Tarator

Tarator is a cold salad (it looks like cold creamy soup), and it's eaten mainly in summertime because it's light and refreshing. But you can eat it anytime through the year. It's very simple to make, and many Balkan kitchens have their own version of this salad. This is the Macedonian recipe:

1 large cucumber
500gr sour milk
1 clove of garlic (or spring garlic)minced or finely chopped
salt, pepper
dill or parsley
optional 1 tablespoon oil

Wash and peel the cucumber, then chop it into very small cubes. Add the sour milk and stir it well until there's no lumps of the sour milk. Add the minced garlic (or chopped spring garlic), finely chopped dill or parsley, salt, pepper and the oil. Mix everything until well combined.
That's it! And eat:-))

Zucchinis/Courgettes With Bechamel Sauce

Zucchinis/Courgettes with bechamel sauce

A great meal for every season. Also you can constitute the zucchinis with mushrooms for a delicious mushroom creme.

Recipe:

2-3 zucchinis/courgettes

water

For the Bechamel:

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 cups milk

2-3 cloves minced garlic

little bit of nutmeg (or you can skip it)

salt and pepper.

Cut the zucchinis/courgettes in 1 cm circles than in half. Cook the in water until they're almost cooked. Strain them from the water and put them aside. You can keep some of the water so that you'll adjust the sauce.

Warm the milk in one saucepan, but do not bring it to boil. In another saucepan on low heat, melt the butter until it starts to foam. Add the flour and with constant stircook it for 3-4 minutes or until the flour is lightly yellow. Than add the warm milk and whisk it with wire whisk so that

the sauce remain smooth and not with lumps. Cook it stirring for 10 minutes on low than add the zucchinis, garlic, salt, pepper, nutmeg and cook it for another 5 minutes. If the sauce is too thick, add some of the water in which the zucchinis have cooked.

Delicious:-)!

Homemade Tomato Soup

Homemade Tomato Soup

This is Macedonian version of simple tomato soup, great for the summer and also for every season.

Recipe:

1 kg tomatoes

2-3 tablespoons olive oil (or any kind of oil)

parsley finely chopped

2-3 cloves minced garlic

2-3 eggs (you can skip the eggs, if you don't like eggs)

salt and pepper

optional:

few basil leafs

oregano

or some other spice that you like

Cut the tomatoes into four vedges. Grind the tomatoes into the pot. If you find this hard, you can peel them and blend them into blender. Than add them to the pot. Put the pot onto medium heat and bring the tomatoes to boil. Cook the tomatoes with open lid until 1/3 of the consistency is boiled down. Add the oil, garlic, parsley salt and pepper (and any spice that you like) and cook this for another 5 minutes. If the soup is too acidic for your taste add a spoon of sugar (although in Macedonia we don't add sugar). Beat the eggs in a bowl. Turn off the heat and add the eggs. Stir them

so they can cook. You can garnish this with parsley, garlic bread croutons or whatever you like.

Bon Appetit:-)

Turli Tava

This is a popular Macedonian dish, peope's most favorite in the summer, and extremely delicious. Not very easy to make

but sure it's worth it.

Recipe:

600 gr (or more) pork or beef meat (boneless) or chicken breasts or thighs (boneless). Cut it into medium sized pieces. (bigger than bitesize)

500 gr potatoes peeled and cutted into small cubes

500 gr tomatoes cutted into cubes

500 gr eggplant peeled and cutted into small cubes

500 gr bell pepper cutted into small pieces

4-5 okras cutted into circles

200 gr rice

1 large onion finely diced

water

oil

salt and 8-10 peppercorns

parsley

If you want this in vegetarian variation, leave out the meat and start with onions and potatoes.

Preheat the oven to 250 C degrees.

In a medium deep baking pan add the oil and the diced onion and stir. Lay the pieces of meat on top and bake this 15 minutes.

After 15 minutes stir everything and bake 5 minutes. After 5 minutes add the cubed potatoes and bake for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, stir everything and bake 5 more minutes. Then add the peppers and bake for 10 minutes. After that stir everything in the pan and bake 5 more minutes. Add the eggplant and the okras and bake 10 minutes. Than stir everything in the pan

and bake 5 minutes. Now add the tomatoes, rice, salt and peppercorns, parsley and stir everything. Add the water until the content of the pan is almost covered. Bake for 20-30 minutes more or until the rice is cooked.

The preparation is little boring but when you try this, you'll see that it's worth it.

Enjoy:-)

Spaghetti And Ham

I made this meal because I had one package of spaghetti and I wanted some fast meal.
This is extremely fast.
Recipe:
1 package spaghetti
200gr ham (or any smoked meat will do) - if you want, you can replace the meat with some vegetables.
250gr double cream
1 tablespoon lemon juice and zest from 1/2 lemon
200 gr yellow cheese (any cheese that melt will do) grated
salt, pepper, vegeta

Cook the spaghetti, and while they cook make the sauce. Slice the ham in very thin pieces and fry it on little oil.
After 5 minutes add the double cream, lemon juice and zest, salt, pepper, vegeta and the cheese. Add the cooked spaghetti and stir.
Garnish with a little more grated cheese on top. Enjoy this fast and easy meal:-)

Pudding Cake

If you want some easy and fast, but delicious dessert, than this pudding cake is great for you.
I know that in the picture it looks kind of ugly, but I didn't had patience and I've cut it when it was still warm:-)
When it's firm it looks pretty.
Recipe:
1 liter milk
2 packages pudding powder (any taste, you can actually make 2 different puddings so that your cake will be colorful)
14 tablespoons of sugar (if you want you can use less)
2 small packages of ordinary biscuits (if you want you can use some other biscuits
If you like you can use some fruits (if you use pudding with fruit taste), or you can add coconut shreds, or chocolate...anything you like. This cake is versatile.
In a deep pan or cake shape, place one layer of the biscuits. Crush some biscuits to fill the gaps.
Cook the pudding according to the package instructions. After it's done you can add into it fruit or whatever you like.
Pour 1/3 of the pudding. Than place another layer of biscuits, and again pudding. It should be 3 layers biscuits, 3 layers pudding, starting with the biscuits and finishing with the pudding.
There's no need to soak the biscuits into liquid, they'll soak the excess liquid from the pudding.
Let it cool then place it into the fridge and let it cool until the cake is hardened. You can garnish it with beaten double cream, fruit or whatever you like.

Creamy Chicken

This meal is another variation from meals with double cream. The double cream is great stuff. It can blend with anything and it gives richness to the meal.
For this recipe you'll need:
500gr chicken meat chopped in small pieces
1 medium onion or couple of spring onions
250gr double cream
zest of 1 lemon or I'll think 1/2 orange will do too
salt, pepper, vegeta
50-80gr oil
You can add some other vegetable as well.
Fry the meat and the onions on heated oil. Than add lid on and let it simmer 10-15 minutes.
Add salt, pepper, vegeta and the zest, than add the double cream. If it's too thick, add some water.
Close the lid on again and simmer it for 10 minutes.
Eat this wonderful meal with pasta, potato mush or whatever you like. Enjoy:-)

Zucchinis/Courgettes With Light Sauce

This is extremely easy and light meal, and it's great in summertime.
Recipe:
2-3 zucchinis/courgettes
200-250 gr sour milk
100gr corn and 100 gr ordinary flour mixed together
2-3 cloves of garlic minced
dill finely chopped
salt, pepper
oil for frying
Cut the zucchinis/courgettes in 1/2 cm circles (you can peel them if you like, but it isn't necessary just wash them well and dry them).
Coat every circle in the flours and fry them in very hot oil. When they're fried, place them onto kitchen paper towel, to soak the excess oil.
Mix the sour milk with the garlic, dill and salt and pepper.
Pour the sauce over the zucchinis/courgettes. Enjoy this light summer meal.

Pileski Paprikas

Pileski paprikas (Chicken and paprika) is a meal which isn't very old-style. It's actually modern meal.
It's one of my favorite meals, and that's why I'm going to share this recipe with you.
Recipe:
500gr chicken breast (but I think any part of chicken will do, but boneless and skinless) chopped in small pieces
maybe 500gr water (but again it depends how thick you want the sauce). Another good idea is to use water in which the pasta has cooked.
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons of flour
1/2 tablespoon of paprika
zest from 1 lemon, and the juice
200-250gr sour cream or double cream
50-80gr oil
salt, pepper, vegeta
parsley
1 package of any kind of pasta, or you can eat it with rice, mash potatoes...or whatever you like
In saucepan heat the oil, than add the onion and the meat fry them for about 5 minutes and then place a lid on and simmer it
10-15 minutes until the meat is cooked and tender. Add the flour, cook it 1 min and then add the paprika and quickly add the water.
Add the zest and the juice from the lemon, salt, pepper and vegeta. Cook it with the lid off for about 10 minutes, or until the sauce is thick enough for you.
Stir occasionally because the flour tend to stay on the bottom the first couple of minutes. When it's done, add the sour cream or double cream and add the parsley.
Pour the sauce over pasta, rice or whatever you like. Enjoy:-)

Macedonia timeless

Ruska Salata (Russian Salad)

Well, I know that this is not a Macedonian dish, but it's very popular in Macedonia. We make it mostly when we have feasts and in some important occasion along with some other mayonnaise based salads. But we eat it and when there's no occasion:-). I know that this salad comes in many varieties but this is how we prepare it in Macedonia:
Recipe:
2 medium potatoes
1 big carrot
70 gr green peas
2-3 pickles (squeeze the liquid from them)
80 gr smoked ham
around 70 gr mayonnaise (if you need more add, but not too much. The salad must be thick enough so you can shape it)
optional:
1 tablespoon sour cream
1-2 boiled eggs chopped
kaskaval, which is yellow cheese not white. I guess you can add any cheese like: cheddar, gouda, emmental or some other if you like, chopped into small cubes.

Boil the potatoes, carrot, and the peas. After that chop the potatoes, carrot, pickles and the ham into very small cubes. Here in Macedonia is often said if the cubes are smaller the salad is tastier, but it shouldn't look like the ingredients are grated:-). Then combine all the ingredients and the salad is ready. You can garnish it whatever you like, and in any shape you like. Enjoy:-)

Vegeta

Vegeta is a mix of spices and vegetables. It's originated in 1958 in Croaita by Podravka food factory. It's one of the most used spice in Macedonia. It's made of salt, dehydrated vegetables (carrot, onion, celery etc.), sugar and some spices. I really don't know in how many countries it's sold, but I think that maybe you can buy it online.

Happy Easter!!!

Happy Easter!!!

19.04.2009 Orthodox Easter

Zelka Mandza

Zelka Mandza is another winter dish, made from brined cabbage. The name comes from Zelka - cabbage and mandza - stew. It's very delicious but it takes a little more time for preparation.
Recipe:
1 medium brined cabbage (chopped)
water, liquid from the brined cabbage or vegetable soup
200 gr (more or less) smoked meat: ribs,bacon,sausages
2 medium onions (chopped)
sunflower oil
2 tablespoons of flour
1 tablespoon of paprika
bay leaf
salt and pepper

In a hot pot add oil and then fry the onions until soft. Then add the cabbage and simmer it for about 5-10 minutes. Add the smoked meat, bay leaf and add the water or liquid until the cabbage is cover. Cover the pot and let it simmer on low for about hour and a half. Check the pot from time to time and if the liquid has evaporated add more (the cabbage should be covered). After hour and a half the cabbage should be tender. Then in a pan add about 80 gr. oil, then add the flour. Fry it until golden and add the paprika. Pour this into the pot and stir. Add salt and pepper. Cook the cabbage with open lid for about 5 minutes. Enjoy this delicious meal.

Radovish Somun

The Radovish somun is winter meal which is eaten for lunch. The name comes from Radovish-town in Macedonia, and somun, in old Macedonian-bread. Also I want to add that a version of this meal, only with filling of eggs and cheese is called Pastrmajlija. Somun is pizza liked meal, only in elyptical shape and the filling is meat (usually pork). It's very delicious, but it has many callories:-). Eather way you can make it lighter or smaller.
Recipe:
For 4 somuns:
For the dough:
1 kg of flour
4 eggs
1 package yeast
water
salt
Filling:
800 gr pork meat (chopped in little cubes and seasoned with salt and pepper)
200 g (or less) lard (pork fat)
If you make pastrmajlija the filling would be 2-3 eggs for each somun and cheese.
You can substitute the lard with sunflower oil, or butter.
Also the filling can be: meat from chicken breasts, fish with eggs, Sazdrma (it's lamb meat cooked in it's own fat, with added spices) e.t.c, and you can add some vegetables too.
First disolve the yeast in some warm water. Then mix the ingredients and make dough. Divide the dough in 4 equal pieces. Spread the dough in elyptical shape and add the filling. Put lard on top of the meat (or oil or butter). Bake the somuns on 250 C until done. If you like you can crack an egg on top and bake it until the egg is cooked. When the somuns are done, add some fat on the crust of the dough. If you're not going to eat the somuns imidiatly, wrap the somuns in baking paper and add them in plastic bags, so the dough won't dry.
Enjoy:-)

Chorbur

Chorbur is a dish, which is much lighter than the normal Macedonian dishes. As I know, it was made when people were poor, and it was (like is today), eaten for lunch. It looks like a light sauce, but it's actually eaten like a soup. It's extremely easy and fast recipe.
Recipe:
sunflower oil
2 tablespoons of flour
1 tablespoon of paprika
1 tablespoon of vegeta (optional)
cold water (maybe 750 ml, but it really depends of how thick you want the soup)
3-4 eggs (less or more)
white cheese (or some other cheese that won't melt into the soup, but will stay in pieces)
If you like you can add parsley at the end of cooking.
salt and pepper

Take a pan that will be wide, not deep and not too shallow,(at my home we use a little deeper baking pan). In the heated pan add the oil. When the oil is hot, fry the flour until golden. Add the paprika and pour the cold water. NOTE: Also in the other dishes which contains this step, always use cold water, otherwise the flour will become lumps. Now crack the eggs into the soup, don't beat them, just let them whole, and add the cheese. Add salt, pepper, vegeta to taste. When the eggs are boiled by your liking, and the soup is thick enough, the meal is ready. You can add parsley on top. Also you can add some vegetable in it if you like, or other spices, but we eat it like this.
Enjoy this simple and easy meal!

Sarma

Sarma actually is an international dish but it's very popular in Macedonia. Of course it's made in a lot of variations: with brine cabbage, fresh cabbage, vine leaves, sorrel (Rumex acetosa) etc. It's small wraps of these leaves filled mainly with rice and grounded meat, or vegetarian (only rice). But a lot of people are using finely chopped smoked meat, ham etc. or they add a little smoked meat into the grounded meat for better taste. The recipe is simple but the cooking is taking a lot of time. But believe me it's worth the effort and time.

1 large head of brined cabbage
1 kg. grounded meat (pork, lamb, beef or any other meat)
300 g. rice
2 medium onions chopped
2 tablespoons of flour
1 tablespoon of paprika
sunflower oil
water, liquid from the brined cabbage or vegetable soup
1 tablespoon vegeta
salt and pepper

First saute the onions on a sunflower oil about 2 minutes. Add the meat and saute until the meat is cooked. Add the rice and cook about 5-10 minutes. Add salt, pepper and vegeta. The rice should be half cooked. Take out the leaves from the cabbage and cut the thick parts from the leaf. Add the filling onto the leaf and wrap it while you tuck in the ends of the leaf. Cut the thick parts from the leaves and all the leaves that have left. First add the cutted cabbage leaves then the sarmas, than again cabbage then sarmas until all is gone (you should finish with cutted leaves) into a deep pot. When you're putting the sarmas try to put it as much closer to one another so that they won't unwrap. Add the water, liquid from the brined cabbage or vegetable soup until the sarmas are covered. Add little salt and pepper. Now, if you're baking it, close the pot with lid than bake it for 2 hours at 350 C. If you're cooking it onto stove, close the pot with plate and onto the plate place something heavy (at my home we're having a river rock which is used only for that purpose). If you don't do this there's a chance that the sarmas will unwrap when it comes to a boil. Cook it for about 2 hours. After 2 hours take out the pot and remove the lid or the plate. In a pan add about 80 gr. oil then fry the flour until golden. Than add the paprika. Add this into the sarmas, than cook it (open pot this time) for about 5 minutes. Try it and you'll see that it's worth the effort.