Food
Albanian cuisine is typically Balkan influenced by Italian and Turkish cuisines, but also ancient Illyrian, Roman and Greek cooking. Most traditional Albanian food consists of vegetables, spices, meats, fish, vinegar, yogurt and herbs. Cow, lamb, rabbit and chicken meat is used heavily in various dishes. Vegetables are used in almost every dish. Milk and its byproducts, as well as eggs, are daily food.
There are many popular dishes of Albanian food. The most famous is Spinach and Cheese Pie. Albanian pies are generally made of thin pastry leaves which can be rolled out at home. Pastry leaves are laid inside the baking pan and then sprinkled Spinach with salt and cheese are added over the already laid pastry leaves. It is finished by covering the spinach with the rest of the pastry leaves and then baked.
Bean Yahni Soup is also a very popular dish. It is dry white beans, mixed with chopped onions, chopped parsley, salt, chili powder and olive oil. It should be boiled in hot water for 10 minutes until thick sauce is formed.
Another popular dish is Stuffed Peppers. Bell peppers are usually used for this dish. Peppers are stuffed with mince meat, rice, fried onions, chopped dill and parsley and placed on a tray for baking. Water is added until the rice and peppers are soft.
Fried Meatballs is very popular dish, as well. Ground meat, bread crumbs, oil, onion, parsley, salt, pepper, and mint are mixed thoroughly and sprinkled with salt, oregano, and pepper. It is then rolled in flour and fried in hot oil and served hot with French Fries or mashed potatoes.
Albanian cuisine is also very rich with delicious desserts. The most famous is Baklava. Baklava is made of rolled dough, walnuts, cinnamon, sugar, and water. It is really yummy.