15 Classic Dishes to Try When in the Balkans
Not familiar with the culinary delicacies of the Balkans? No problem!
In this article we cover a few dishes you should try when on your trek to south-eastern Europe and where you can find them. The sights are only one part of the trip, so prepare your stomach for the delights of a lifetime.
Table of Contents
- 1. Ćevapi served with Bosnian Coffee
- 2. Gyros (with fries)
- 3. Goulash
- 4. Burek (All Varieties)
- 5. Pljeskavica
- 6. Adriatic Seafood (Served with Wine)
- 7. Baklava, Turkish Delight & Other Oriental Desserts
- 8. Meat Platters
- 9. Qofte and Qifqi
- 10. Tripe Soup
- 10. Pizza & Other Italian Dishes
- 12. Sarmale (Cabbage Rolls)
- 13. Tavë Kosi
- 14. Papanasi with sour cream and jam served with Rakia
- 15. Krpice and Other Croatian Pastas
- Bonus:
1. Ćevapi served with Bosnian Coffee
The first entry on this list, Ćevapi, is a dish most often associated with Bosnia and Herzegovina but is sold throughout the Balkans region. Made of minced meat sausages called Ćevaps it is served in a somun flatbread with onions. To accompany your meal make sure to order a Bosnian Coffee, a popular variation of Turkish Coffee. This potent drink is served in a small porcelain cup like an espresso. It is unfiltered and made of finely grounded beans, for people that like their coffee black, this is the drink for you. The best place to try this dish is the Baščaršija (Bazaar) in Sarajevo, the capital city of Bosnia. Absorb the old world feel of the city while enjoying a proper Balkans meal.
2. Gyros (with fries)
This well-known Greek snack can be found just about anywhere that Greek food is available, but my favorite Gyros was in the old town of Corfu. This dish has roots in the Donair of Ottoman empire, that is Kebab meat on a circulating rotisserie. It was developed in the imperial city of Bursa, in present day Turkey and made its way to Athens during the Second World War. During this time, the Greek people put their own spin on things adding tzatziki sauce and pork, thus inventing the present day Gyros!
The work Gyros means circle in Greek and that’s what the meal became, a cone like dish. It consists of a pita wrap with thin slices of either pork, chicken or lamb. Sweet paprika is sprinkled on top as well as chopped onions, tomatoes and lettuce. To top it off tzatziki or other sauces is added. Fries are then inserted into the cone, making it one hell of a wrap!
3. Goulash
Although this meal is a Hungarian importation (due to the long history of Hungarian forays in the Balkans to resist the Ottomans and later by Hungarian soldiers during the rule of the Austro Hungarian Empire), it has become a popular dish throughout the region, particularly in Bosnia, Northern Serbia and Romania. The countries mentioned above are where Hungarian influence has lingered the most. Goulash is basically a stew or a soup with Hungarian paprika, meat and vegetables. The meat is often beef, pork or lamb, usually from tough parts of the animal like the shins or shoulder, cooked with soup stock. Garlic and cumin are added as well as vegetables. In some recipes, noodles are added as well.
The Austro-Hungarian era brewery in Sarajevo has a fantastic variation of the typical stew like goulash, called Goulash Soup.
4. Burek (All Varieties)
This dish is often associated with the Balkan region but can be found in the Levant and the Caucasus. The name roughly translates to meat pie in Turkish and is a long circular coil containing meat, vegetables or cheese under the crust. Burek commonly refers to the meat filled variety whereas sirnica is filled with spinach, zeljanica with cheese and krompiruša with potatoes. This is a great snack to grab if you are out for the day and need something to much on. You can easily peel back the roll and indulge!
5. Pljeskavica
This dish is most popular in Serbia, but can be found in Croatia, Bosnia and Macedonia as well. It consists of a spiced meat patty of pork, beef and lamb in a lepinja (Balkans flatbread), usually served with onions and sauce. I call it the Balkans burger, because let’s face it, this is exactly what this dish is. I polished off quite a few of these in Skopje. Indulge!
6. Adriatic Seafood (Served with Wine)
This is a very general category for a reason, there is just too much of it to choose from. I do guarantee one thing though; the seafood is as good as the emerald colored Adriatic is beautiful! Croatian seafood takes the cake when it comes to presentation and taste. Squid, octopus, cuttlefish, sardines and carp are common as well as shellfish such as scampi. You can also find oysters and clams just about anywhere. Split is the best place in Croatia to try authentic Croatian cuisine, although you can find almost equivalent produce in nearby Montenegro and Albania for much cheaper.
7. Baklava, Turkish Delight & Other Oriental Desserts
As mentioned before the Ottoman conquest of the Balkans brought about many changes on the culinary scene. Everywhere the imperial tentacles stretched their delicious desserts followed.
Baklava consists of thin dough layers called filo and nuts held together by honey. The current recipe originates from the imperial palace kitchens in Istanbul but its roots stretch back to the Byzantine era. It explains why, to this day, Greeks and Turks still argue on who is responsible for the creation of this sublime treat. The Greek baklava has its own variation with 33 layers representing the years of Christ’s life but many cultures have developed their own regional variations.
Another Turkish desert is the Turkish delight. A favourite of C.S Lewis, the British author of Narnia, it is a sweet gelatine cube often sporting a coating of coconut or icing sugar. This dish has its own regional varieties and flavors depending on the country it is consumed in.
These types of deserts are best consumed with a Turkish coffee.
8. Meat Platters
If you go to the Balkans as part of a large group, the best value for your money is to purchase a meat platter. These platters are varied in their meat offerings depending on the country of origin but they generally include sausages, pork, a rack of lamb and less commonly chicken.
If you get a Bosnian meat platter, ask for the inclusion of Sudzukice, a delicious sausage that is spicier and longer than the Cevapi. In Croatia ask for Meso z tiblice, a high quality slated barrel pork. Serbia for its part has great smoked bacon (slanina).
9. Qofte and Qifqi
These Albanian ball shaped specialties are a treat to behold. They were one of my first encounters with authentic Turkish cuisine in the Balkans and were a pleasant surprise.
Qofte is the Albanian meatball and one of the country’s national dishes. It originates from Korçë in the south-eastern part of the country. It is usually served with onions and bread and peppered with spices and mint.
Qifqi is a different kind of meatball. Made of fried rice, it originates from Gjirokastër, perhaps the greatest food city in all of Albania. I had never heard of this dish and it was recommended at a local restaurant along with a soup. Eggs are used to bind the balls together and mint powder, black pepper, and salt are added for flavor.
10. Tripe Soup
You will need a strong stomach when you hear what this is made of… well it is stomach, a cow’s stomach to be precise. This dish, considered by some as a hangover remedy, is considered a central part of Balkans, Central European and Middle Eastern Cuisine. Apprehensive at first, I tried the dish… and I enjoyed it!
This dish can be modified with paprika to give it a goulash-like flavor (I prefer this type). Try it, you may actually find that this is a decent meal. I know I did.
10. Pizza & Other Italian Dishes
Pizza can be bought anywhere, this I am fully aware of. The reason Pizza falls on this list is that Albania, a country directly across the Adriatic from Italy, has excellent Italian food. This is due, in part, to the occupation of the country by Mussolini’s Fascist Italy shortly before the Second World War. Albanian culture is strongly influenced by Italian culture so it should be no surprise that its cooking has been influenced as well. Try a seafood pizza while you’re at it, as mentioned in number 6, Albania with it’s Adriatic coastline has excellent pizza.
As a side note, Macedonia, neighboring Albania has a large Albanian minority. This pizza was off the wall there as well.
12. Sarmale (Cabbage Rolls)
Ok, I know cabbage rolls sound pretty lame but this Romanian dish with ottoman roots actually makes cabbage fun. Sarma comes from Turkish meaning ‘wrap’, hence the rolls. The dish combines pork mixed with spices, tomato juice and cabbage of course. Enjoy!
13. Tavë Kosi
Tave Kosi, is a casserole of lamb and egg, originating from the Albanian city of Elbasan. The lamb is boiled until it falls off the bone and then mixed with onions and spices. It is then baked with eggs (soured milk originally), rice and yogurt. It is regarded by most Albanians as the country’s national dish.
14. Papanasi with sour cream and jam served with Rakia
This Romanian desert is the equivalent of cake. The fried dumplings that consist of the main course originate from the Austro-Hungarian occupation. The dish is filled with soft cheese called urdă and is often topped with sour cream and jam.
Romania is known for it’s love of plums, so consider a plumb jam topping and have the dessert served with Romania’s favourite liquor, a plumb brandy (brandy is known as rakija in the Balkans).
15. Krpice and Other Croatian Pastas
This popular dish consists of cabbage and pasta. Simple but it is effective when in a rush. It can be found in central Croatia and Dalmatia and comes in many forms. If you are not a fan of cabbage try Šporki makaruli, or dirty macaroni. It is a traditional dish from Dubrovnik with pork, meat sauce, pasta and onions.
Croatia was ruled by both the Italians (Dalmatia) and the Austrians and as such you should expect great food.
Bonus:
Bulgarian Soups
Although I would have liked to single out a specific dish from Bulgaria, the truth is I can’t. The country has excellent soups and due to the cold weather I experienced while vacationing there, I did not hold back. Try Kurban chorba, a beef soup, or Supa Topcheta, a meatball soup. Whatever you choose, I’m sure it will be good!
