Albania can surprise! This Balkan country is still a novelty for tourists, although its coastline at the junction of the Adriatic and Ionian seas, ancient sights, resorts without crowds of tourists and, of course, local cuisine, are worth visiting in Albania.
Albanian cuisine is reminiscent of Mediterranean, Balkan and Turkish at the same time. Here, a lot is prepared from beef, lamb, poultry, fish, seafood, combining them with vegetables, rice, herbs and garlic. Olive oil is attached almost everywhere. In the northern regions, a lot is made from corn: it is ground into cereals or flour and used for cereals, pastries, and desserts. In the south, the variety of dairy products is amazing, especially soft cheeses and yogurts. We have selected 11 unusual dishes, without which a trip to Albania would not be complete.
1. Pepper with sour cream
The original name of this dish is Speca te Mbushur me Salce Kosi, which translates as “Peppers with Yogurt Sauce”. It is a popular traditional side dish served with meat or on its own. In the classic version, marinated green peppers are stuffed with yogurt-creamy sauce, and then grilled or baked. But you can use other sweet peppers.
2. Tirana Ferges
The Fërges Tirane recipe comes from the capital of Albania. The dish is a cross between a stew and a vegetable casserole. Ferges are made from sweet peppers, tomatoes, sometimes onions and carrots, with the addition of cheese or soft cheese. The vegetables are first fried and then baked in a pot along with Albanian gjize or feta cheese.
3. Tav Kosi
It’s roast lamb topped with yogurt. Pieces of meat are baked with rice in a mixture of yogurt and eggs with herbs and garlic. The dish acquires a delicate texture and even resembles a pie on the outside due to the golden crust of baked yogurt. This is a festive dish that used to be prepared for the family on a special occasion, but now it can be tasted on any day in Albanian cafes and restaurants.
4. Kifki
This Gjirokastra’s signature appetizer is one of the most authentic and typical Albanian dishes, even though they resemble Italian arancini. These are rice balls with eggs, herbs, less often cheese or meat. Sometimes they are dominated and deep fried. You can try kifki right on the street, and at the same time you can see how they are cooked. They are sold in cones of several pieces.
5. Pispel
A great Albanian breakfast option that is easy to make on your own. The main thing in this dish is more greens. Spinach, dill, parsley, green onions are mixed with egg, yogurt and cornmeal, and then fried on both sides. The result is a tender cake with a crust. In addition to greens, soft cottage cheese or cottage cheese can be added there.
6. Flia
An incredibly tender pancake cake is usually made sweet, with a creamy honey filling, but there are also salty recipes. Fliya is a traditional holiday food in Albania. Pancakes, sometimes made from cornmeal, are fried in a dry frying pan and therefore they resemble thin pita bread or flatbread. Then they are smeared with stuffing and stacked in layers in a special large frying pan, where they are baked over an open fire.
7. Turkey First
Turkey is loved here no less than in the United States, but mostly cooked for the New Year. The bird is first boiled in herbs, then baked with a side dish and vegetables. The first is made from crushed homemade bread, which is soaked in broth, spices are added and baked with a turkey. A simplified version of Gjel deti me përshesh, which is offered in many cafes, is chicken with primal.
8. Grilled seafood
This is something that definitely cannot be missed. Grilled dorado, squid, shrimp, scampi and octopus in almost every seaside restaurant in any resort. But Mecca in this respect is considered Saranda, a resort in the south of Albania. Here, local fishermen are ready to cook their freshly caught fish in front of you. The cost of seafood in Saranda pleases, although food prices in Albania are available everywhere. And this is another plus of this direction, which is only gaining momentum in tourism.
9. I have Hajjaldi
Spicy eggplants baked with tomatoes, bell peppers and garlic are reminiscent of the Ottoman tradition. According to legend, when the imam tried eggplant shuttles, he fainted from their taste. Therefore, they are called so: “the imam lost consciousness.” This is a vegetarian dish and is usually served with yogurt or soft cheese as a dip.
10. Fish soup
The traditional Albanian fish soup is called Supë Peshku. It is boiled from sea bass or sea bass with vegetables: zucchini, carrots, sometimes white beans, herbs and porium. All ingredients are cut large enough and the broth remains transparent. The soup is served with local buns or corn tortillas.
11. Shendetli
Shendeli is a real oriental delight. This dessert in Albania is served with coffee, and it is this combination that really reveals the taste of chendetli. This is a moist sponge cake soaked in syrup, which is generously added with vanilla, nuts, and sometimes cocoa. Before dessert, it is best to choose jams or marmalades with sourness, such as citrus or blackberry, to balance the enjoyment of the dessert.