There is a particular kind of Maltese argument that only happens in autumn, and it is about pie.
Torta tal-lampuki takes the fish of the season and buries it under pastry with spinach, olives, capers, sultanas and walnuts. Written down it sounds like a dare. Eaten, it makes complete sense — the sweetness of the sultanas against the salt of the capers, the fish holding the middle together.
Everyone's mother made it differently
Some families add cauliflower. Some insist on peas. Some would rather not discuss the walnut question at all. The recipe travelled through households rather than cookbooks, which is exactly why there is no settled version and never will be.
What everyone agrees on is the window. Lampuki run from the back end of August through autumn, and when they are gone, that is that until next year.
A fish you can buy all year is just dinner. A fish you can buy for eight weeks is an occasion.
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