History and Influences of Albanian Cuisine
Albanian food reflects a combination of Mediterranean and Balkan culinary traditions, with influences from neighboring countries such as Greece, Italy, and Turkey.
The history of Albanian food can be traced back thousands of years, and it has evolved and adapted over time.
Tirana Skanderbeg Square
In ancient times, the territory that is now Albania was rooted in the Illyrian and Roman civilizations.
The Illyrians, the ancient people who inhabited the region, cultivated crops such as wheat, barley, grapes, and olives. They practiced livestock farming, which contributed to the consumption of dairy products and meat.
The Romans, who later occupied the area, introduced new cooking methods and ingredients, including various spices and herbs.
Albania came under Ottoman rule in the late 14th century and remained part of the Ottoman Empire for several centuries. The Ottoman influence had a significant impact on Albanian cuisine.
Turkish cooking techniques, ingredients, and dishes were integrated into Albanian culinary traditions. The use of spices, yogurt, phyllo dough, and various meat preparations became common in Albanian cooking.
Not surprisingly, you will find many foods that are popular in neighboring countries are also a staple in Albanian cuisine, although sometimes with a little twist.
Albanian Cooking Techniques
In Albania there are many restaurants that offer food that has been prepared on a rotisserie grill. The aroma wafting from inside will definitely draw you in and the flavor of the tender marinated meats will keep you coming back for more.
Albanian Rotisserie Grill
Clay Pot (Tavë)
Many traditional Albanian dishes are cooked in clay pots, called Tavës. Food in restaurants often comes to the table still bubbling from the hot oven.
Regional Variation in Albanian Cuisine
Albania’s geography, with its diverse terrain and microclimates, has resulted in regional variation in Albanian cuisine.
The coastal areas have a strong influence from Mediterranean cuisine, with an emphasis on seafood, olive oil, and fresh vegetables.
Tirana Albania View
Inland regions, such as the mountainous areas, have a more rustic and hearty cuisine, featuring dairy products, meat, and preserved foods.
The northern regions have culinary influences from neighboring Balkan countries, while the south has more Mediterranean and Greek influences.
Albanian Coffee Culture
Traditional Albanian Cuisine
Albanian cuisine boasts a variety of delicious main dishes that are rich in flavors and reflect the country’s culinary heritage. Many of the dishes that are popular in Albania are also ones that are well known throughout the Balkans.
Beyond the delicious food, we were especially pleasantly surprised by the prices. A whole rotisserie chicken will run about $6.00 US. Salads and side sauces cost $2 – $3.50 US and glasses of wine were $1.50 each. I don’t know about you, but getting amazing food for a good price always makes it taste just a little bit better.
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Here are some popular dishes to try in Albania:
Qofte
Albanian Meatballs – Qofte, Tavernetta Amazona, Tirana Albania
Qofte are seasoned meatballs made from a mixture of ground meat (most often lamb, pork or beef) mixed with fresh mint, onions, garlic, and other herbs and spices such as parsley and oregano. In Albania, they are often made into a cigar shape rather than round balls.
They can be grilled, fried, or stewed and served alongside a dipping sauce, often featuring yogurt. Our favorite way to enjoy them is on top of a piece of bread slather with spicy feta and roasted red pepper dip, known as Tirokafteri.
Byrek
Albanian Borek
Byrek (Burek or Börek) is a popular savory pie made with layers of thin phyllo dough filled with a variety of ingredients such as cheese, spinach, vegetables, or ground seasoned meat, separately or in combination.
The pastry is then baked until golden brown and flakey while retaining its soft chewy center. It is very popular and is served at any time of day as a side dish, main course or snack.
Pispili
Albanian Corn Bread with Feta and Leeks
Serving dishes with corn bread is very traditional in Albanian cuisine. Pispili takes simple corn bread to another level by adding. leeks, feta cheese, green onions or spinach to the dough.
The resulting bread is moist and savory and makes a wonderful side dish or snack all on its own.
Tavë Kosi
Tave Kosi – Lamb cooked in yogurt
Tavë Kosi is a classic Albanian dish made with tender lamb meat, rice, yogurt, and eggs. It is baked in the oven until the yogurt forms a thick and creamy custard-like sauce.
The tangy yogurt together with the rich flavors of the lamb make this dish a comfort food classic found on most traditional restaurant menus. It’s also a quick easy recipe, which Albanian’s will also frequently make at home for family dinners.
We made this dish during a cooking class in Tirana, which we can highly recommend!
Fërgesë
Fërgesë is a hearty dish made with sautéed peppers, tomatoes, onions, and feta or cottage cheese. It is often combined with meat, such as veal or chicken, and cooked until the flavors meld together. Fërgesë is typically served hot with bread or as a side dish.
Sheqerpare
Sheqerpare are traditional Albanian sugar cookies. Sheqerpare are a buttery, soft cookies made from a simple recipe with flour, sugar, butter and topped wth a walnut.
After baking the cookies are bathed in a sweet syrup, which the recipe has in common with many popular Albanian desserts.
Dolma Japrak
Dolma Japrak – Stuffed Grape Leaves
Dolma Japrak, or stuffed grape leaves, are another Balkan favorite that is popular in Albanian cuisine. The grape leaves are brined and then stuffed with minced lamb or beef, rice and herbs such as mint and dill.
They are then boiled until cooked through in salted water or tomato sauce and are delicious either served hot or cold.
Lakor
Traditional Albanian Spinach Pie – Lakor
Lakor is traditional Albanian Spinach Pie. It is similar to popular borëk, which is made layers with flaky phyllo dough. Lakor, in contrast, only has one top and bottom layer of dough, between which the vegetable layer (often spinach, leek and cheese) is sandwiched.
You can learn how to make this during a visit to Tirana by joining a local family’s cooking class where you’ll make three traditional dishes while drinking their own homemade wine and Raki!
Shopska
Shopska salad is a refreshing and colorful salad made with diced cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, and bell peppers.
The most prominent feature of this dish is the garnish, which consists of copious amounts of grated white brined cheese, such as feta or sirene. The salad is then drizzled with olive oil and vinegar.
Flija
Flija is a traditional Albanian layered pancake dish. It is made by pouring thin layers of batter onto a special circular baking pan.
Each layer of crepe-like dough and filling is baked one at a time until the baking dish filled. The process is lengthy but the resulting cake, whether savory or sweet, is well worth the effort.
Qifqi
Qifqi are fried rice balls. They are made by combining rice, eggs, dried and spices such as mint. The rice mixture is formed into small balls which are then fried in olive oil until golden brown.
The qifqi can be served alone or alongside a sauce, such as a yogurt dip or zucasca (ajvar), which is sauce made from eggplant, tomatoes and red bell peppers.
Trahana Soup
Trahana is a typical ingredient in Balkan cuisine. Invented as a way to preserve milk products, trahana is made with a grain, such as cracked or bulgur wheat or flour, combined with yogurt or milk. The mixture is then fermented and dried into rough granules.
To make a soup, the granules are softened in a broth and combined with meat and vegetables and sometimes yogurt and or cheese. The distinct flavor of the soup base is slightly nutty and tangy.
Speca të Mbushur
Speca të Mbushur, or stuffed peppers, are a popular traditional Albanian dish. Bell peppers are filled with a mixture of rice, ground meat, onions, herbs, and spices, then baked until tender. They are often served with a side of yogurt or tomato sauce.
Fasule
Fasule is a traditional bean stew made with white beans, and often meat (such as beef or lamb), along with onions, tomatoes, and various spices. It is slow-cooked to combine and intensify the flavors and is often enjoyed with bread or served over rice.
Baklava
Baklava is a sweet pastry made with layers of phyllo dough, nuts (often walnuts, pistacios or a combination of the two), and honey syrup. The phyllo dough becomes soft and saturated with honey on the bottom layer of the dessert, while the top layers retain a crisp and flaky texture.
After sampling some it is no wonder that this is a favorite sweet treat throughout the Balkans.
Tave Mishi (Mixed Meat Platter)
Tavë Mishi – Traditional Albanian Mixed Grill from the Smoke House Bar and Grill in Tirana, where they make their own sausage and other quality meat products.
There is no shortage of grilled meat food options in Albania! From grilled sausages, lamb, meatballs or any other kind of chop your heart desires, you will not be disappointed by the options here.
There are also a wide variety of grilled vegetable platters along with yogurt or tomato based sauces and with fresh baked bread and salad options to complete the menus.
Buke Misri Me Shellire
Albanian Fried Cornbread with Cream Sauce from the Ballkoni i Dajtit Restaurant that has sweeping views overlooking Tirana. It can be reached by car or by taking the cable car, the Dajti Ekpres, which is a short bus ride from the city center.
Cornbread is a standard offering in Albania, frequently making an appearance next to main dishes and soups. But in this dish, cornbread is elevated to another level.
To prepare Buke Misri Me Shellire, the cornbread is sliced in sections and deep fried. The bread is then covered in a creamy sauce often combined with garlic and sometimes lemon zest. A simple but delicious appetizer that shouldn’t be missed!
Patellxan te Mbursh
Patellxan te Mbursh is a favorite menu item in traditional Albanians restaurants. The center of the eggplant is scooped out, diced and sauteed with vegetables and sometimes ground lamb or beef while the outer skin is roasted until tender. Then the eggplant skin in stuffed and covered with cheese and placed in the oven until the cheese is golden brown.
Tave Dheu
Albanian Tavë Dheu from the Shije Fshati Restaurant that has an extensive menu of traditional Albanian fare.
Tave Dheu – literally translates to “Earthen pot.” When traveling in Albanian the presence of the clay pot as a cooking vessel is very common. The various dishes named after the pot will also become a very familiar sight on menus.
Tave Dheu is actually considered one of Albania’s national dishes. Vegetables such as red bell peppers, tomatoes and onions are combined with garlic, feta and ricotta cheese along with spices such as paprika and spicy red pepper flakes. The traditional version also includes chunks of liver, but if you’re not a liver fan, it can be made with beef as well.
The dish is served bubbling hot along with fresh bread for dipping.
Trilece
Trilece, whose name translates to three milks, is a delicious creamy dessert that certainly lives up to its name.
The recipe combines condensed milk, evaporated milk, and regular milk which are whipped together with sugar and eggs and then baked.
It is then topped with caramel sauce and often garnished with whipped cream or grated chocolate.
Tarator
Tarator is a soup made with yogurt, cucumbers, garlic, and dill which is served cold. It’s a perfect choice for hot summer days and is often served as an appetizer or a light meal. It is also rumored to be a good hangover cure, particularly if paired with an alcoholic beverage of your choice.
Petulla
Petulla is a favorite snack food in Albania. These delicious little sweet fried dough dumplings are dressed up with either powered sugar, jam, or honey. Sometimes they are even made into a salty snack by adding a sprinkling of feta cheese. Why not?
Albanian Alcoholic Beverages
Duka Winery and Restaurant offers tours of their winery along with a fantastic tasting menu in their restaurant including 4 wines, Raki and traditional Albania Dishes. We can highly recommend this experience, which includes a guided tour through the coastal town of Durres.
No rundown of Albanian food would be complete without touching on popular alcoholic offerings. Albania offers a range of drinks that showcase the country’s beverage culture. From traditional spirits to local beers and wines, here are some popular alcoholic drinks in Albania:
Raki
Raki, a distilled spirit made from grapes, plums, or other fruits., is considered Albania’s national drink. Be careful when sampling Raki – it’s known for its strong flavor and high alcohol content. It’s often enjoyed as a digestif or accompanied by traditional appetizers.
Albanian Wine
Albania produces a variety of wines, including red, white, and rosé. Here are some popular Albanian wines you should try:
Kallmet is a red grape variety native to Albania, primarily grown in the Lezhë region. It produces full-bodied, fruity, and well-structured red wines with flavors of dark berries and spices.
Shesh i Zi is another indigenous red grape variety. It yields medium-bodied red wines with vibrant acidity, notes of red fruits, and a touch of herbs.
Debina is a white grape variety grown in the Përmet region of southern Albania. It produces crisp, aromatic white wines with citrusy notes, floral aromas, and a refreshing acidity.
Mavrud is a red grape variety originally from Bulgaria but also cultivated in Albania. It produces bold, tannic red wines with dark fruit flavors, hints of spice, and a robust structure.
Puls is a white grape variety grown in the Korçë region of eastern Albania. It yields aromatic white wines with floral and tropical fruit notes, balanced acidity, and a medium body.
Shesh i Bardhë is an indigenous white grape variety known for its versatility. It can be used to produce dry, aromatic white wines or even fortified wines with a touch of sweetness.
When in Albania, I recommend visiting local wineries and vineyards to explore their wine offerings and learn more about the unique Albanian wine culture.
Albanian Beer
While Albania is known for its wine production, there are also some local breweries that offer a variety of craft beers. Here are a few beers you should try when in Albania:
Birra Tirana is the most popular and widely available beer in Albania. It offers different varieties such as Birra Tirana Lager, Birra Tirana Gold, and Birra Tirana Dark.
Korça Beer is another well-known Albanian beer brand. It is brewed in the city of Korçë and is a favorite among locals. Korça Beer is a lager with a smooth taste, medium body, and a slightly hoppy character.
Tann Beer is a craft brewery located in Tirana. They produce a range of unique and flavorful beers, including IPA, APA, and stout varieties. Tann Beer often experiments with different ingredients to create interesting beer styles.
Norga Beer is a craft brewery based in Pogradec, a city located near Lake Ohrid. They offer a selection of craft beers, including pale ales, wheat beers, and stouts. Norga Beer uses local ingredients and traditional brewing methods to produce their distinctive brews.
Make sure to explore local bars, restaurants, and craft beer shops to discover more regional and artisanal brews that showcase the growing beer culture in Albania.
Vermouth
Albania is known for its production of vermouth, a fortified wine infused with herbs, spices, and botanicals. You can sample vemouth as an aperitif or as a cocktail ingredient.
Bitter Liqueurs
Bitter liqueurs, such as Bitter Vatra and Pelinkovac, are popular in Albania. These herbal-based liqueurs with a sharp flavor and aromatic scent are often consumed as a digestive.
Fruit Brandies
Albania is known for its production of fruit brandies, often referred to as “rakia.” These brandies are made from a variety of fruits, including plums, apples, cherries, and quinces.
Cheers
In Albania, the word commonly used to say “cheers” when making a toast is “Gëzuar!” (pronounced geh-ZOO-ar). It is similar to the word “gezuar” in Albanian, which means “to enjoy” or “to have a good time.” So, when raising your glass to toast in Albania, you can say “Gëzuar!” to wish everyone a joyful and enjoyable moment.
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