The Maltese spinach tuna pie recipe is a delicate, low-calorie dish that is easy to make at home. It can be served as a main course or as an appetizer. If you love spinach, it’s a perfect recipe for the next time you have some in your refrigerator. Spinach is a slightly bitter green vegetable with a peppery taste that is widely consumed in Mediterranean countries.
It is often used as a garnish or to soak up other flavors. The spinach is cooked with onions and spices in this spicy tuna pie recipe to create an aromatic sauce. The tuna fish fillets are then added, and the pie gets coated with a blend of breadcrumbs and cornflakes crumbs for a nice crunchy texture.
How to make a Maltese spinach tuna pie recipe?
- Preparation Time: 15 minutes
- Cooking Time: 55 minutes
- Total time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Serving Size: 4
- Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients for Maltese spinach tuna pie recipe
- 250g fresh spinach, washed and drained well
- 450g tuna fillets, rinsed and drained well
- 2 big onions, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp. crushed red pepper flakes (paprika)
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 bunch of fresh parsley leaves, chopped finely
- For topping:
- 50g breadcrumbs (1 slice of bread)
- 75g cornflakes crumbs (2 tbsp.
Directions for Maltese spinach tuna pie recipe
Step 1: Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F. Line a deep pie dish with the pastry and allow it to chill in the refrigerator for at least 15-20 minutes.
Step 2: Wash spinach thoroughly, trim the stems, and shred the leaves. Add 1 tablespoon of water and steam over high heat until wilted (about 5-7 minutes). Drain well, squeezing excess water out of the spinach with your hands, and chop finely.
Step 3: Chop tuna fillets finely and add to the spinach. Mix well, then gently stir in garlic, onions, parsley, and spices (red pepper flakes and salt).
Step 4: Pour the spinach/tuna mixture into the pie dish lined with puff pastry. Top with crushed breadcrumbs. Bake in the oven for 45–55 minutes until the crust is golden brown.
For topping:
Mix cornflake crumbs with a little bit of oil (enough to coat the mixture) on a plate. Place the pie on top of the crumb mixture and press it down to give it a nice layer.
NOTE: You can also use ready-to-bake puff pastry sheets instead.
Nutritional information (per serving):
| Nutrition | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | 89 |
| Carbs | 123g |
| Fat | 37g |
| Protein | 4g |
| Fiber | 3g |
Conclusion
While this dish is rich in vitamins and minerals, it’s still a low-calorie dish that anyone can enjoy. The recipe uses breadcrumbs (dried bread) and cornflake crumbs as a topping.
The latter is a refined form of cornmeal served as a crunchy topping on various foods like sandwiches, pizzas, or pastries. The breadcrumbs are made from dried bread which has been toasted and ground into smaller particles.
