Albanian cuisine

The cuisine of Albania is uniquely influenced by Turkish, Greek, and Italian cuisines. Every region in Albania and Kosovo has its own unique dishes. Albanian cuisine is characterized by the use of various mediterranean herbs such as Oregano, Black Pepper, Mint, Basil, Rosemary and more in cooking meat and fish. Olive oil and butter is also a main ingredient in different dishes.

In Albania, meat (lamb, pork, cow, rabbit and chicken) is used heavily in various dishes in most of the country. Seafood specialties are also common in the coastal areas such as Durrës, Vlorë, Shkoder, Lezhe and Sarandë.

Vegetables are used in almost every dish. Usually, Albanian farmers grow every vegetable present in the Mediterranean region and sell them at the local Farmers Market. Vegetables are brought fresh at the Farmers Market early in the morning and this market is opened everyday.

The main meal of the Albanians is lunch, which usually consists of gjellë, the main dish of slowly cooked meat, and a salad of fresh vegetables, such as tomatoes, cucumbers, green peppers, and olives. The salad is dressed with olive oil, vinegar, and salt.

Appetizers

• Bread (Bukë) or Corn Bread (Bukë misri) are ever present on the Albanian table. Hence the expression for "Going to Eat a Meal" (Albanian:për të ngrënë bukë) can be literally translated as Going to eat bread.
• Chicken livers
• Eggplant appetizers
• Dolma (Stuffed grape leaves with rice)
• Pickled cabbage (Laker Turshi)
• Fried sardines with lemon (Sarraga me Limon)
• Albanian-style meze platters that include prosciutto ham, salami and brined cheese, accompanied with roasted bell peppers (capsicum) and/or green olives marinated in olive oil with garlic
• Papare: bread leftovers cooked with water, egg, and Gjize (a special type of Ricotta)

Salads

• Albanian potato salad
• Albanian tossed salad
• Bean salad
• Cabbage salad
• Tomato and pepper salad

Soups

Tarator is a chilled yogurt and cucumber soup and is popular in the summer months

• Bean Jahni soup
• Potato and cabbage soup
• Soup with lemon
• Tarator
• Trahana

Fish

• Oven-baked trout with onions and tomatoes
• Baked fish with olive oil and garlic
• Baked Ohrid trout
• Baked Carp

Meat

• Tavë kosi, baked lamb and yogurt dish
• veal or chicken with walnuts
• Fërgesë of Tirana with Veal
• Fried meatballs or, Qofte të fërguara.
• Kolloface Korçe
• Veal with very large lima beans
• Harapash, which is polenta with the intestines of lamb, butter, cheese and corn flour

Vegetables

Dolma

• Dolma (in Kosovo known as Sarma-a and in South Eastern Montenrgo known as Japrak)family of stuffed vegetable dishes
• Baked leeks
• Fërgesë of Tirana with peppers
• Peppers stuffed with rice, meat and vegetables
• Stuffed aubergines with cheese

Pies

Bakllasarëm. It is also called Mantia, but it is not the dumpling form of the turkish Manti.

• Byrek – Albanian vegetable pie, it can also have feta cheese, spinach, cabbage or meat, its layered pie also known as "pite" or "pita".
• Kungullur – Pastry layers filled with mashed pumpkin, butter, salt and sugar
• Bakllasarëm (Bakllasarem), is a traditional food prepared in Kosovo and Albania, its layered pie also known as "pite" or "pita" (Byrek) without anything inside, which is covered with yoghurt and garlic, and then heated again. It is eaten for lunch.

Desserts

Baklava is prepared on large trays and cut into a variety of shapes

The desserts most common in Albania are made throughout the Balkans:

• Halvë
• Turkish Delight
• Kadaif
• Revani
• Tambëloriz/Sultjash
• Baklava
• Kek
• Shëndetlie (me mjaltë)
• Kabuni
• Krem karamel
• Zupa
• Trileçe
• Tollumba - Fried dough pieces in syrup
• Gliko

Drinks

A glass of boza

Mineral water is one of the most preferred non-alcoholic drinks in Albania, along with carbonated beverages. Some of these are produced locally and some are imported from abroad.

• Carbonated and mineral waters
• Milk (Gjizë is a by product)
• Yoghurt (Kos)
• Mountain Tea (Çaj Mali)
• Various fruit juices and soft drinks
• Albanian buttermilk (Dhallë)
• Beer (local Birra Tirana, and Birra Korça)
• Boza
• Raki
• Cognac (local Konjak Skënderbeu)
• Albanian wine

External links

• Traditional Dishes by Region in Albania
• 20 Traditional Albanian Recipes
• Albanian Cuisine
• Traditional Albanian Recipes Portal (Albanian)
• Albanian Liver Recipe