Tasting traditional dishes has become a tradition in our travels, since national cuisine characterizes not only the country, but also its people. Most establishments in Albania do not have menus in either Russian or English. The staff is not particularly friendly with languages. The waiters we met were very friendly, they tried to understand the visitors as best they could, almost always with a smile.
The national cuisine of Albania is not particularly similar to the cuisine of Montenegro or Greece, although similar notes can be traced. Before the trip, I made a small dictionary with the names of dishes in Albanian, so that I could at least have an idea of what to order.
Features of the national cuisine of Albania
Albania’s cuisine has its roots in the ancient Ottoman Empire. Modern influences include Greece, Italy and Turkey. Often in establishments you can find Italian dishes: pizza, pasta, risotto, and they are almost worse than in Italy. In the article “What to try in Albania” I wrote about this.
At first glance, Albanian cuisine may seem mysterious, but if you study the geography and history, you can imagine what it will consist of. The most popular vegetables grown are eggplants, peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, olives (which accompany most dishes) and legumes.
When talking about food, the country can be divided into three regions. In the north, the staple food is ground corn. We saw there mainly potatoes, carrots, cabbage, beans, onions, garlic and walnuts.
If you visit Shkoder, you can enjoy carp dishes thanks to the numerous lakes and rivers nearby. The dishes here include a lot of poultry – duck, goose, chicken and turkey are raised. Fishermen catch flounder, perch, mullet and sole in the Adriatic Sea. Traditional dishes include eggs, spinach, cabbage or nettle cakes, liver and cottage cheese.
Most cattle are raised in the southern region of Albania, meaning dairy often takes center stage in dishes. The climate here is warmer, so citrus and olive groves grow everywhere.
Fig jam and dried figs have always been popular souvenirs from Albania. In villages located at higher elevations, animal organs are used.
National cuisine of Albania – Soups
Soup pawn (Supë Peshku)
Pawn soup is a traditional Albanian fish soup. It is cooked from sea bass or sea bass with a generous portion of vegetables, spicy celery roots and parsley, herbs and pieces of zucchini. The taste of the soup is unusually sweet, but undoubtedly pleasant. Ingredients used: white beans, tomato sauce and onions.
Tarator
In summer, they serve cold tarator soup with dill and yogurt. The Bulgarian version is also similar, and in Hungary you will also find a version with a few different ingredients. The recipe varies slightly depending on local preferences, but the main ingredients include lamb and yogurt. The ingredients are then placed in a casserole along with other herbs and cooked in the oven. Tavë kosi me mish pule is the name of the chicken version.
The dish is prepared from only two ingredients – pieces of beef and onions. They are fried until golden brown and then stewed for two hours.
Paçe Coke
Pache koke is a stew made from lamb or goat’s head. In Albania, no stew is more traditional than Pace Koke, and how many of us can say that we have eaten a stew made from a sheep’s head? The animal’s head is boiled in water and a variety of fresh vegetables and herbs are added, such as celery, carrots, onions, parsley and bay leaves. Once the meat comes off the bone, it is removed and added to the stew along with the garlic and tomato sauce. At the last stage, the meat and clear broth are mixed until it reaches the desired consistency. Pace coque is usually served with plain white rice.
Qifqi
Kifki are deep-fried balls of rice, eggs and herbs. Kifki is a traditional dish from Gjirokastra that is difficult to find anywhere else. If you’re visiting this UNESCO World Heritage city on your Albania tour, be sure to give it a try. You will find it on the menu of most restaurants throughout the city. Kifki is a simple but tasty dish. Boiled rice, egg and herbs, including mint, are mixed and formed into balls, fried in a special frying pan, maintaining a round shape. Some versions contain cheese. Try both and choose your favorite! Kifki is usually served with sauce.
Gzhel children me pershesh (Gjel deti me përshesh)
Gjel deti me përshesh is offered in many cafes. It’s roasted turkey with cornbread mash. The cornbread is crumbled in turkey cooking juices along with small pieces of turkey liver, onions, leeks and a mixture of herbs and spices. The turkey is cooked separately and served at the end with perches (crumbs) topped with melted butter. The unique combination of flavors is impressive.
