BULGARIAN NATIONAL CUISINE Because of its geographical position and long history Bulgarian cuisine

is a mixture between European, Oriental and Mediterranean cuisines.National specialities include: Shopska salad (sliced tomatoes,

cucumbers, peppers and parsley topped with grated sheep's cheese); and tarator (a cold soup of chopped cucumber, walnuts and yogurt) perfect for hot summer days. White sheep's cheese baked with eggs is another favorite. Other typical items on the menu include kebapcheta (minced meat rolled into sausage shapes and grilled), kavarma (individual casseroles of pork or veal, onions and mushrooms), shishkebab, stuffed vine or cabbage leaves and moussaka. Yogurt too, tastes better in Bulgaria, its country of origin. There are many different Bulgarian pastries as well such as banitsa.

The variety of Bulgarian wines and local alcoholic drinks such as rakia, mastika and menta.

Products for 6 servings: Cucumbers- 240 gr.Tomatoes- 270 gr.Peppers- 270 gr.Onion- 75 gr.Sunflower oil- 45 ml.Cheese- 150 gr.Vinegar - 30 ml.Parsley- 18 gr. Hot pepper - 6

Preparation:Wash the peppers, remove the stems and the

seeds. Cut them into small cubes. Wash the tomatoes and cut them into cubes, cut

the peeled cucumbers into cubes, too. Chop the peeled onion and the parsley into pieces. Mix all the vegetables well and shape them as a

pyramid in the middle of the plate. Season it with the sunflower oil and vinegar. Sprinkle with grated cheese.

Shopska salad is from tomatoes,

cucumbers, preferably raw or

roasted peppers, onions, fresh

parsley and white cheese.

Products for 6 servings: Ready- made phyllo sheets- 500 gr. Cheese - 250- 300 gr.Eggs- 5 Soda- 450 gr. ¾ packet of butterSunflower oil- 100 ml.

Preparation:Place the 1/3 of sheets in an oiled baking dish. Sprinkle over it a half of the cheese

mixture. Place the second 1/3 part of the sheets and sprinkle over it the other part of cheese mixture. Finally place the last 1/3 of phyllo sheets.

Cut it into pieces and sprinkle with some melted hot butter. In another bowl beat together the 2 eggs with soda.Pour the mixture over the banitsa bake it in a hot oven 200 degrees for 40 minutes. First

10 minutes bake it only the bottom of the dish.

(Cold soup)

Ingredients for 6 servings:Yoghurt- 1020 gr.Water- 390 ml.Cucumbers- 510 gr.Sunflower oil - 45 ml.Walnut kernels- 30 gr.Dill- 30 gr.Garlic- 15 gr.Salt- 10 gr.

How to make it :Place the yoghurt in a big bowl and whisk until smooth. Stir in cold water. Add the cucumbers (peeled and diced), the finely choppeddill, the crushed or pressed garlic, the oil, the grated walnuts and salt to taste. Stir, chill and serve.

Tarator is a kind of cold soup. It prepare from the yogurt, chopped cucumber, crushed garlic, dill, vegetable oil and salt.

(Hot soup)Ingredients for 6 servings:Beans- 240 gr.Sunflower oil- 60 ml.Onion - 60 gr. Carrots- 60 gr. Celery- 30 gr.Tomatoes- 240 gr. Parsley- 20 gr.Fresh peppers- 90 gr. Mint- 20 gr. Sаlt- 10 gr.

How to make it :Clean the beans and wash them carefully. Cover them with cold water and leave for 7 –

8 hours. Then pour the water from the beans and cover with cold water again. Simmer over low heat until the beans become tender. Add the sunflower oil, chopped onion, celery and the carrots. Simmer for about 25 minutes again.

Add the finely chopped peppers and the peeled and chopped tomatoes, too. Add salt to taste. At the end of the process add the mint.

Ingredients: Minced meat- 480 gr.Sunflower oil- 90 ml.Rice- 75 gr.Tomatoes- 180 gr.Eggs- 2 Flour- 20 gr. Yoghurt- 180 gr.Mint- 3 gr.Parsley- 30 gr. Black pepper- 1 gr.Salt- 1 gr.Preparation:Make the stuffing: Mix the rice with the minced meat. Season with black pepper, salt, mint,

parsley and sliced tomatoes. Add the oil and some warm water. Simmer for 5 – 6 minutes and take off the heat.

Remove the stems and the seeds of the peppers. Stuff them with the stuffing and arrange in a baking pan. Pour with warm water or stock, cover and bake until browned.

In a separate bowl whisk together the eggs, the yoghurt and flour. Boil the mixture. Serve the stuffed peppers hot with mixture.

Ingredients for 6 servings:Sunflower oil- 90 gr.Butter- 60 gr.Rice- 282 gr.Vine/cabbage leaves- 360 gr.Onion- 240 gr.Tomatoes- 240 gr.Carrots- 78 gr.Еgg- 1Flour- 18 gr.Yoghurt- 180 gr.Red pepper- 6 gr. Mint, parsley, savory, salt Preparation:Fry the finely chopped onions and carrots in the oil. Add the rice the red pepper and finally chopped tomatoes and pour over hot water (1:1)

and simmer until the water has been absorbed by the rice. Add the seasoning blend well, leave it put 1 tsp of the mixture on each leave.

Roll together and arrange in a saucepan, pour over 2/3 cupful of warm water and 1 tsp fat, close with a lid and simmer about 45 min. on a low fire.

Ingredients for 6 servings:Minced meat- 600 gr.Sunflower oil- 90 ml.Butter- 18 gr.Onions- 180 gr.Potatoes- 900 gr.Tomatoes- 510 gr.Flour- 60 gr.Milk- 240 gr.Eggs- 2 Yellow cheese ( kashkaval)- 30 gr.Paprika ( tomato puree)- 20 gr.Parsley- 30 gr.Ground black pepper and red pepper.How to make it :Fry the onion and paprika in the oil. Add the minced meat and stir for another 2- 3

minutes. Season wit ground black and red pepper. Add the diced potatoes mix well.Transfer the moussaka to an oiled baking pan, add hot water and bake in a moderate

oven until browned. Preparing the sauce “beshamel”: Whisk together the butter,

the flour, the milk and the eggs. Pour the mixture over the moussaka.

Grate the kashkaval on top and bake for another 10-15 minutes, until browned. Serve hot.

In Bulgaria, moussaka is usually made from minced meat, potatoes, onions, tomatoes and spices steamed together, then bake in the oven, and finally pour in the egg-based sauce, yogurt and flour and finish baking with dressing.

Ingredients : Meat- 900 g; Oil- 60 ml;Leek- 550 g;Tomatoes- 220 g;Tomato paste- 50 g;Peppers- 300 g; Red wine- 30 ml;Parsley- 45 g.; Hot peppers- 6; Salt, Savory, Pepper, Paprika. Preparation: Chop the meat into the pieces of 25 gr. each and fry it in the oil with the leeks.Stew on low fire until its own juice evaporated. Add the shredded peppers, red peppers,

salt, wine and tomato puree diluted with some water. Let the meat stew on a slow fire and then add hot peppers ( whole) , tomatoes, savory,a

half of the chopped parsley, broth. Put all the mixture in an earthenware dish then in an oven and bake it.

This is one of the most popular meals in Bulgaria which is not so famous outside the country. The ingredients and preparations depend on the region. Almost every part of Bulgaria has it’s own Kavarma recipe. In general, the meal consists of marinated cooked meat and vegetables. It could be mild or spicy depending on the region and the likings. Goes perfectly well with beer or rakia

Products for 6 portions:(40 gr. for a portion)Minced meat - 882 gr.Black pepper - 0,1 gr.Cumin- 0,1 gr. Water- 10 ml.Preparation:Knead all products. Shape them in a cylindrical form and place on theoiled, heated barbecue.Serve hot.  

Traditionally kebapche is made from a mixture of ground pork and beef and spices.

Ingredients:Phyllo sheets- 500 gr.Sunflower oil- 50 ml.Pumpkin- 1.5 kg.Sugar- 200 gr.Walnuts kernels- 50 gr. Cinnamon- 1 tsp.Breadcrumbs- 100 gr.Powdered sugar 50 gr.

Preparation:Peel the pumpkin, remove the seeds, grate it and fry it. Add the crushed walnuts,

breadcrumbs, cinnamon and sugar. Mix all well. Place 2-3 of the ready made sheets in a well- buttered tray and sprinkle with the sunflower

oil each sheet. Place a thin layer of grated and fried pumpkin between the sheets at 3 or 4 places, mixed with chopped walnut kernels and breadcrumbs. Roll the sheets.

Bake in 200 C heated oven until getting golden– brown from both sides. Cut the pastry with sharp knife into portions. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Ingredients:A packet of plain biscuits;Walnut kernels- 100 gr.;Powdered sugar- 100 gr.;Cocoa- 10 gr.;Butter- 125 gr.;Yoghurt- 50 gr.;Coconut filings- 6 tbsp.;

Preparation:Crush the biscuits. Add the ground walnut kernels, cocoa and the sugar. Mix well, add

the yoghurt and the melted butter. Knead all products and make balls. Roll the balls in coconut filings and place them in

the fridge.

Bulgarian yoghurt is the best in the world.

Lyutenitsa is a sauce-like spread that is made from tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants pureed together. It looks a lot like babbaganush and has similar ingredients but it tastes a little more peppery. Lyut in Bulgarian means hot as in spicy, hence lyutenitsa. Although in truth, lyutenitsa is not really spicy. Enjoy this on bread or as a side dish

The Bulgarian yoghurt is the best yoghurt produced in the world. The only place where you can produce it and find it in its unaltered form is Bulgaria. This is due to the same Lactobacterium Bulgaricum that is used to make the Bulgarian cheese and which grows no place else in the world. If you are thinking of organic yoghurt - this is it in its purest form. Eat it straight, with fruits, add it on meals or make ayran or tarator

You probably don't want to know exactly what this typically Bulgarian soup is made of. We suggest you first try it and see that it is actually pleasant to the taste. The literal English translation is tripe soup - tripe is the thick lining of the stomach of cattle... Seasoned with garlic, vinegar, and hot red pepper, it will surprise you with its unique aroma and taste - good surprise that is. It is scientifically proven that Shkembe chorba helps alleviate a hangover when consumed after waking up with one. Eat it with as much rakia or beer as you want.

Shkembe Sirene

Bulgarian white cheese - a variety of the feta cheese but can be produced only in Bulgaria. This is due to a specific lactose tolerant bacteria which converts the milk into yoghurt and then sirene. The bacteria is found only in this part of the world, hence it name - Bacillus Bulgaricus. Bulgarian white cheese is a brined goat, sheep, or cow cheese and can be enjoyed as a side dish or as a part of many other Bulgarian meals. Eat it with some red pepper on top and with a glass of fine wine

BULGARIAN WINES

BULGARIAN RAKYA

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