The proximity of Greece, the 500-year rule of the Ottoman Empire, access to the sea, all of this influenced the shaping of Albanian cuisine…
Albania belongs to the Balkan countries, and we share various dishes with it, such as: sarme, stuffed peppers, vine leaf sarmice, stuffed zucchini, various djuvechi, sutlijashi, baklava and so on.
That is why I will single out some specialties, which seemed different to me, yet equally delicious. You should try them when you are in Albania.
Breakfast in Albania, which is not often seen in our area, is petule, delicious, crunchy fritters with a neutral taste, which you can eat as salty or sweet.
You can start with the savory ones with the addition of prosciutto, cheese, and savory spreads, then move on to the sweet variant with nutella or jam. The combinations are countless.
If you explore further, you must try birek, which is shared by all Balkan peoples. It consists of several layers of thin dough between which there is cheese, meat, spinach, or something else.
Unlike ours, the Albanian Birek is quite thin. Along with this, diluted and refreshing yogurt called dal is drunk.
Something different that you must try in Albania is lakror, a very tasty pie, which differs from birek in that the dough is thicker. As for the filling, it can be with cheese, meat, spinach or leek.
This was my favorite Albanian breakfast.
I also tried arapas, Albanian kachamak, which is made from corn flour, olive oil, butter, and cheese.
Thanks to the goat cheese, it has a very intense taste. Sometimes this kačamak is served as a side dish with roast lamb, and sometimes it is topped with fried lamb innards.
After swimming it’s time to look for lunch.
If you really want to find a traditional Albanian dish then order Tave Kosi and you won’t regret it.
It’s lamb baked in sour milk. It is served with salad and bread. It is believed that the dish originated in 1452. when Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II conquered Elbasan.
The Sultan’s cooks used a type of thick yogurt to marinate the lamb along with spices. In order to not waste the marinade, they used leftovers from a roasted lamb, which were baked with the marinade in the oven, and that’s how the famous casserole known today as tave cosi was created.
In some places, it is called Tave Elbasan because it originated in that area, and from there it spread throughout Turkey. We have something similar, which is lamb in milk. Locals sometimes replace lamb with chicken, but that’s a completely different dish.
It is believed that this dish was also served to Ismail Kemali, the father of Albanian independence, during his visit to Vlora in 1912. when Albanian independence was declared. so this very tasty dish also has a rich history.
The great influence of Turkey can be seen in the fact that during the Ottoman rule, lamb became the most commonly used meat in accordance with Islamic customs. Simply seasoned lamb is a great meal for any occasion.
In Albania, vegetables are eaten a lot, so here stuffed zucchini, dolma, paprika and sarmica are a common occurrence in home conditions. That is why grilled vegetables are often on offer in restaurants.
If you want something homemade, order a pan with rice.
Depending on the restaurant they will bring you a hot clay bowl, which is smoking and doesn’t allow you to dive right in with the spoon.
Tarator is eaten a lot here as a salad.
You should also try the local beer. The most famous brands in Albania are Korca and Elbasan.
Since the Italian coast is close, there are frequent ferries that bring Italian tourists, so the restaurant offer is in line with that. That’s how fish, fruit, seafood, but also pizza and spaghetti came to life here.
Spaghetti and pizzas are common and they make them well, so I tried them.
The pizza was great but I waited 45 minutes for it thanks to the “great” waiter service.
A rich supply of fish is a given, and what’s even better, the prices are affordable. In small taverns, you can choose fish from a crate, which they fry for you.
You either eat the fish on the spot or take it home. That’s the best way because then you avoid the waiter.
If you want something sweeter, look for trileće, which is not an authentic Albanian cake, but they have made it their own by topping it with caramel, unlike the original.
A great combination.
Conclusion
These are just some of the delicacies that I got to try. Albanian cuisine does not use many spices, and relies on the original taste and freshness of local ingredients. Food is great in Albania and if you are not careful, you will come back with some extra kilos.
What did you try in Albania?
Did I miss something?
Traveled and enjoyed,
Marko Velickovic