Let's get gritty with the real source of controversy in the Balkans… what to call a cheese pastry. The humble burek has various names across the region. Get it wrong and you risk being laughed out of the bakery (like we were in Bosnia). It’s the Balkan equivalent to the whole barm/bap/cob debate in the UK. Nevertheless, it's a must try when visiting this region, which is why we’ll always make time in our itineraries for a piece or two… or three. Perhaps you’re already one of our burek converts and you want to try making it at home? Or maybe you’ve stumbled across our blog in search of traditional foods to try on an upcoming trip to the Balkans? Either way, read on. Love discovering new tastes on your travels? Our Albania food and culture holiday was created with foodies in mind. What is burek? Burek is layers of filo pastry containing savoury fillings wrapped in a spiral and baked in a hot oven. Some of the most common fillings are spiced meat, feta-like cheese, cheese & spinach, and spiced potato. It has been enjoyed across the Balkans since it was introduced by the Ottomans in the 14th century. This stodgy staple makes for the perfect hangover cure or a hearty breakfast to fuel a day of hiking and kayaking. Better still, wrap up the leftovers and eat them on the go. Burek is eaten morning, noon and night throughout the year, but it also appears on special occasions like New Year’s Eve, when families write down a wish and tuck it into the pastry wrapped in tin foil before baking. Our first go at this on NYE 2023 was a success and we dare say somebody’s wish for a kitten came true (welcome to the family, Winston). Hold
Let’s get gritty with the real source of controversy in the Balkans… what to call a cheese pastry. The humble burek has various names across the region. Get it wrong and you risk being laughed out of the bakery (like we were in Bosnia). It’s the Balkan equivalent to the whole barm/bap/cob debate in the
This recipe for priganice dough balls is delicious! Unexpected, delicious new foods are one of the best bits of travelling. One dish which continually delights and surprises our guests is ‘priganice’ (that’s the name for these dough balls in Montenegro, but every country in the Western Balkans has their equivalent, from uštipci in Serbia to petulla in Albania). A main staple of any Balkan kitchen, these fritters are quick to whip up. Most often served at breakfast, priganice are equally good any time of day. Our friend Tanja, a talented cook, loves to serve them to our guests as a starter to a Montenegrin lunchtime feast, using them to showcase her family’s delectable home-produced honey. The reaction is always one of glee when essentially doughnuts appear first on the table! It’s rare a single dough ball is left. We're often asked for the recipe for priganice, so without further ado, scroll down to find out how you can make perfect ones at home. Of course, if you come on any of our adventures, we'll happily arrange a cooking class with locals to perfect your technique! You can also pay close attention to the video we made below, in which Tanja gives priganice masterclasses to some of our Lake Skadar guests. If you just want to get to the recipe, scroll down. Watch this video in which we take a priganice cooking class! Here's Tanja's recipe for priganice Serves 6-8 hungry people Ingredients Flour Yeast Sugar Salt Olive oil Vegetable oil (for frying) Instructions 1. Take a large mixing bowl and add some warm water to the bottom (about 2-3 fingers deep). The water flowing from Tanja’s taps and indeed most village taps in Montenegro is natural spring water, but mains water will do just fine. 2. Fill a wooden cooking
This recipe for priganice dough balls is delicious! Unexpected, delicious new foods are one of the best bits of travelling. One dish which continually delights and surprises our guests is ‘priganice’ (that’s the name for these dough balls in Montenegro, but every country in the Western Balkans has their equivalent, from uštipci in Serbia to
As the pandemic has forced us all to slow down and take stock, more of us are beginning to consider the food we eat, our supply chains and how we can produce and make things at home. Learning how to identify and harvest wild asparagus with our friend Ilija in woodland by Lake Skadar connected us even more closely with the goodness of nature. Not only did it taste delicious in the three ways we prepared it (scroll down for the recipes), but it's loaded with health-boosting nutrients, especially folate and the vitamins A, C and K, as well as antioxidants. Wild asparagus is a delicacy adored by foodies in Montenegro and all over Europe, so our volunteer and forager-in-chief Beth is going to show you two classic ways to prepare it Montenegrin-style - as salad and with egg - plus a French favourite, quiche. She writes: "So many of us live fast-paced lives and have widely stocked supermarkets at our fingertips, so never thought to spend time and energy outdoors seeking and collecting edible food. Here in Montenegro, foraging never went out of fashion. It's also commonplace to have a productive vegetable garden, cramming every bit of fertile land with edible plants. Home produce even commonly extends to cheese, honey, wine and the distilled spirit, rakija (a bit like Italian grappa). "Now the cooler days of spring are beginning to fade and the summer heat is gearing up, the foraging season for wild asparagus has drawn to a close, but this is a local secret guests are going to love on next Spring's lake activity holidays! Wild Asparagus Salad Recipe 1x bunch of wild asparagus 1x clove of garlic, finely chopped (or a handful of wild garlic flowers) Olive oil Red wine vinegar Salt Break the asparagus stalks at
As the pandemic has forced us all to slow down and take stock, more of us are beginning to consider the food we eat, our supply chains and how we can produce and make things at home. Learning how to identify and harvest wild asparagus with our friend Ilija in woodland by Lake Skadar connected
How we've started 'foodie foraging' and a recipe for Wild Greens Pie Foraging for wild edible food is a huge and popular tradition here in Montenegro! So many of our local friends know exactly where and what to pick in nearby woods and fields, from wild leafy greens like nettle and garlic to serve in a pie or soup, or herbs such as sage, thyme, mint and oregano. This year we've decided to follow in their footsteps! This post is the first in a new blog series we're calling “Undiscovered Tastes” and we'll always include a recipe. Today our volunteer Beth is going to show you how to cook up Wild Greens Pie or 'Zelena Pita', a dish beloved throughout the Balkans (scroll down if you can't wait for the recipe!). Beth's become our forager-in-chief, helping us identify so many wild edibles right in our garden at Villa Miela. We're really getting into it and using a couple of brilliant plant-identifying apps for reference - PictureThis and iNaturalist. Future guests, expect to get roped in! Beth says “With blooming flowers and the new growth of spring at Villa Miela, now is the perfect time to learn foraging – especially if you're not a massive fan of dressing up like a bank robber every time you need to do a grocery run! It's amazing what you can find on your doorstep if you know what to look for...I've noticed that many of the lush new leaves sprouting around Villa Miela's gardens are actually edible! Most abundant and easy to spot is garlic mustard, (also known as jack-by-the-hedge), rampaging through the shadier corners, emitting a subtle oniony garlic smell when disturbed. Although it can be an invasive weed it’s actually a super nutritious plant and most elements of it can be eaten
How we’ve started ‘foodie foraging’ and a recipe for Wild Greens Pie Foraging for wild edible food is a huge and popular tradition here in Montenegro! So many of our local friends know exactly where and what to pick in nearby woods and fields, from wild leafy greens like nettle and garlic to serve in
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