The small hole in the wall in Nadur is officially a take- away place, and it is recommended to order your ftiras a few hours before you intend to pick them up. We were too chilled after the massage to have thought of this in advance so we had to wait in the car for half an hour until our order was ready. The traditional wood-fired oven is what sets the place apart from the rest. Delicious Gozitan ingredients are stuffed into the bread dough to make pie-like pizzas that are like no other. And then there are the toppings. Packed with traditional Gozitan ingredients from gbejniet, Maltese sausage, herbs and toma- toes, these are then covered with a layer of finely sliced potatoes. If you think that's too many carbs for one meal you are seriously missing out. We headed down to the beach and once we settled into a sunny spot at San Blas devoured every morsel of these delicious pizza pies. Though this may not be the sort of meal you want to eat every day, it is the perfect spot for a traditional Gozitan treat. Maxokk Bakery is open Monday to Sat- urday from 10:30 till 19:00 and on Sunday between 13:00 and 19:00 Maxokk Bakery St James Street Nadur Contact: 21550014 A slice of heaven – Maxokk bakery A poor man's treat The pie-like ftira is stuffed with the choicest Gozitan ingredients including gbjeniet, sundried tomatoes, potatoes, anchovies, capers and olives