Qormi’s Famous Bread Featured In The Michelin Guide
Qormi bread was featured and celebrated on Michelin Guide’s website.
Few delicacies are as closely linked to a city as Qormi bread is to its namesake town, its aroma so distinctive that aficionados can recognise it blindfolded.
“In Malta, as in so many other cultures, bread is synonymous with abundance and hospitality – something tangible and nourishing that brings people together. This is particularly true in Qormi, where this specific bread also symbolises traditional artisanal techniques and knowledge passed down from generation to generation over centuries,” reads the article.
Chef André Borg, co‑founder of Terroir in Attard, explains that while he loved the bread as a child, especially when his grandmother served it with olive oil and tomatoes, he only later understood its exceptional quality.
Baked in Qormi since at least the 16th century, the town was once known as Casal Fornaro, the “town of bakeries,” a legacy that continues today. What sets this bread apart is not its simple ingredients- wheat flour, yeast, water, and salt- but the method and intense heat of its traditional wood‑fired stone ovens, which reach 400–500°C. A loaf bakes in about four minutes, developing a charred, nearly blackened crust while remaining soft inside, much like a Neapolitan pizza.
The bread’s contrasting texture and bold flavour, an extremely crisp crust with nutty or caramel‑like bitterness and an airy, soufflé‑like crumb, make it a multi‑sensory experience. Many people enjoy it straight from the oven, and its powerful aroma wafts through bakeries, stimulating the appetite long before the first bite.
While only a handful of bakers in Qormi still use these traditional techniques, which cannot be replicated in modern gas or electric ovens, the resulting bread remains unmistakable. Each baker uses the same refined method and quality ingredients, though variables like yeast type and wood fire placement can create subtle differences in flavour and colour.
In Qormi and beyond, bread in Malta stands for hospitality and abundance, reflecting centuries‑old artisanal knowledge passed down through generations. The proper way to savour Qormi bread, Borg says, is first on its own to appreciate its unique character. Paired with fine olive oil and toppings such as olives, tomato, or anchovies, or served with cheese or charcuterie, the bread enhances every dish. Every bite, he reflects, embodies tradition, craftsmanship, passion, dedication- and terroir.
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Credit: Michelin Guide
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