Goodbye cheesecake. Pastizz makes it into Oxford English Dictionary

The humble pastizz has earned its place in one of the world’s most authoritative language references, with the Oxford English Dictionary officially adding the word in its latest update. 

The savoury pastry is among four entries linked to Malta and Maltese English included in the January update of the dictionary, alongside two other foods - aljotta and bigilla - and the term Maltese English itself. 

According to the OED, pastizz was first recorded in English in 1910 and refers to a savoury pastry typically filled with ricotta or curried peas – a staple of Maltese cuisine.

While deeply associated with Malta, the dictionary notes that the food and the word have travelled well beyond the islands, reflecting the spread of Maltese communities in countries such as Australia and Canada. In Malta, it is often marketed to tourists as a 'cheesecake'. 

Aljotta, the fish soup that is enhanced with garlic and tomatoes, also made it into the dictionary. Photo: Shutterstock

The dictionary states that the term pastizz originates from an 18th-century Maltese word, itself likely derived from the Italian pasticcio or the Sicilian pastizzu, both meaning pie. Its inclusion, the OED said, highlights the layered linguistic history of Maltese, which combines Semitic roots with strong Romance influences. 

Aljotta, first recorded in English in 1970, refers to a traditional Maltese fish soup. The word traces its origins to a Sicilian sailors’ dish known as agghiotta, illustrating how Sicilian sounds evolved into Maltese forms.  

Bigilla, first attested in English in 1998, refers to the traditional Maltese dip or spread made from mashed broad beans, olive oil, garlic and red pepper. The term comes from a 17th-century Maltese word that originally referred to a dish of boiled beans served at funerals, and may ultimately derive from Ottoman Turkish or Arabic words for broad beans or legumes.  

Also included in the update is the term Maltese English, which the OED defines as the variety of English influenced by Maltese, including English words that take on Maltese forms and Maltese words adapted into English. The dictionary traces the roots of Maltese English back to at least 1878.    

The OED’s latest update places Maltese contributions within the broader context of “World Englishes” – varieties of English shaped by local languages and cultures.

English is one of Malta’s official languages, alongside Maltese, a Semitic language that developed from late medieval Sicilian Arabic and later absorbed elements from Italian and Sicilian. Maltese is also unique in being the only Semitic language written in the Latin alphabet and the only Semitic and Afroasiatic language among the European Union’s official languages. 

The update was published alongside a new pronunciation model for Maltese English, developed by the OED’s Senior Consultant Phonetics Editor, Matthew Moreland. 

This is not the first time the OED has added Maltese words to its dictionary. Sahha, lampuki, dghajsa and spitchered - a naval slang entry meaning “rendered inoperative, ruined” derived from ‘spiċċa’ - are also included, while ‘festa’ was added in 2021.