Bulgarian Cuisine Dishes, Bulgarian Food Recipes, Eastern European

Banitza – Baked Cheese Pastry (BulgarianRecipes)

Posted Tuesday, September 23, 2003 by PAF-Recipes

Banitza is one of the most popular and typical Bulgarian dishes, more of a breakfast or snack thing than a main course. There are many shapes and varieties of banitza – with cheese, spinach or butternut squash, but the cheese one is the most common and famous one.

Ingredients:

10-12 sheets Filo pastry (it is difficult to roll the sheets in the correct thickness, so I suggest you buy the ready made ones from your supermarket)
500 gr white cheese (you can use Feta although it is not quite the same as the Bulgarian White Brined Cheese – see below for info on how to purchase on the Internet)
1/2 pack butter (melted)
3-4 eggs
250 ml soda water
pinch of salt

Instructions:

Oil a medium size deep oven dish, cover bottom with a sheet of filo pastry, sprinkle melted butter, sprinkle crumbled white cheese, and continue layering filo pastry with butter and cheese. Finish with a layer of filo pastry and butter. In a separate dish beat the eggs, add salt, and soda water. Pour slowly over the dish with the banitza and let it soak in. Cook in a preheated oven (180-200 C) for about 40 minutes or until the banitza has risen slightly and has nicely browned on top. Leave to cool for about 30 minutes and serve. I like it with greek yoghurt on the side.

If you wish you can add sauteed spinach when layering the banitza.

If you wish to order Bulgarian white cheese on the Internet, you can try these websites:
Lord of the Cheese
Greek Olive Warehouse
Malincho International

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Bulgarian Rhodopean Moussaka (BulgarianRecipes)

Posted Tuesday, July 15, 2003 by SteveHLinka

Ingredients:

3/4 lb lean ground chuck
1/2 lb lean ground pork butt
4 cups 1/2-inch cut peeled potato cubes
1 large onion fine chop
1/3 cup crushed garlic
3 large fresh tomato fine chop
4 large eggs (beaten)
1/2 cup feta cheese
1 1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup fresh chopped parsley
1 Tsp fresh chopped oregano or chubritza (see note below)
3 Tsps flour
4 Tsps cooking oil
1/2 cup chopped green onion
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. In a deep skillet, brown ground meat together in oil.
2. Add onion, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper, cook for 5 more minutes.
3. While this is cooking, mix eggs, yogurt, feta, and flour,well.
4. Mix ground meat, potato, tomato, parsley together.
5. Place in baking dish, and pour egg mixture over top.
6. Sprinkle green onion on top
7. Bake for 1-hr covered at 350 deg.Then 1/2-hr uncovered.
8. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Note:

You can use chubritza instead of oregano. ( much better ) Serve with a mayonaise based cucumber salad, and boiled carrots.

If you live in the US, you can order chubritza online – Chubritza Shop.
Refreshing Creamed Zuccini Soup (BulgarianRecipes)

Posted Tuesday, April 23, 2002 by PAF-Recipes

The true Bulgarian zuccini soup the way my mum cooks it, uses rice instead of potatoes, and it isn’t pureed at the end. It also needs a special final touch – adding a beaten egg with a tbsp of lemon juice to ‘bind the soup together’.

My version is better, I think, especially if you like creamed (pureed) soups. The soup is delicious served cold with a drizzle of lemon juice, perfect for those hot summers days, but can also be served hot with a spoonful of reduced fat soft cheese instead of cream. Yummy!

For those concerned about calorie intake – the total calorie count is 460, or around 95 calories per serving, slightly more than those packet soups, but it is full of goodness.

Ingredients for 4-5 (1 litre):

2 medium zuccini (400 g), washed, cut in cubes
2 medium potatos (225 g), washed, peeled, cut in cubes
1 large onion (200 g), peeled and chopped
1 tbsp butter or oil
1 tbsp paprika
2 cubes chicken stock
1 litre plus half cup water
4 garlic cloves, minced or chopped
1 tbsp dill (either fresh or dill weed)

How to prepare:

In a 1.5 l lidded pan heat the butter or oil, add the onions and stir to cover with butter, sprinkle the paprika and stir to coat the onions, add the zuccini and potatoes and stir well, add the water and the stock cubes, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes.

Take off the hob, stir in the minced garlic and the dill, cool for 10 minutes. Drain the liquid (and keep!!!), puree the vegetables in a food processor or use the puree attachment of your mixer, combine with the liquid, stir well … enjoy!
Potato and Vegetable Omelette (BulgarianRecipes)

Posted Tuesday, October 9, 2001 by PAF-Recipes

Ingredients to serve 4:
450 g potatoes
salt and black pepper
1 red onion
1 clove garlic
4 tbsp olive oil
100 g frozen peas
6 large eggs
50 g mild cheddar cheese
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

How to cook:
Peel and cut the potatoes in cubes. Cook in boiling, salted water for 5 minutes or until tender. Drain. Meanwhile, peel and chop the onion and crush the garlic, deseed and chop the pepper.

Heat half the oil in a large frying pan, add the onions and fry for 4 minutes, add the red pepper and peas, cook for 3 minutes then transfer to a plate.

Heat the remaining oild in the pan, add the potatoes and cook for 8 minutes stirring, add the onion mixture, sprinkle the parsley, and mix well with the potatoes.
Beat the eggs, mix with the cheese and season. Pour over the mxture evenly. Reduce the heat and cook for about 10 minutes or until the eggs are set. Loosen the edges with a palette knife and turn out the omelette onto a plate.

You can serve it hot or cold. Delicious with garlic bread and green or tomato salad.
Spinach Puree with Feta Cheese (BulgarianRecipes)

Posted Thursday, September 27, 2001 by PAF-Recipes

Ingredients:
1 kg spinach,
5 tbsp plain flour,
100 g butter,
200 g feta cheese/brined sheep’s cheese,
2 eggs,
salt,
1-2 medium onions, finely chopped

How to cook:

Wash the spinach, cut into fine strips, cook for about 15 minutes in salty water, drain, leave to cool, then puree.
In a pan melt the butter, add the flour, then the onions and fry for about 5 minutes. Add 150 ml water (or milk) and the pureed spinach, bring to the boil, stirring frequently. Cook for about 5 minutes, then add the eggs (beaten) and the crumbled cheese. Cook for further 5 minutes and take off the hob.
Spinach Soup (BulgarianRecipes)

Posted Thursday, September 27, 2001 by PAF-Recipes

Ingredients
1/2 kg spinach,
60 g butter,
2 tbsp plain flour,
500 ml milk,
pepper,
salt

How to cook:
Boil the chopped spinach in salted water for about 15-20 minutes, drain, leave to cool for 10-15 minutes, then puree. Heat a pan, melt the butter, add the flour, stir well, fry for 1-2 minutes, then add the pureed spinach. Add the milk and 200 ml of the water in which the spinach was cooked. Simmer for 5-10 minutes and season with pepper.

Serve with croutons (bread cubes fried in butter)
Aubergine/Eggplant Dip – Kyopolou (BulgarianRecipes)

Posted Thursday, September 27, 2001 by PAF-Recipes

Ingredients:
2-3 aubergines/eggplants,
4-5 peppers (red and green mixed)
2-3 medium tomatoes.
4 cloves garlic,
fresh bunch parsley,
red wine vinegar,
sunflower oil
salt

How to prepare
Bake/roast the aubergines, tomatoes and peppers on a hot plate or in the oven (220C), peel their skin and cut into small pieces. Add the crushed garlic. Mix well, add oil and vinegar, salt to taste, stir again. Arrange into a serving dish, top with finely chopped parsley. Serve with toasted bread or bread sticks.

Unbelievably tasty!
Mackerel in Wine & Tomato Sauce (BulgarianRecipes)

Posted Thursday, September 20, 2001 by PAF-Recipes

Ingredients:
Serves 2

2 medium size onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves – chopped
3 medium tomatoes peeled and chopped (or half tin chopped tomatoes)
chopped parsley
2 cleaned and boned mackerels
1/2 cup White Wine
2-3 tbsp oil

How to cook
Saute the onion in oil for 5 minutes, add the tomatoes, wine, chopped garlic, salt and pepper. Simmer for 15-20 minutes. Spread 1/2 of the sauce evenly in baking dish. Place the mackerels on top. Cover with the remaining souce. Preheat oven to 190C and bake for 35 to 40 minutes.
Moussaka (BulgarianRecipes)

Posted Thursday, July 5, 2001 by PAF-Recipes

Pretty similar to the Greek Moussaka…

Ingredients:
1/2 kg of minced meat (best mix pork and beef but beef only will do too)
1 kg of potatoes, peeled and finely chopped in cubes
2 tomatoes, finely chopped
parsley, 1/3 cupful, finely chopped
one onion, finely chopped
3 eggs, beaten
1 cup yogurt
2 tbs flour
salt and pepper to taste
oil for cooking
2 tbsp chubritza (a Bulgarian herb which you could substitute with some Herbes de Provance or Oregano – of course the taste will be different. However, if you live in the US, you can order it here – Chubritza Shop )

How to make it:
Fry the onion and the minced meat in a little oil. The more fatty the meat is, the less oil you need. In about 10 minutes take it off the hob and mix well with the potatoes, tomatoes, and parsley. Add salt and pepper to taste. Bake for about 45 minutes at 190C, or until the potatoes are cooked. Stir the eggs, the yogurt and the flour together and pour it over the dish. Bake for 10 more minutes.
It’s delicious with cold yogurt on the side. Enjoy!
Aubergine/Eggplant Byurek (BulgarianRecipes)

Posted Wednesday, July 4, 2001 by PAF-Recipes

This dish is a geat starter or a side dish. It takes a while to prepare but it tastes really nice.

Ingedients:
1 1/4 kg aubergines (about 4-5 large aubergines)
200 g white brined cheese or feta cheese
50 g breadcrumbs
vegetable oil
100 g plain flour
6 eggs
parsley
a bunch of dill
black pepper and salt

How to cook:

Wash and dry the aubergines, slice 1/2 cm thick, sprinkle with salt and put aside for 10-15 minutes.
Drain any juices which are running from the aubergine slices. Put each slice in flour and fry for about 3-4 minutes on each side.
Make a filling by mixing 4 eggs, cheese, parsley and pepper. Place a tbs of the mixture onto half of the slices and cover with the remaining slices.
Then dip the slices in the remaining 2 eggs (beaten), cover in breadcrumbs and fry for about 2-3 minutes on each side.
Monastery Gyuvetch (BulgarianRecipes)

Posted Wednesday, July 4, 2001 by PAF-Recipes

This dish used to be prepared at the Rila Monastery kitchen.
Rila Monastery is one of the famous Bulgarian Visitors attractions – a monastery which has survived many attacks by the Ottoman Turks and has provided a shelter for many innocent people.

Ingedients:

1 kg braising beef
4 medium tomatoes
120 g mushrooms
1 cup rice
1 onion
150 g olives
a bunch of parsley
2 tbs vegetable oil
25 g butter
1 tbs sugar
2 1/2 cups beef stock
black pepper, paprika and salt

How to cook:
Cut the beef into cubes or small pieces and fry in a pan with a little oil for about 5 minutes.
Add the chopped onions, beef stock and paprika, 5 minutes later add the mushrooms and rice and simmer for about 15 minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes, add salt to taste, the butter, 1 tbs sugar and whole olives, and cook for further 5 minutes. Preheat oven to 190C. Transfer the content of the pan into a baking dish and cook for about 30 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley and pepper before serving.
Pork Shops Sliven Style (BulgarianRecipes)

Posted Sunday, June 3, 2001 by PAF-Recipes

This recipe comes originally from a region in Bulgaria called Sliven.

Ingredients:
4 pork shops
2 medium carrots finely chopped
salt and black pepper
1 large onion chopped
1/2 a glass white wine
3 garlic cloves finely chopped
4 mushrooms chopped
200 gr tomatoes chopped
2 celery sticks

How to cook:
Season the chops with salt and pepper and brown in a frying pan. Remove from pan and leave to one side. In the same pan, cook the rest of the ingredients for 5-10 minutes. Arrange the chops in an oven dish, cover with the vegetable mixture and cook in an preheated oven (220C) for about 20 minutes. Serve with boiled or mashed potatoes.
BEEF Kavarma Kebap – one of the most typical and delicious Bulgarian dishes (BulgarianRecipes)

Posted Tuesday, May 29, 2001 by PAF-Recipes

Ingredients for 3-4:

400-500 g frying beef steak
1 onion
1 clove of garlic
1 glass of wine
3-4 tbsp of fat or oil
1 tbsp cornflour
1/2 cup beef stock
paprika, pepper, salt

How to cook:
Cut the meat in strips, season with salt and pepper and leave for half an hour. Then heat the fat in a pan and brown the meat. Take the meat out and put aside, in the same oil fry the finely chopped onion for 2-3 minutes and add to the meat. Season with salt, pepper, paprika and gently stir to mix the meat and onions.

Add the stock, wine and the chopped garlic to the hot oil in the pan, bring to the boil, simmer for few minutes to reduce the sauce, then thicken with cornflour.

You can serve with mashed or roast potatoes using the sauce as gravy.
PORK Kavarma Kebap – one of the most typical and delicious Bulgarian dishes (BulgarianRecipes)

Posted Tuesday, May 29, 2001 by PAF-Recipes

Ingredients for 3-4:

3/4 kg of tender pork
1/2 cupful of lard or oil
4-5 leeks
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp black pepper
1/3 cup red wine
1 onion,
parsley,
1 small chilli

How to cook:
Chop the meat and brown it in the oil. Take it out of the pan in a dish and leave. In the same oil, fry the finely cut leeks. Add salt, the tomato paste, paprika and pepper. Pour in 1/2 a cup of water, add the wine and the meat.
Let it stew on low heat until the juice has thickened. Serve sprinkled with chopped onions, parsley and a small hot pepper. You can also serve it with boiled potatoes or rice.
Mince meat stuffed peppers – this is a main meal (BulgarianRecipes)

Posted Tuesday, May 29, 2001 by PAF-Recipes

Ingredients for 4

8 mixed peppers (red, green, yellow),
500 gr. minced meat (beef, pork or chicken),
60 gr. rice,
2 onions, chopped parsley,
1 can of chopped tomatoes,
3 tbs. oil, paprika,
salt and pepper

How to cook:
Take the seeds out of the peppers by cutting a hole on top, wash and dry. Chop finely the onions. Heat the oil in a pan, fry the onions for 2-3 minutes, add the minced meat and cook for about 5 minutes, add the rice and tomatoes (keep the tomato juice for later), season with salt, pepper and paprika, cook for another 2 minutes and take off the hob. Stuff each pepper with the mixture (about 3/4 full), arrange in an oven proof deep dish, add the tomato juice and top up with water to half fill the dish, cover with foil and cook for about 30 minutes in a preheated oven (190 C), uncover and cook for another 15-20 minutes until the peppers are cooked. You can serve them on their own or with Greek style joghurt.
Mish-Mash – a type of omelette (BulgarianRecipes)

Posted Tuesday, May 29, 2001 by PAF-Recipes

Ingredients for 3-4

3 medium tomatoes,
3 red peppers,
1 onion, 2-3 tbs. of vegetable oil,
200 gr. of feta cheese,
3 eggs,
chopped parsley,
salt and pepper to season

How to cook:
Cut the ingredients into small pieces. Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the onions, then the peppers and the tomatoes and cook for about 3-5 minutes. Add the cheese and eggs and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley and serve. Delicious with toast.
Aubergines in a Tomato Sauce – a great starter or a side dish (BulgarianRecipes)

Posted Tuesday, May 29, 2001 by PAF-Recipes

Ingredients for 4:

2 medium aubergines (cut in thin slices),
frying oil, 50-80 gr. of plain white flour,
1 can of chopped tomatoes,
2 garlic cloves (crushed),
chopped parsley.

How to cook: This dish is best prepared at least few hours in advance. After cutting the aubergines into slices season with salt and leave aside for 10 minutes and drain any water. According to the original recipe, dip each slice into the flour and fry in a pan. You can also use a deep-fat fryer. Or you can just grill them for 5-10 minutes each side after brushing them with little oil. Leave to cool.

For the tomato sauce, heat little oil in a pan, add half of the crushed garlic and stir, add the can of tomatoes and simmer until the sauce has thickened, add the rest of the garlic and season with salt and pepper. Take off the hob and add the chopped parsley.

In a dish arrange a layer sauce followed by a layer of aubergines. Cool in a fridge for few hours or just serve.
Courgettes in a joghurt sauce – a great starter or a side dish (BulgarianRecipes)

Posted Tuesday, May 29, 2001 by PAF-Recipes

Ingredients for 2-3:

2 courgettes (cut in thin slices),
frying oil, 50-80 gr. of plain white flour,
500 gr. natural live or Greek style joghurt,
2 garlic cloves (crushed),
chopped fresh dill.

How to cook: This dish is best prepared at least few hours in advance. After cutting the courgettes into slices season with salt and leave aside for 10 minutes, then dip each slice into the flour and fry in a pan. You can also use a deep-fat fryer but the courgettes may become a bit oily. Leave to cool. Mix the crushed garlic and chopped dill with the joghurt. In a dish arrange a layer joghurt followed by a layer of fried courgettes. Cool in a fridge for few hours or just serve.
Snezhanka/Tarator – a great starter or a side dish (BulgarianRecipes)

Posted Tuesday, May 29, 2001 by PAF-Recipes

Ingredients for 2-3:

500 gr. Greek Style joghurt,
half a cucumber,
1 finely chopped garlic clove,
salt , 1 tbs. of olive oil,
fresh dill – finely chopped

How to prepare:
Snezhanka – dip style version. Peel the skin of the cucumber using a potato peeler, chop in small pieces, squeeze between your hands to drain most of the water, season with salt, add the chopped garlic, olive oil and dill, and leave for 10 minutes. Then add the joghurt and chill for at least 1 hour before serving.

Tarator – cold soup version. Prepare in the same way as Snezhanka, but do not squeeze the water. Dilute the joghurt with 1 cup of cold water, stir well and mix with the seasoned cucumber. Perfect for a hot summer’s lunch.
Shopska Salad – a Bulgarian favourite (BulgarianRecipes)

Posted Tuesday, May 29, 2001 by PAF-Recipes

Ingredients for 4:

4 spring onions,
4 medium size tomatoes,
half a cucumber,
1 green pepper,
1 red pepper,
optional: olives
chopped parsley,
grated feta cheese to sprinkle salad,
salt, pepper, vinegar and olive oil

How to prepare: Cut all ingredients in slices or cubes. Season with salt, pepper, add the chopped parsley, 1 tbs. of vinegar and 2 tbs. of olive oil and mix well. Sprinkle with feta cheese and enjoy either on its own or as a side dish.
Cheese Stuffed Peppers (BulgarianRecipes)

Posted Tuesday, May 29, 2001 by PAF-Recipes

Ingredients for 2-3

3 small green peppers,
125 gr. of feta cheese,
frying oil,
1 tomato (cut 3 disks or squares from the hard part of the tomato)

How to cook: Cut a hole on top of each pepper, taking all seeds out and wash. Cut the cheese into 3 pieces or adjust depending on the number of pepper, fill each pepper with the cheese and close the hole with a tomato square (see above). Then fry each side of the peppers in a pan or you can use a deep-fat fryer. Leave to cool, then peel the skin and serve.
Bulgarian Potato Salad (BulgarianRecipes)

Posted Tuesday, May 29, 2001 by PAF-Recipes

Serve as garnish to grilled or BBQ’ed meat. Or enjoy on its own.
Ingredients for 4:
4-5 large potatos
salt and pepper to taste
2-3 spring onions
juice of 1/2 a lemon
olive oil
fresh parsley or dill

How to prepare:
Peel and boil the potatos for about 20-25 minutes, drain and leave to cool.
In a salad bowl – add the finely chopped spring onions, salt, pepper to taste, the lemon juice and olive oil, and mix gently. Cut the potatos into cubes and add the the salad bowl. Gently mix, sprinkle with parsley or dill if you serve the salad with fish.

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