Banitsa
Banitsa is a traditional Bulgarian food in the börek family prepared by layering a mixture of whisked eggs and pieces of cheese between filo pastry and then baking it in an oven. Traditionally, lucky charms are put into the pastry on certain occasions, particularly on New Year's Eve. These charms may be coins or small symbolic objects (e.g., a small piece of a dogwood branch with a bud, symbolizing health or longevity). More recently, people have started writing happy wishes on small pieces of paper and wrapping them in tin foil. Wishes may include happiness, health, or success throughout the new year (similar to fortune cookies). Banitsa is served for breakfast with plain yogurt, ayran, or boza. It can be eaten hot or cold. Some varieties include banitsa with spinach "спаначник" (spanachnik) or the sweet version, banitsa with milk "млечна баница" (mlechna banitsa) or pumpkin "тиквеник" (tikvenik). INGREDIENTS 16 sheets phyllo dough, thawed 2 cups feta cheese 3 large eggs 1 teaspoon salt 3⁄4 cup butter (melted) 1 cup milk DIRECTIONS 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, ( glass pyrex pan works great for this recipe) brush melted butter all over bottom amd sides of baking pan. 2. Mix salt, cheese and milk and eggsin a bowl , combine and stir ingredients well. 3. Put down 5 sheets of phyllo dough down in buttered pan and brush over with melted butter. You can also put down one sheet at a time and butter seperatelly. 4. Pour enough of the mixture to cover phyllo sheets and top with 3 more sheets. 5. Continue to repeat the process: put down 3 sheets and make sure to brush them well with butter then layer with mixture until all of the mixture is done, then cover with atleast 2 sheets. I preffer not to butter the top sheets as they tend to get very hard after the banitsa is done baking. 6. Bake for 25-35 minutes or until golden, make sure mixture is cooked in the middle by cutting into banitsa. When the mixture is cooked it will not be runny. 7. Once banitsa is done cover it with either a towell or the lid to the pan and let it sit and cool before cutting it or serving. Covering it lets the steam soften the phyllo dough sheets. Link to video
Shopska salad
Shopska Salata is a Bulgarian salad created by tossing together chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers (roasted or raw), onions (green or red), and parsley. It is topped with Sirene cheese and served with a drizzle of olive oil and red wine vinegar. Directions Place tomatoes, cucumber, peppers, onion and parsley in a large bowl. Place oil, vinegar, salt and pepper to taste in a screw-top jar. Cover and shake until well blended. Toss dressing with vegetables, turn into a serving bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve. Top with crumbled cheese. Link to video
Guvech
Güveç is the name of a variety of earthenware pots used in Turkish cuisine, and of a number of casserole/stew dishes that are cooked in them. The pot is wide medium-tall, can be glazed or unglazed, and the dish in it is cooked with little or no additional liquid. Güveç dishes can be made in any type of oven-proof pan, but clay or earthenware pots are preferred of the heady, earthy aroma they impart to the stew From Turkey it has spread throughout the region, with slight variations on the name. The names of the dish Đuveč in ex-Yugoslavia, Gyuvech in Bulgaria and the Greek dish Giouvetsi derive from güveç, although they are not always cooked in earthenware güveç pots. But sure Bulgarian guvech is THE BEST Ingredients 1 lb frozen okra, cuts 1 lb frozen broccoli cuts 1 lb green peas 14 1⁄2 ounces diced tomatoes 16 ounces tomato sauce 2 diced onions, medium size 4 garlic cloves, minced 3 tablespoons dried mint 1⁄2 bunch chopped parsley 3⁄4 tablespoon salt 2 1⁄2 lbs peeled and cubed potatoes 2 1⁄2 lbs cubed pork loin 2 bell peppers, cubed 1 eggplant, cubed (optional) DIRECTIONS Mix the first 10 ingredients in a large clay bowl with lid. Chop the other 4 ingredients into 1/4 inch cubes. Mix all together in the clay bowl, cover and cook in a non preheated oven at 550 F for 1 hour. Turn down the temperature to 350 and continue cooking for another hour. This dish would serve 10 large portions. Serve sprinkled with parsley if you desire. Link to video
Musaka
This dish is enjoyed in many variations throughout the Balkan region. The Bulgarian version involves potatoes, eggs and minced pork meat and is a known favourite of Bulgarian men, among whom it is a popular joke that they cannot marry a woman who is unable to cook the perfect musaka.While the Greek variety of musaka may be based on eggplant, the Bulgarian dish relies strictly on potatoes to layer the meat. The whole thing is traditionally covered with thick Bulgarian yoghurt on top. Here’s the Bulgarian Moussaka recipe: 2 lb (~1 kg) potatoes, cut in small cubes 1 lb (1/2 kg) ground meat 1 onion, chopped 2 cups milk 4 eggs 1/2 cup oil 2 tablespoons paprika 1 tablespoon salt 1 teaspoon crushed black pepper Preparation: Start with cooking the onion in a pan with 1/4 oil until golden brown. Then add the ground meat, the pepper, the paprika, and half the salt. Fry until meat gets brown and then remove the pan from the heat.Mix well with the potatoes and the other 1/2 tablespoon of salt. Add the mixture in a casserole pan with the rest of the oil. Bake in oven for about 40 minutes on 425 F (~220 C). In the meantime mix the milk and the eggs separately and pour on top of the meal for the last 10 minutes in the oven untill it turns brownish. Link to video
Shkembe soup
You probably don't want to know exactly what this typically Bulgarian soup is made of. We suggest you first try it and see that it is actually pleasant to the taste. The literal English translation is tripe soup - tripe is the thick lining of the stomach of cattle... Seasoned with garlic, vinegar, and hot red pepper, it will surprise you with its unique aroma and taste - good surprise that is. It is scientifically proven that Shkembe chorba helps alleviate a hangover when consumed after waking up with one. Eat it with as much rakia or beer as you want. Ingredients 1 lb tripe (calf belly) 1 cup (sunflower) oil 2 cups fresh milk 1 teaspoon paprika 1 tablespoon ground black pepper 1 tablespoon salt 2 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly diced 1/3 cup red wine vinegar dried hot chili pepper mix Preparation Boil the tripe for about 30 mins, add oil, milk, black pepper and paprika and boil for another 30 mins occasionally topping up the water. The more you cook it, the better it will taste. Combine some salt, garlic and vinegar in a separate cup, let it soak for about an hour. Serve hot, garnish with the garlic and vinegar mixture and the hot chili peppers.
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