Ainsley’s Taste of Malta sees bubbly TV chef Ainsley Harriott bring us his usual joyful energy and some much-needed sunshine for a five-part series.
Located in the Mediterranean Sea between Sicily and the North African coast, Malta has been influenced by Arabic, Italian, French and even British culture, which is all expressed in the holiday hotspot’s delicious cuisine.
"The stunning islands that make up the Maltese archipelago are a melting pot of different cultures," says Ainsley Harriott whose previous shows have included Ainsley's Coronation Kitchen and will be hosting Ainsley’s National Trust Cook Off later in 2024.
"Sat at the crossroads of Europe and the Middle East everyone from the Greeks and the Romans to the Moors and the Crusaders have left their mark here, even us Brits. You can almost taste the history in the food!"
Across five episodes of Ainsley’s Taste of Malta, the chef criss-crosses the archipelago, taking in the ancient city of Mdina and the idyllic island of Gozo, while also cooking his take on Maltese dishes.
Here's everything you need to know about Ainsley’s Taste of Malta on ITV1 and ITVX...
Ainsley’s Taste of Malta release date
Ainsley’s Taste of Malta is a five-part series that runs daily across the week on ITV1 from Monday, February 5 2024 at 2 pm to Friday, February 9.
Episodes will also become available on streaming service ITVX.
Ainsley’s Taste of Malta — what happens, recipes and our episode guide
Here's where Ainsley heads for in each episode of Ainsley’s Taste of Malta...
Episode 1
First up, he’s in Malta’s capital, Valletta, where he falls in love with Imqaret, a traditional fried pastry with dates, and enjoys the popular Maltese sausages, known as Zalzett tal-Malti. He cooks al fresco, making Maltese stuffed aubergine, casarecce pasta with sausage and fennel and a seafood platter with a spiced tartare sauce. But his highlight is bell ringing at Valetta’s stunning St John’s Co-Cathedral, built by crusading knights, and home to two priceless paintings by Caravaggio!
"I’ve always wanted to try bell ringing and it was the most amazing experience," says Ainsley. ‘It’s hard not to fall in love with Valletta. There’s just so much to see and do – and eat!
"Valletta is known as ‘the fortress city’ and I can certainly see why. The impressive defenses were built by the crusading knights of Saint John way back in the 16th century. The knights ruled for 250 years until Napoleon took a fancy to the island and invaded. But from it was 1814 to 1964 it was governed by Britain. There’s just so much history here and it shows in the food, which combines Arabic, French, Italian and British influences."
Wandering Valletta’s cobbled streets, Ainsley enjoys popular Maltese sausages, known as Zalzett tal-Malti, and falls in love with a fried pastry called Imqaret, a tasty reminder of the island’s Arabic past, packed with dates, cinnamon, aniseed and cloves. He also cooks al fresco, making Maltese stuffed aubergine, casarecce pasta with sausage and fennel, and a seafood platter with a spiced tartar sauce.
"It’s all about getting fresh beautiful ingredients and in Malta you’re guaranteed that – just the size of the lemons is incredible!’ says Ainsley. "They like their food to be rustic and seasonal, but the North African influence really comes across in their cuisine with spices like cayenne pepper, cinnamon and nutmeg."
Episode 2: The South
Heading south to the fishing harbour of Marsaxlokk, Ainsley checks out a local fish market. He also explores a nearby vineyard, a potato farm and meets a bakery making a traditional Maltese sweet treat.
Episode 3: Central
Ainsley explores the ancient city of Mdina, learns the art of glass blowing and gets a culinary masterclass in making ring-shaped Maltese bread, known as ftira. He also visits a tiny eatery called Crystal Palace famous for flaky parcels of pastry known as pastizzi.
Episode 4: The North
Ainsley’s journey takes him to an olive grove owned by the so-called godfather of Maltese olive oil. He also tries a traditional rabbit stew, considered Malta’s national dish.
Episode 5: Gozo
As his adventure nears its end, Ainsley heads to the idyllic island of Gozo. There’s a visit to a farm to find out how Maltese cheese is made, while he also learns the secrets behind Maltese beef bragioli, translated as beef olives!
Is there a trailer for Ainsley’s Taste of Malta?
There's no trailer for Ainsley’s Taste of Malta available just yet, but if and when it becomes available we'll post it on here.
