Arjoli (Maltese Herbed Bread Dip) Recipe: A Classic Maltese Ajjoli with Galletti

Arjoli (also spelled Ajjoli) is a Maltese herbed bread dip or spread. It uses soaked galletti, then gets crushed with fresh herbs, garlic, olives, capers, anchovy paste, and a little tomato paste. The result is a thick paste you can scoop and spread. This recipe takes about one day because the bread soaks overnight.

This Mediterranean-style dip is held together with bread, not with yoghurt or mayo. The flavour leans salty and herby, with a clear garlic note. Olives and capers add bite, while anchovy paste adds depth. You make it with a mortar and pestle, which helps blend the herbs into the softened galletti.

Total time is about one day, mainly for soaking the galletti in water overnight to soften. Active prep is short, since you mostly chop and crush. Difficulty stays low, but it helps to work in batches if your mortar is small. Aim for a paste that still has slight texture from the bread.

Ingredients (with measurements)

Use fresh herbs and chop them small so they blend well. If your anchovy paste is very salty, start with less and adjust. Tomato paste is listed as kunserva in Malta. Keep all ingredients ready before you start crushing, since the mixture comes together fast once the bread is softened.

• Galletti (round hard ship’s biscuit): 2 packets (about 350–450 g total)
• Water: enough to fully cover the galletti for soaking
• Fresh basil, minced: 2 tbsp (about 10 g)
• Fresh mint, minced: 1 tbsp (about 5 g)
• Fresh parsley, minced: 3 tbsp (about 15 g)
• Garlic: 4 cloves, diced (about 12–16 g)
• Mixed black and green olives, diced: 1 cup (about 140–160 g)
• Capers, chopped: 2 tbsp (about 16–20 g)
• Anchovy paste: 1–2 tbsp (about 15–30 g), to taste
• Tomato paste (kunserva): 1 tsp (about 5 g)

Equipment

Traditional arjoli uses a mortar and pestle, which crushes the soaked bread into a paste. If you do not have one large enough, use a medium mortar and work in batches. Keep a bowl nearby to collect each batch, then mix everything together at the end for an even taste.

• Large bowl (for soaking)
• Colander or strainer
• Mortar and pestle
• Chopping board and knife
• Mixing bowl and spoon

Step-by-step procedure

Step 1: Soak the galletti. Put the galletti in a large bowl. Cover fully with water. Leave them to soak overnight, until soft. This soaking is key for the right texture. If some pieces float, press them down so they soak evenly.

Step 2: Drain well. Drain the softened galletti in a colander. Let excess water drip off for a few minutes. The bread should feel soft but not watery. If it seems too wet, press gently to remove some water. This helps the dip hold together as a spread.

Step 3: Prepare the mix-ins. Mince the basil, mint, and parsley. Dice the garlic. Dice the black and green olives. Chop the capers. Measure the anchovy paste and tomato paste. Keeping the pieces small helps them blend into the bread, so each scoop tastes balanced and even.

Step 4: Crush into a paste. Add some soaked galletti to the mortar and pestle. Add a portion of the herbs, garlic, olives, capers, anchovy paste, and tomato paste. Crush until you get a paste consistency. Repeat in batches until all ingredients are used, then mix together in a bowl.

Notes, tips, and variations (from the recipe)

If you cannot find galletti, you can use dry Maltese bread instead, then soak it the same way. For a spicy taste, add one or two sun-dried tomatoes and crush them in. Another Maltese version mixes lots of diced tomato flesh with very fine garlic and plenty of olive oil.

For that tomato-based version, use tomato flesh with no skin or seeds, then leave it for at least an hour so the flavours blend. Keep the garlic very finely diced so it mixes through. This version stays closer to a chunky salad-like dip, while the galletti version becomes thicker and more spreadable.

Nutritional values (approx.)

These values are approximate, since packet sizes and paste brands vary. Table values are per 100 g of prepared arjoli, using mid-range amounts of olives and anchovy paste. If you add more anchovy paste or olives, sodium can rise. If you drain less water, calories per 100 g can drop slightly.