It taste like Albania

Danger: I'm about to describe the best food in the world !

"Bukë e kripë, e zemër."

No other quote describes Albanian food better than the one mentioned above. It also says exactly what I like more about our meals, all of them are made with heart and have a unique and simple taste.

Today I will share with you some recipes. I invite you to try and cook them but for a more original taste came in Albania.

1.“Tave kosi “

Ingredients:

1 kg of fresh lamb (beef can be used as an alternative, but traditionally lamb is the main element, so in order to have the most authentic taste, it is recommended not to change the ingredients)

1 kg of yogurt

Half a anion

2 spoons of flour

3 eggs

a little butter

2 spoons of rice

Salt

Paper

Preparation: It would be good to previously put the meat in a pot together with onions, a little salt, pepper, and water and boil until the meat softens. After the meat is cooked, put it in the pan and pour 2 spoons of rice. Meanwhile, mix three eggs in a bowl, add salt and 2 spoons of flour, mix well so that the flour does not become grainy, and add about 1 kg of yogurt. Put the ingredients in a pot, and after adding a little broth, put it on the fire until it boils, stirring with a spoon all the time. Add the yogurt mixture to the pan with meat, and let all the ingredients cook together in the oven until golden, about 45-50 minutes at 200 degrees.

2.“Tave dheu”

Ingredients:

500 g beef liver (or beef according to preference)

1 onion

1/2 glass of white wine

2 red tomatoes or sauce

100 g of cottage cheese

1 spoon of flour

Olive oil

Salt, pepper, oregano

Daphnia Leaf

Preparation: To begin, finely chop one onion and sauté it in a pot with 3 tablespoons of olive oil until it becomes translucent. Add a pinch of salt, and then add the beef that has been cut into small pieces. Cook the meat and onions together until the meat changes color. Deglaze the pan with wine, and let it simmer until the alcohol has evaporated. Once the liquid has reduced, add grated tomato pulp to the pot, cover it with a lid, and let it cook for 10-15 minutes on medium heat. When the tomato has created its own sauce, add 2 cups of water to the pot and let it simmer for 30 minutes or until the meat has become tender. The dish should have a sauce-like consistency. Add crumbled cheese, oregano, and black pepper to the pot. In a separate bowl, mix flour with cold water, and pour it into the pot. Stir it while it boils, and thin it out if it becomes too thick. Divide the mixture into small pans, and place bay leaves on top. Bake in a preheated oven at 200 degrees Celsius for 10-15 minutes.

3. “Cicivi”

Ingredients:

5-8 pieces of chicken

1 onion

4 tbsp flour

3 cups + more of chicken broth

100 g butter

2 tbsp oil

4 garlic cloves

salt to season

1/2 tsp of paprika

Preparation: Firstly, chop the onion and place it in a pot with the chicken, seasoning it with salt. Allow it to boil, creating a broth for the gravy. Once the chicken has boiled, you can start on the gravy. In a separate pan, melt butter with oil and stir in flour. On low to medium heat, brown the flour, stirring constantly to prevent burning. This process should take around 10 minutes, resulting in a brown color like brown sugar. Add garlic, salt, and paprika, then pour in three cups of broth. Mix well to avoid lumps, and gradually add more broth until the desired consistency is achieved. The gravy should be thick, falling somewhere between a thick gravy and a thin broth. Simmer and cook the gravy on low heat for 7 to 10 minutes. Next, place chicken pieces in a pot and pour the gravy over them. Cook them in the oven at 250 degrees Celsius until the skin of the chicken has turned golden. This dish is perfect for those who enjoy a savory and slightly tangy flavor with a smooth, creamy texture.

4. Albanian Pie (Lakror) my favourite*

Ingredients:

500g flour

salt

water

sunflower oil

The fill: (can be with different

things but for this version)

4 tomatoes

2 onions

For a traditional version, I recommend the

one with raw cabbage (500 g/ 1kg)

Preparation:

First, we prepare the pie filling. Put some oil in a pot. Chop the onion and tomato and add them to the pot. Stir them until they are slightly browned, add two glasses of water, and let them boil. Meanwhile, prepare the dough. Pour the water into a bowl, add a spoonful of salt, and gradually add the water until the batter has a firm consistency. After we have worked the dough well, we divide it into two parts. Divide the first part into 5-6 other smaller parts. Roll out the small pieces in a circular shape with a rolling pin until the sheet has a diameter of approximately 10 cm. After we have opened all the small parts, we start to arrange them one on top of the other, pouring a little oil between them. We take the thick sheet and open it to the size of a pan. Pour a little oil at the bottom of the pan and add the layer. We prepare the second layer in the same way. Add the filling and then place the other pasta. Pour some oil on the surface of the second layer and let it bake at 250 degrees for 20 minutes.