Bread and banter
Bread has a history that dates back to almost 30,000 years. The first bread was made from roasted cereal grains and water, which was then made into a paste, which was cooked. This flatbread is still popular in many parts of the world. Like the tortillas in Mexico, chapati and naan in Inida, lavish in Armenia, sangaks and taboons in Iran, oatcakes in Scotland, johnnycake in North America and so on.
Featuring in the UNESCO List of Intangible Cultural Heritage is Fitra. This sourdough bread is from the island of Malta. It Is ring-shaped with a hole in the middle and is usually eaten with a variety of fillings – carrot, lettuce, mint, basil, beans, sardines, tuna.
The name Fitra is derived from the Arabic word fattar which means, to flatten. Fitra was baked in community ovens and it took 30 minutes to bake. Bakers mark the top or the side of the loaf to identify the loaves. People paid the bakers with bundles of thistle or wood as payment for the bread, as ovens needed fuel.
Bread is an integral part of Maltese life.
Did you know there are different kinds of bread? From ciabatta and sourdough to focaccia and pumpernickel, the range is wide. Play this memory game to find out more about the world’s favourite food.