Kosovar cuisine explained

The cuisine of Kosovo is a representative of the cuisine of the Balkans and consists of traditional dishes by ethnic groups native to Kosovo. Due to ethnic connections with Albania, it has been significantly influenced by Albanian cuisine and has adopted elements of other Balkan countries.

Bread, dairy, meat, fruits and vegetables are important staples in Kosovan cuisine. With diversity of recipes, the Kosovan daily cuisine adjusts well to the country's occasional hot summers and the frequent long winters. As a result of its continental climate, fresh vegetables are consumed in summer while pickles throughout autumn and winter.^[1] Breakfast in Kosovo is usually light, consisting primarily of a croissant with coffee, sandwiches, scrambled eggs, omelettes, petulla or toast with [Suxhuk[salami]], processed cheese, lettuce and tea. Cereals with milk, waffles, pretzels and homemade pancakes with honey or marmalade are also frequently consumed especially by children.

Dishes

Common dishes include pies, flija, stuffed peppers, legumes, sarma, and kebab/qebapa. The most common dishes in wintertime in Kosovo contain pickled items like sauerkraut, green tomatoes, cucumbers, cauliflower, and condiments such as ajvar (hot or mild red peppers) which is usually seasoned in early autumn. These foods are used in appetizers throughout the year.

Bread

Varieties of bread are available throughout the country. Notably: pitalka, pita, cornbread (also known as "Leqenik"), kifli and whole wheat bread among others.

Pies

Pies in Kosovo are known as "trejte",^[2] or "pite". A variety of pies are common:

Kollpite- a baked crust with nothing inside and covered with yogurt ^[3]
Burek- also known as pie in Albania. Byrek is made of pastry layers filled with minced meat, white cheese or spinach.
Bakllasarm - a salty pie with yoghurt and garlic covering^[4]
Kungullore- savory pastry with pumpkin filling
Pite me Spanaq- savory pastry with spinach filling, also known as Spanakopita^[5]
Leqenik, known also as Kryelanë (Krelanë) ^[6] ^[7]
Resenik - cabbage pie ^[8]
Purrenik - leek pie ^[9]
Hithenik - nettle pie ^[10]

Salads

Typical salad ingredients include tomatoes, onion, garlic, pepper, cucumber, potato, cabbage, lettuce, carrots, and beans.

Potato salad
Tarator - a traditional salad made with cucumbers, garlic and yogurt. Very popular dish for summer.
Tomato and cucumber salad
Dried nettle salad
Bean salad
Shope salad - a simple salad made of tomato, cucumber, onions and white cheese.

Main dishes

Tavë Prizreni is a traditional regional casserole from the southern city of Prizren. It is made with lamb, eggplants, green peppers, onions, tomatoes and is served hot. Sarma is also another popular lunch dish which (although not limited to) consists of minced meat wrapped with cabbage or vine leaves.^[11]

Stuffed peppers - with meat, rice and vegetables
Lasagne - alternated with sauces and various other ingredients
Qebapa - small grilled meat skinless sausages made of lamb and beef mix; served with onions, sour cream, ajvar and pitalka bread
Sarma- rolled vine or cabbage leaves
Pilaf- Rice meal similar to risotto
Pasulj - Soup made of usually white beans. It is prepared with beef and paprika.
Suxhuk - A dry, spicy and fermented sausage.
Tavë ^[12] - a traditional dish with lamb chops
Tavë Kosi - baked lamb with yogurt

Fish

The most popular fish dishes constitute of fried freshwater fish like zander and carp. A speciality is considered the tavë krapi, carp cooked in a pot, more widely used in cities around the Dukagjini valley, notably Gjakova because of its relation with Shkodër. The garnish is composed of garlic, bay leaf, tomato, parsley.

Desserts

Traditional Kosovan desserts are often made with sorbet which is enhanced with lemon or vanilla flavour. The mainstream pastries include Baklava (regional), Cremeschnitte, Pudding, Crêpe, Tulluma, Tespishte, Rovani, etc.

Baklava is a rich, sweet pastry made of layers of filo pastry filled with chopped nuts and sweetened with syrup or honey.
Rice pudding is a dish made from rice mixed with water or milk and sometimes other ingredients such as cinnamon and raisins. Different variants are used for either desserts or dinners. When used as a dessert, it is commonly combined with a sweetener such as sugar.
Cremeschnitte is a chantilly and custard cream cake.
Kek a similar form of sweet dessert to cake.
Havell is a flour-based sweet confection of non Kosovan origin.
Sheqerpare
Tespishte

Drinks

Drinking coffee is part of a big tradition in Kosovo.^[13] It is widely consumed and served everywhere at cafés, bars or restaurants. There are several varieties of coffee popular in Kosovo, which include instant coffee, brewed coffee, Turkish coffee and espresso.^[14]

The most popular traditional drink in Kosovo is Rasoj which is made of a fermented red cabbage. Another popular beverages include boza, lemonade, kompot (usually drank during the autumn and made with seasonal fruit such as quince), beer, as well as coffee and teas.

Rasoj^[15] - Probiotic fermented red cabbage juice consumed mostly during the winter
Rakia - A popular regional fruit brandy alcoholic beverage. In Kosovo it is typically made from grapes, although some variations exist.
Boza - A soft drink made of maize and wheat flour. Notorious for being a refreshing summer drink.
Ajron - A mix of yogurt, water and salt.
Beer - Some of Kosovo's local beers are "Birra Peja", "Birra Ereniku", "Birra Prishtina", etc.
Compote - A non-alcoholic sweet beverage that may be served hot or cold, depending on tradition and season.
Coffee - drip brewed coffee, percolated, espresso (such as macchiato and cappuccino), a variety of instant coffee, etc.
Tea - The most popular teas are mountain tea, rose hip tea, black tea and peppermint tea.

External links

News: Graham. Adam. In Kosovo, a Thirst for Progress, and Beer, Too. The New York Times. 20 August 2015.

Notes and References

Web site: FOOD. beinkosovo.com. Pristina. 1. en.
Web site: Kuzhina Kosovare Fjala kuzhinë thuhet... - Kultura dhe Tradita Shqiptare . Web.facebook.com . 2014-07-30 . 2017-01-24.
Web site: Kollpite | Traditional Savory Pastry from Kosovo | TasteAtlas.
Web site: Bakllasarëm - Kosovar Cuisine - Kosovo . KosovoGuide.com . 2017-01-24 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160407042044/http://www.kosovoguide.com/?cid=2,227,1011 . 2016-04-07 . dead .
Web site: Pite me spanaq. 4 April 2013.
Web site: Leqenik i shijshëm i butë dhe i thjeshtë! . Femra.net . 2014-06-20 . 2017-01-24 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170718153615/http://www.femra.net/leqenik-i-shijshem-i-bute-dhe-i-thjeshte/ . 2017-07-18 . dead .
Web site: Kryelanë misri me hithra - Recetat e Cekës . Recetatecekes.com . 2017-01-24 . https://web.archive.org/web/20161119060656/http://recetatecekes.com/kryelane-misri-me-hithra/ . 2016-11-19 . dead .
Web site: Rasenik – Pite me lakër të bardhë - Receta + Fotografi . Kuzhina Shqiptare . 2017-01-03 . 2017-01-24 . 2018-02-23 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180223045148/http://www.kuzhinashqiptare.com/receta/rasenik-pite-me-laker-te-bardhe/ . dead .
Web site: Byrek me purri e qumësht . Telegrafi . 2010-02-24 . 2017-01-24.
Web site: HITHENIK - Receta + Fotografi . Kuzhina Shqiptare . 2017-01-03 . 2017-01-24 . 2018-07-26 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180726004330/http://www.kuzhinashqiptare.com/receta/hithenik/ . dead .
Web site: Kosovo Kosovar Cuisine . KosovoGuide.com . 2014-08-24 . 2017-01-24 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160402045439/http://www.kosovoguide.com/?cid=2,227 . 2016-04-02 . dead .
Web site: 1000 receta per cdo familje . Scribd.com . 2017-01-24.
Book: Verena Knaus, Gail Warrander, Larissa Olenicoff, Bridget Nurre Jennions. Kosovo. 5 October 2017. Bradt Travel Guides, 2017. 9781784770587. 68. en.
Web site: 2 Turkish coffees + 3 macchiatos + 4 cups of tea = 1 day in Kosovo. brittanyinkosovo.wordpress.com. en. 19 July 2016.
Web site: Cabbage Winter Drink (rasoj) . Instructables.com . 2014-12-21 . 2017-01-24.