North Macedonia

Stuffed zucchini, zucchini filled with minced meat, rice, seasoning

Pork is the culinary name for the meat of the pig . It is the most commonly consumed meat worldwide, with evidence of pig husbandry dating back to 5000 BCE. Pork is eaten both freshly cooked and preserved; curing extends the shelf life of pork products. Ham, gammon, bacon, and pork sausage are examples of preserved pork. Charcuterie is the branch of cooking devoted to prepared meat products, many from pork.

Kofta is a family of meatball or meatloaf dishes found in South Asian, Central Asian, Balkan, Middle Eastern, North African, and South Caucasian cuisines. In the simplest form, koftas consist of balls of minced meat – usually beef, chicken, pork, lamb or mutton, or a mixture – mixed with spices and sometimes other ingredients. The earliest known recipes are found in early Arab cookbooks and call for ground lamb. There are many national and regional variations. There are also vegetable and uncooked versions. Shapes vary and include balls, patties, and cylinders. Sizes typically vary from that of a golf ball to that of an orange.

Sarma is a traditional food in Ottoman cuisine (nowadays, Turkish, Greek, Armenian, etc.) made of vegetable leaves rolled around a filling of minced meat, grains such as rice, or both. It is commonly marketed in the English-speaking world as stuffed grape leaves, stuffed vine leaves, or stuffed cabbage leaves. The vegetable leaves may be cabbage, patience dock, collard, grapevine, kale or chard leaves. Sarma is part of the broader category of stuffed dishes known as dolma, and has equivalents (such as the Polish Gołąbki) in Eastern European cuisines from the northern Baltic through Ukraine. Sarma is a Turkish word meaning "wrapping. Sarma made with grape leaves are called yaprak sarması (lit. 'leaf sarma') or yaprak dolması (lit. 'leaf dolma') in Turkish, yabraq (يبرق) in Arabic, yarpaq dolması (lit. 'leaf dolma') in Azerbaijani, and dolme barg-e mo (دلمه برگ مو, lit. 'vine leaf dolma') in Persian and waraq 'inab (ورق عنب) or waraq dawālī (ورق دوالي) in Arabic. In Assyrian it is called ܦܪܵܟܼܹܐ (prakhe) which refers to the fact that the rice is rubbed in the grape leaves. In Armenian, they are called մսով տերեւափաթաթ (missov derevapatat), տերեւի տոլմա (derevi dolma), թփով դոլմա (t'pov dolma) and տերեւի սարմա (derevi sarma). In Greek they are generally called ντολμάδες (dolmathes) but may also be known as γιαπράκια (yaprakia), γιαπράκια γιαλαντζί (yaprakia yalandzi), ντολμαδάκια (dolmathakia), ντολμαδάκια γιαλαντζί (dolmathakia yalandzi), σαρμάδες (sarmathes), or σαρμαδάκια (sarmathakia).

Selsko meso is a Macedonian pork and mushroom stew, also found in the cuisine of Bulgaria. Typical ingredients include pork, onions, smoked meat, ground beef, tomatoes, cream cheese, mushrooms, peppers, spices, wine, and salt. It is traditionally prepared in a clay pot.

Shirdan, also spelled şırdan, shirden, شیردان or Ширден is an offal dish consumed in Western Asia. It is prepared by washing the abomasum of a sheep and then stuffing it with chopped meat, onions, and paprika, then further seasoning it with black pepper, pimento and salt. Water is then added and the opened cavity is sewn with a needle and thread. Lastly, it is baked with animal fat in an earthen casserole. This frequently consumed dish in Adana, Turkey is considered a regional specialty and it is a business opportunity for locals. Due to the insufficiency of sheep in Adana, raw meat is brought in from other Turkish cities. Shirden is also a specialty of the Macedonian cuisine and the general Balkan cuisine.

A mixture of several cheeses that is melted in the oven, serve with bread

Nettle soup is a traditional soup prepared from stinging nettles. Nettle soup is eaten mainly during spring and early summer, when young nettle buds are collected. Today, nettle soup is mostly eaten in Scandinavia, Finland, Iran, Ireland, and Eastern Europe, with regional differences in recipe; however historically consumption of nettles was more widespread. Nettle stew was eaten by inhabitants of Britain and Ireland in the Bronze Age, 3000 years ago. The consumption of young stinging nettle in medieval Europe was used medicinally, primarily as a diuretic and to treat joint pain and arthritis, diabetes, acne, anemia, hay fever, and as a blood purifier. Various Native American tribes have used stinging nettles for centuries, including the Lakota using the root for stomach pain, the Ojibwa using the stewed leaves for skin issues and used it to fight dysentery, the Potawatomi using the roots for fever reduction, and the Winnebago used nettles for allergy symptoms. Stinging nettles are known to have a high nutritional value, including calcium, magnesium, iron, and vitamins A and B. Historically, one of the easy ways of consuming nettles is either through a soup or a tea because the boiling water deactivates the nettle from stinging.

Tavče gravče is a traditional Macedonian dish. It is prepared with fresh beans and can be found in many restaurants in North Macedonia. It is also commonly eaten by the Macedonian diaspora. This meal is baked and served in a traditional unglazed earthenware pot. The name of the dish may be translated as "beans on a tava". Tavče gravče is considered the national dish of North Macedonia. "Tavče gravče Tetovo style" is a popular regional variation.[citation needed] The basic ingredients in tavče gravče are: The beans are cleaned and then soaked in cold water – preferably overnight, but, if time is an issue, they may be soaked for several hours or until the beans have become soft. The water in which the beans have been soaked must be discarded and fresh water added, before the beans are brought slowly to the boil and then simmered in a covered pot on a very low flame for one hour. After the first boiling, the water is again discarded, the beans washed and yet more fresh water added before they are boiled for a second time. This changing of the water at several points in the cooking process makes the beans more digestible by leaching out of them some of the indigestible sugars that can often cause flatulence. A whole onion is then added to the boiling water with the beans. When the beans are boiled, the boiled onion is removed from the water, fried separately with a scoop of flour and a teaspoon of ground red paprika, and then returned to the boiled beans. Salt, black pepper, and/or the ubiquitous regional seasoning salt Vegeta may be added to the soup. Some cooks may also add dried meats such as smoked pork, bacon or suho meso to the mix. When the beans are boiled and when all the ingredients have been added, they are put in an earthenware pot covered with a lid and baked in an oven at 220 °C. During the baking, the beans must be checked carefully from time to time to ensure that they do not become dry.

Veal stew

Trout is a generic common name for numerous species of carnivorous freshwater ray-finned fishes belonging to the genera Oncorhynchus, Salmo and Salvelinus, all of which are members of the subfamily Salmoninae in the family Salmonidae. The word trout is also used for some similar-shaped but non-salmonid fish, such as the spotted seatrout/speckled trout (Cynoscion nebulosus, which is actually a croaker).

Türlü is a casserole of Turkish cuisine. It is made of stewed vegetables and may also include stewed meat. Varieties of this dish are also found in Balkan cuisines. In particular, it is known as turli perimesh in Albania, tourlou or tourlou tourlou in Greece, and as turli tava in North Macedonia. The name derives from Old Turkic word türlüg meaning "variety". Türlü may be cooked in a clay cooking pot called güveç. This type is called türlü güveç in Turkey and in Bulgaria. The Macedonian version, turli tava, is traditionally made in a similar earthenware cooking pot, called tava. The basic ingredients of türlü vary greatly. The dish usually includes potatoes, eggplants and okra. Green beans, bell peppers, carrots, courgette, tomatoes, onions and garlic can also be added. Meat versions are made with beef or lamb, in the Balkans also with pork. Other usual ingredients are cooking oil, water, salt, black pepper or crushed red pepper, tomato paste or pepper paste. All these ingredients are mixed and baked in an oven. The dish can be served with rice and yogurt on the side.

Yogurt, rice and egg casserole or pastry, may be made with lamb, veal or beef

Zelnik is a traditional pastry eaten in Bulgaria and North Macedonia. It is composed of layers of thinly-rolled leavened wheat flour dough, or possibly phyllo pastry, filled with various combinations of sirene , feta cheese, eggs, sorrel, browned meat, leeks, spring onions and/or rice. In winter, the filling traditionally includes pickled cabbage, from which the dish derives its name ("cabbage" in Bulgarian: зелe or Bulgarian: зелка, in Macedonian: зелка). Bulgarian zelnik could be made also with various wild and cultivated leafy greens like collard, lettuce, orache, rumex, Chenopodium album, spearmint and many others. Zelnik is sometimes served with yogurt and it is best eaten warm. Zelnik is similar to börek, a dish popular in Turkey, Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Zelnik is often mistakenly referred to as börek. Unlike zelnik, cabbage börek is made for holidays and festivals and is served with kefir. The crust and the layers of börek are thicker and other spices are used. Zelnik is typically made with leek and sirene and consists of very thinly rolled layers of phyllo dough. Zelnik is usually prepared as one long, thin piece of pastry and wound up into a spiral shape.

Ajvar is a condiment made principally from sweet bell peppers and eggplants. The relish became a popular side dish throughout Yugoslavia after World War II and remains popular in Southeast Europe. Homemade ajvar is made of roasted peppers. Depending on the capsaicin content in bell peppers and the amount of added chili peppers, it can be sweet (traditional), piquant (the most common), or very hot. Ajvar can be consumed as a bread spread or as a side dish. Ajvar has a few variations. One variation contains tomato and eggplant, and another green bell peppers and oregano.

Salted and dried Alburnus belvica fish

Cozonac or Kozunak (Bulgarian: козунак [kozuˈnak]) is a sweet yeast dough that can be used to make different traditional holiday breads and cakes. Often mixed with raisins, it can be baked as a loaf or rolled out with fillings like poppy seed or walnuts. It is common throughout Southeastern Europe in countries such as Romania, Moldova, Bulgaria, Serbia, North Macedonia and Greece. Rich in eggs, milk and butter, it is usually prepared for Easter in Romania, Serbia, Bulgaria, and in Romania and Moldova it is also traditional for Good Friday, in a simplified version with vegan ingredients, without eggs or milk - named Cozonac de post - to be eaten by Christians during lent. The name comes from the Bulgarian word for hair-коса/kosa, or Greek: κοσωνάκι, romanized: kosōnáki, a diminutive form of κοσώνα, kosṓna. Cozonac was the sweet chosen to represent Romania in the Café Europe initiative of the Austrian presidency of the European Union, on Europe Day 2006. In Great Britain, the first recipe of "cozonac" appears in a cookbook in 1718, with the recommendation to be baked in long and narrow forms, a recommendation that remains valid nowadays. A similar Italian dessert, Panettone, whose recipe was shared and adapted in Eastern Europe following the Roman occupation, is often mentioned as a starting point for the cozonac.

Berries, cherries

Circle-shaped bread topped with roasted sesame seeds, similar to simit though gevrek is fermented for a shorter period of time and is immersed in boiling molasses, whereas simit is immersed in cold molasses - Macedonia; İzmir/Turkey

Multi-layered flaky pastry, made with multiple thin layers of batter baked in succession, serve with kefir

Made by Apis mellifera macedonica honeybees

Yogurt is a food produced by bacterial fermentation of milk. Fermentation of sugars in the milk by these bacteria produces lactic acid, which acts on milk protein to give yogurt its texture and characteristic tart flavor. Cow's milk is most commonly used to make yogurt. Milk from water buffalo, goats, ewes, mares, camels, and yaks is also used to produce yogurt. The milk used may be homogenized or not. It may be pasteurized or raw. Each type of milk produces substantially different results. Yogurt is produced using a culture of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus bacteria. Other lactobacilli and bifidobacteria are sometimes added during or after culturing yogurt. Some countries require yogurt to contain a specific amount of colony-forming units (CFU) of bacteria; for example, in China the requirement for the number of lactobacillus bacteria is at least 1 million CFU per milliliter.

Traditional handmade pasta noodles

Kaymak, sarshir, or qashta/ashta , is a creamy dairy food similar to clotted cream, made from the milk of water buffalo, cows, sheep, or goats in Central Asia, some Balkan countries, some Caucasus countries, the countries of the Levant, Turkic regions, Iran and Iraq. In Poland, the name kajmak refers to a confection similar to dulce de leche instead. The traditional method of making kaymak is to boil the raw milk slowly, then simmer it for two hours over a very low heat. After the heat source is shut off, the cream is skimmed and left to chill (and mildly ferment) for several hours or days. Kaymak has a high percentage of milk fat, typically about 60%. It has a thick, creamy consistency (not entirely compact, because of milk protein fibers) and a rich taste. The word kaymak has Central Asian Turkic origins, possibly formed from the verb kaymak, which means 'melt' and 'molding of metal' in Turkic. The first written records of the word kaymak is in the Dīwān Lughāt al-Turk of Mahmud al-Kashgari. The word remains as kaylgmak in Mongolian, which refers to a fried clotted cream, and with small variations in Turkic languages as qaymaq in Azerbaijani, qaymoq in Uzbek, қаймақ in Kazakh and Shor, каймак in Kyrgyz, kaymak in Turkish, gaýmak in Turkmen, კაიმაღი (kaimaghi) in Georgian, καϊμάκι (kaïmáki) in Greek, and кајмак (kajmak) in Serbo-Croatian, caimac in Romanian. This dairy food is called sarshir (سَرشیر) 'top of the milk' in Iran. They use this name because after boiling milk, a layer of fat stands on the top of the boiled milk.

Kashkaval[a] is a type of cheese made from the milk of cow's, sheep's, goat's or mixture thereof. In Turkey, Albania, Bulgaria, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Romania and Serbia, the term is often used to refer to all yellow cheeses . In English-language menus in Bulgaria, kashkaval is translated as 'yellow cheese' (whereas sirene is usually translated as 'white cheese' or simply 'cheese'). The name kashkaval is probably borrowed possibly comes from the Italian caciocavallo. Another theory claims that it is related to the Aromanian caș, 'cheese', but the kaval part remains unexplained.

Kifli, kiflice, kifle, or kipferl is a traditional yeast bread roll that is rolled and formed into a crescent before baking. It is a common type of bread roll throughout much of central Europe and nearby countries, where it is called by different names. It is thought to be the inspiration for the French croissant, which has a very similar shape but is made with a different type of dough. Stale kipfel[which?] are used to make a sweet bread pudding called Kipfelkoch.

Kifli, kiflice, kifle, or kipferl is a traditional yeast bread roll that is rolled and formed into a crescent before baking. It is a common type of bread roll throughout much of central Europe and nearby countries, where it is called by different names. It is thought to be the inspiration for the French croissant, which has a very similar shape but is made with a different type of dough. Stale kipfel[which?] are used to make a sweet bread pudding called Kipfelkoch.

Sauerkraut is finely cut raw cabbage that has been fermented by various lactic acid bacteria. It has a long shelf life and a distinctive sour flavor, both of which result from the lactic acid formed when the bacteria ferment the sugars in the cabbage leaves. Although it is considered a national dish in Germany and is known under its German name in English-speaking countries, it did not originate in Germany and is also a traditional and ubiquitous dish in Central and Eastern Europe.

Strained yogurt, Greek yogurt, yogurt cheese, sack yogurt or kerned yogurt is yogurt that has been strained to remove most of its whey, resulting in a thicker consistency than normal unstrained yogurt, while still preserving the distinctive sour taste of yogurt. Like many types, strained yogurt is often made from milk enriched by boiling off some water content, or by adding extra butterfat and powdered milk. In Europe and North America, it is often made from low-fat or fat-free cow's milk. In Iceland, a similar product named skyr is made. Strained yogurt is generally marketed in North America as "Greek yogurt" and in the United Kingdom as "Greek-style yogurt", though strained yogurt is also widely eaten in Levantine, Eastern Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Central Asian, South Asian, and Eastern European cuisines, where it is often used in cooking, as it curdles less readily when cooked. It is used in a variety of dishes, cooked or raw, savory or sweet. Straining makes even nonfat varieties thicker, richer, and creamier than unstrained. Since straining removes the whey, more milk is required to make strained yogurt, increasing the production cost. Thickeners such as pectin, locust bean gum, starches or guar gum may also be used to thicken yogurts. In Western Europe and the United States, strained yogurt has increased in popularity compared to unstrained yogurt. Since the straining process removes some of the lactose, strained yogurt is lower in sugar than unstrained yogurt.

Lyutenitsa, lutenica or ljutenica is a (sometimes spicy) vegetable relish or chutney in Bulgarian, Macedonian and Serbian cuisines. The ingredients include peppers, aubergines, carrots, garlic, vegetable oil, sugar, salt, and tomatoes. It comes in many varieties: smooth; chunky; with chili peppers or eggplant; and hot or mild. In recent years,[when?] industrial production of lyutenitsa and ajvar has flourished. Large-scale production of both relishes has popularized them outside the Balkans.

Garlic sauce, dip or spread, several variations, serve with bread, meat, fish, fries

Malidzano is a traditional Macedonian spread made from puréed bell peppers, eggplant, oil, salt and mustard . It derives its name from the Italian word for eggplant, melanzane. Malidzano is usually served as an appetizer with a side of bread and piece of white cheese. In other countries of the Western Balkans (Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia), it is prepared with green or red peppers, affecting the color of the spread.

Mombar . (in ِArabic: فوارغ) is a kind of Arab sausage dish especially popular in Egypt. Syria, Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya. It is made from sheep casing stuffed with a rice and meat mixture and deep fried. The main ingredients in mombar are beef sausage meat, rice, tomatoes, onion, garlic, coriander, oil, and spices.

Murrī or almorí was a liquid condiment made using a fermented solid-state starter called budhaj that was made with barley flour or wheat flour, known from Maghrebi and Arab cuisines. Almost every substantial dish in medieval Arab cuisine used murrī in small quantities. It could be used as a substitute for salt or sumac, and has been compared to soy sauce by Rudolf Grewe, Charles Perry, and others due to its high glutamates content and resultant umami flavor. There are two types of murri known from historical recipes that have survived into the present day. The Iraqi-style murri from the 10th century Kitab al-Tabikh by Ibn Sayyar al-Warraq and the 13th century Kitab Wasf al-Atima al-Mutada was made by wetting a combination of ground flatbread, barley flour (budhaj flour) and salt and allowing it to ferment. The Maghrebi style of murri described in detail in Kitab Wasf is made only with barley flour, and flavored with carob, fennel stems, citron, pine nuts, mixed spices and bitter orange wood. The consistency is similar to treacle. Kitab Wasf also describes a "Byzantine murri", but it is made with toasted bread instead of spoiled bread and includes caramelized honey. The authors of some Arabic lexicographical wrote that murri may be a word of foreign origin, and based on this, some modern scholars have speculated that the word could be derived from the Greek halmyris ('a salty thing' and source for the Latin word for brine, salmuria) and the condiment related to the Ancient Roman condiment garum (or garos in Greek). Although murri is not made with fish, the Arabic translation of Artemidorus' Oneirocritica uses garos for murri. While calling this "a translator's 'bright idea'", Charles Perry, an expert in medieval Arab cuisine, notes that both condiments do share the traits of being fermented, salty liquid seasonings, but it is unknown whether the technique or culinary use of a fermented sauce is of Greek origin. Perry writes that murri may represent "the Greek idea of a salty liquid seasoning as interpreted in the basically Persianized—and fish poor—Near Eastern environment," but cautions that this interpretation has some problems, including recorded recipes of a distinct "Byzantine murri". David Waines, a British scholar of Islamic history, has written that there are two types of murri, "the more usual made from barley flour, and the other from fish." He further explains:

Palatschinke is a thin crêpe-like variety of pancake of Greco-Roman origin. The dessert is common in the Balkans, Central and Eastern Europe. The dish is of Greco-Roman origin. In 350 BCE, the ancient Greek poets Archestratos and Antiphanes first mentioned plakous. Cato the Elder's short work De agri cultura ("On Farming") from about 160 BC includes an elaborate recipe for placenta. Palatschinke still bears the same name of its Greek and Roman ancestors. The origin of the name comes from the Latin word placenta, which in turn is derived from the Greek word plakous for thin or layered flat breads. The name of the dish has followed a track of borrowing across several languages of Central and Southeastern Europe; the dish originates from the Roman era of Central Europe and the Austrian-German term Palatschinke, the Czech palačinka, the Slovak palacinka, and the Croatian-Serb palačinka are deemed to have been borrowed from Hungarian palacsinta, that in turn from Romanian plăcintă (a cake, a pie), the Romanian word can be traced back to the Latin placenta, meaning "pie, cake".

Polenta is an Italian dish of boiled cornmeal that was historically made from other grains. It may be allowed to cool and solidify into a loaf that can be baked, fried, or grilled. The variety of cereal used is usually yellow maize, but often buckwheat, white maize, or mixtures thereof may be used. Coarse grinds make a firm, coarse polenta; finer grinds make a soft, creamy polenta. Polenta is a staple of both northern and, to a lesser extent, central Italian, Swiss Italian, southern French, Slovenian, Romanian and, due to Italian migrants, Brazilian and Argentinian cuisine. It is often mistaken for the Slovene-Croatian food named žganci. Its consumption was traditionally associated with lower classes, as in times past cornmeal mush was an essential food in their everyday nutrition.

Smetana is the English-language name for the types of sour cream traditionally prevalent in Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe. It is a dairy product produced by souring heavy cream. It is similar to crème fraîche, but nowadays mainly sold with 9% to 42% milkfat content depending on the country. Its cooking properties are different from crème fraîche and the lighter sour creams sold in the US, which contain 12 to 16% butterfat.[clarification needed] It is widely used in cooking and baking. Smetana is used in Central, Southeastern, and Eastern European cuisines in appetizers, main courses, soups and desserts. For example, it may be blended with soups, vegetable salads, cole slaw, and meat dishes. It is served with dumplings , or with pancakes (bliny, palacsinta, naleśniki, oladyi, syrniki). It is also used as a filling in savoury pancakes. Smetana can be blended to a Liptauer-like cheese spread with quark or cottage cheese, onions, paprika and other spices, and eaten with bread. Smetana is often used in cooking, as it is high enough in fat not to curdle at higher temperatures. It is used in the preparation of meat stews, such as beef Stroganoff, vegetable stews, casseroles, or other dishes that require a long cooking time in the oven. Smetana does not melt in the oven. Hungarian cooks use it as an ingredient in sauces such as paprikas, and in recipes such as palacsinta (crepes) filled with ham or minced meat (hortobágyi palacsinta) (similar use is common in Eastern European Jewish cuisines, save that smetana is not used with meat dishes due to Jewish dietary prohibition of mixing dairy products with meat). The current trend toward reduced fat content is believed to have resulted in an inferior product. To imitate Hungarian-style cooking and the use of smetana (called tejföl in Hungarian), Hungarian cookbooks recommend using Western sour cream mixed with heavy whipping cream (38–40% milkfat). Unlike sour cream mixed with whipping cream, smetana is not homogenized.

Baked goods, for example, pastries, strudel, kifle, flatbreads, rolls, bread, pretzels, bagels, cinnamon rolls

A pretzel , Bretzel, pronounced [ˈbʁeːtsl̩] ⓘ or [ˈbʁɛtsl̩]) is a type of baked pastry made from dough that is commonly shaped into a knot. The traditional pretzel shape is a distinctive symmetrical form, with the ends of a long strip of dough intertwined and then twisted back onto itself in a particular way (a pretzel loop or pretzel bow). Today, pretzels come in various shapes, textures, and colors, but the original soft pretzel is still one of the most common pretzel types to date.

Pindjur or pinjur or pinđur is a relish form and is commonly used as a summer spread. Pindjur is commonly prepared in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Bulgaria, Serbia and North Macedonia. The traditional ingredients include red bell peppers, tomatoes, garlic, vegetable oil, salt, and often eggplant. Pindjur is similar to ajvar, but the latter is smoother, usually has a stronger taste, and is rarely made with eggplant. In some regions the words are used interchangeably. The creation of this traditional relish is a rather long process which involves baking some of the ingredients for hours, as well as roasting the peppers and peeling them.

Pita or pitta (British English) is a family of yeast-leavened round flatbreads baked from wheat flour, common in the Mediterranean, Levant, and neighboring areas. It includes the widely known version with an interior pocket, also known as Arabic bread (Arabic: خبز عربي; khubz ʿArabī). In the United Kingdom, Greek bread is used for pocket versions such as the Greek pita, and are used for barbecues as a souvlaki wrap. The Western name pita may sometimes be used to refer to various other types of flatbreads that have different names in their local languages, such as numerous styles of Arab khubz (bread). The first mention of the word in English cited in the Oxford English Dictionary was in 1936. The English word is borrowed from Modern Greek πίτα (píta, "bread, cake, pie"), in turn from Byzantine Greek (attested in 1108), possibly from Ancient Greek πίττα (pítta) or πίσσα (píssa), both "pitch/resin" for the gloss, or from πικτή (piktḗ, "fermented pastry"), which may have passed to Latin as picta cf. pizza. In Levantine Arabic it evolved into fatteh, (since Old Arabic /p/ evolved into /f/). Other hypotheses trace the word back to the Classical Hebrew word פת (patt, lit. "a morsel of bread"). It is spelled like the Aramaic פיתא (pittā), from which it was received into Byzantine Greek (see above). Hypotheses also exist for Germanic or Illyrian intermediaries.

Pogača is a type of bread baked in the ashes of the fireplace, and later in modern ovens. Found in the cuisines of the Balkans, Levant, and Hungary it can be leavened or unleavened, though the latter is considered more challenging to make. It is generally made from wheat flour, but barley and sometimes rye may be added. It can be stuffed with potatoes, ground beef, olive, or cheese, and have grains and herbs like sesame, black nigella seed, or dried dill in the dough or sprinkled on top. The word derives ultimately from the Latin panis focacius, i.e. bread (panis) baked on the hearth or fireplace (focus), via the Byzantine Greek πογάτσα (pogátsa), thence entering the South Slavic languages as pogača / погача. A variant is known as pogačice (diminutive form), a type of puff pastry eaten in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Slovenia, and Turkey (where it is called poğaça) with variations like karaköy. It is called pogatschen in Austria, and pagáče in Slovakia. It is known by similar names in other languages: pogácsa (Hungarian), pogace (Romanian), Greek: μπουγάτσα 'bughátsa', Bulgarian, Macedonian and Serbian Cyrillic: погача, Albanian: pogaçe, Arabic بغاجة (baghajah).

Proja is a Balkan dish made of corn flour, baking powder, sunflower oil, sparkling water and salt. As one of Serbian national dishes, alternative name for Proja (Проја) is also Projara (Пројара). Proha, Prova or Razljevak are alternative names used in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It has been popular in times of widespread poverty, mostly before the 1950s, and remains a common everyday meal. It is often mistaken with projara, a somewhat fancier variant of proja, which includes the additional ingredients flour, eggs and yogurt. The ingredients should be mixed together and baked in a greased pan (which should be 5 cm high) until golden. Best served with kajmak and sour cream.

Preserved fruit, for example, fig, cherry, blueberry, plum

Olivier salad is a traditional salad dish of Russian cuisine. Its creation is generally attributed to Lucien Olivier. It is also popular in other post-Soviet countries and around the world. In different modern recipes, it is usually made with diced boiled potatoes, carrots and brined dill pickles (or cucumber), together with optional vegetable or fruit ingredients such as green peas, eggs, celeriac, onions and apples, optional meat ingredients such as diced boiled chicken, cured sausage, ham, or hot dogs, with salt, pepper and mustard sometimes added to enhance flavor, and dressed with mayonnaise. In many countries, the dish is commonly referred to as Russian salad, in a few Scandinavian countries (Denmark and Norway) it is called italiensk salat (Italian salad, to acknowledge the popularity of this dish in Northern Italy - where however the common name is Insalata russa) and in Dutch it is called huzarensalade (hussars' salad). In former Yugoslav countries it is called ruska salata (Russian salad) or francuska salata (French salad). In Romania it is known as "salata (de) boeuf." which means beef salad in French. In France, it is referred to as macédoine de légumes, whereas the Polish version, in which there's usually no meat, is simply known as sałatka jarzynowa, or vegetable salad. In Russia and other post-Soviet states, as well as in Russophone communities worldwide, the salad has become one of the main dishes on zakuski tables served during New Year's Eve ("Novy God") celebrations. In Poland it is commonly served at Christmas and Easter.

Shopska salad is a cold salad popular throughout Southeastern Europe. It is Bulgaria's most famous salad and national dish. The dish is made from tomatoes, cucumbers, onion/scallions, raw or roasted peppers, and sirene, a white brined cheese similar to feta. The vegetables are usually diced and salted, followed by a light dressing of sunflower oil (or olive oil, which is less authentic), which is occasionally complemented by vinegar. The addition of vinegar contributes, however, to the sour flavour that the tomatoes impart. In restaurants, the dressings are provided separately. Lastly, the vegetables are covered in a thick layer of grated or diced sirene cheese. This salad is often consumed as an appetizer with rakia. According to food anthropologist Rayna Gavrilova, the dish is commonly accompanied by a shot of apricot or other fruit brandy.

Sirene , also known as "white brine sirene" (Bulgarian: бяло саламурено сирене), is a type of brined cheese originating from Bulgaria. It is made of the milk of goats, sheep, cows, buffalo or a mixture thereof. It is slightly crumbly, with at least 46–48% of dry matter containing 44–48% of fat. It is commonly produced in blocks, and has a slightly grainy texture. It is used as a table cheese, in salads, and in baking. In 2023, the name "Bulgarsko byalo salamureno sirene" was registered as a protected designation of origin in the European Union. Traditional dishes using sirene are:

Salo or slanina[a] is a European food consisting of salt-cured slabs of pork subcutaneous fat with or without skin and with or without layers of meat. It is commonly eaten and known under different names across Central, Eastern and Southeastern Europe. It is usually dry salt or brine cured. The East Slavic, Hungarian and Romanian variety may also be cured with paprika or other seasonings added, whereas the South and West Slavic version is often smoked. The Slavic word "salo" or "slanina" as applied to this type of food is often translated to English as "bacon", "lard" or "fatback" in general, depending on context. Unlike bacon, salo contains more fat than lean meat and unlike lard, salo is not rendered. It is similar to Italian lardo, the main difference is that lardo is sliced for curing. For preservation, salo is salted and sometimes also smoked and aged in a dark and cold place, where it will last for a year or more. The slabs of fat are first cut into manageable pieces, typically 15×20 cm. Then layers of fat slabs topped with one-centimetre layers of salt go into a wooden box or barrel for curing. For added flavouring and better preservation, the slabs of salo may be covered with a thick layer of paprika (usually in the more Western lands; in Russian salo with paprika is called "Hungarian"), minced garlic, or sometimes black pepper.[citation needed]

Slatko is a thin fruit preserve made of fruit or rose petals in Bulgarian, Macedonian, and Serbian cuisine. Almost any kind of fruit can be used, including wild strawberry, blueberry, plum or cherry. Traditionally, all guests in Serbian and Bulgarian homes are greeted with a spoonful of slatko/sladko and a cup of water immediately after being seated. Particularly honoured guests are offered twice, although any guest can ask for another taste, to honour the housekeeper. For the second taste another spoon must be used. To ask for the third taste, if not offered, is regarded as an improper behaviour, although usually granted. Alternatively, in the same manner, the guests may be offered honey (or asked to choose between the two). Prior to the creation of Yugoslavia, the tradition of slatko was common and widespread only in the historical Serbia, south of Sava and Danube, and was unknown in Vojvodina or other parts of Austro-Hungarian Empire. The most common types of slatko are those made of whole strawberries, slightly unripe skinned plums or sour cherries. Other fresh fruits like raspberries, sweet cherries, watermelon cubes, rose petals, quinces, grapes, figs, skinned apricot halves or quarters, peaches, blueberries, blackberries or redcurrants can also be used. If a plum slatko is prepared, walnut halves or almonds may be added to the mixture or even inserted into the plums themselves to replace the pits. Some fruits and vegetables (like rhubarb and physalis) rarely grown in Serbia have also been demonstrated to be well suited for slatko. Frozen berries and fruits are sometimes used as well, in which case the amount of water used and the cooking time are adjusted accordingly.

Pickled peppers

Tzatziki , also known as cacık ( Turkish: [dʒaˈdʒɯk]) or tarator, is a class of dip, soup, or sauce found in the cuisines of Southeastern Europe and West Asia. It is made of salted strained yogurt or diluted yogurt mixed with cucumbers, garlic, salt, olive oil, red wine vinegar, sometimes with lemon juice, and herbs such as dill, mint, parsley and thyme. It is served as a cold appetiser (meze), a side dish, and as a sauce for souvlaki and gyros sandwiches and other foods. The word tzatziki appeared in English around the mid-20th century as a loanword from Modern Greek (τζατζίκι), which in turn comes from the Turkish word cacık. The root is likely related to several words in West Asian languages. Persian zhazh (ژاژ) refers to various herbs used for cooking.[citation needed] That word is combined with the Turkish diminutive suffix -cık to yield cacık. It may be related to an Armenian word, cacıg. According to Sevan Nişanyan the Armenian word may itself come from Turkish or Kurdish.

Urda is a sort of whey cheese commonly produced in Southeast Europe, and Hungary. The name derives from Albanian urdhë/urdha, from Proto-Albanian *wurdā, from an earlier form *urdā or *uordā, ultimately derived from Proto-Indo-European *uer- "to boil, to burn". It is cognate to Old Armenian վառիմ (vaṙim, "to burn"), Lithuanian vìrti ("to cook, to boil"). It is semantically relevant that this cheese is produced by boiling whey. The Albanian term urdhë/urdha has been borrowed to other Balkan and Carpathian languages, notably Romanian urdă, but also Bulgarian, Hungarian, Serbian, Slovak, Rusyn, Polish, Czech, and Russian languages. Urda is made from whey of sheep, goat or cow milk. Urda is produced by heating the whey resulting from the draining of any type of cheese. It is often made into molds to the shape of a half sphere. The paste is finely grained, silky and palatable. It contains 18 grams of protein per 100 grams.

Urnebes is a type of spread or salad characteristic of Serbian cuisine prominent in the city of Niš and southern Serbia. In Serbia, it is common to refer to both dishes consisting primarily of fresh leafy vegetables and thick sauces used as a condiment as salad. It is made of white cheese, kajmak and hot chili peppers, with salt and other spices. In Southern Serbia, it is made with chopped peppers, while ground dry peppers (aleva) are used elsewhere, giving it a red color. Depending on the type and amount of peppers, urnebes can range from mild to very hot. Usually, it is served as a side dish with grilled meat or barbecue. Sometimes garlic is used.

Vegeta is a brand of savoury condiments of dehydrated vegetables, spices, and MSG, produced by Croatian food company Podravka. It is considered a staple of Eastern European cuisine. The product was originally developed at Podravka's labs in Koprivnica, then part of Yugoslavia, in 1958. Zlata Bartl, a Bosnian Croat chemical technician who created a popular line of dehydrated soup packets, led the team that developed Vegeta. It was first sold in 1959 under the name "Vegeta 40", and first exported in 1967 to Hungary and the Soviet Union. Vegeta has been produced by Podravka in Koprivnica since its introduction, and is also manufactured in Poland, Austria, Hungary, and Tanzania. Vegeta was a commercial success for Podravka and led to an economic boom in Koprivnica.[citation needed] Bartl, who became known as "Auntie Vegeta" , was made an honorary citizen of the city before her death in 2008. Nielsen named Vegeta the best-selling universal food seasoning in Europe in 2021, and the products are sold in 40 countries worldwide.

Thin, dried phyllo pastry sheets, used in a variety of ways, for example, mixed with milk, butter and eggs to make a breakfast porridge, or used in savory pies, this is different from Turkish yufka flatbread