Bulgarian Traditional

Cuisine

Viana de Castelo – Portugal 19May 2014 -25 May 2014

Bulgarian Cuisine has grown out of wealth of culinary traditions, both

local and foreign, combined in a way which is uniquely Bulgarian, offering cuisine with its own characteristics, originality and exceptional variety.

Some of the most famous Bulgarian cooking recipes are

here specially selected for you.

BULGARIAN SALADSShopska Salad

(the Bulgarian favourite)

Ingredients for 4:4 spring onions4 medium tomatoes1/2 cucumber1 green pepper1 red pepper

Optional:Oliveschopped parsleygrated feta cheese to sprinklesalad salt, pepper, vinegar and olive oil

Prepare:Cut all ingredients in slices or cubes. Season with salt, pepper, add the choppedparsley, 1 tbs.of vinegar and 2 tbs. of oliveoiland mix well. Sprinkle with feta cheese and enjoy either on its own or as a side dish.

Tarator (cold soup)

Ingredients for 2-3:500g yogurt1/2 cucumber1 finely chopped garlic clove1 tablespoon olive oilfresh dill, finely chopped salt

Prepare: in the same way as Snezhanka salad, but do not squeeze the water. Dilute the yogurt with 1 cup of cold water, stir well and mix with the seasoned cucumber. Perfect for a hot summer's lunch.

Bean SoupBean Soup(hot soup)(hot soup)

IngredientIngredients:s:1 (16 ounce) package dried navy beans1 (16 ounce) package dried navy beans

• 7 cups water7 cups water• 1 ham bone1 ham bone

• 2 cups diced ham2 cups diced ham• 1/4 cup minced onion1/4 cup minced onion

• 1/2 teaspoon salt1/2 teaspoon salt• 1 pinch ground black pepper1 pinch ground black pepper

• 1 bay leaf1/2 cup sliced carrots1 bay leaf1/2 cup sliced carrots• 1/2 cup sliced celery1/2 cup sliced celery

Prepare:Prepare:Place rinsed beans into a large stock pot. Add water and bring to a boil. Place rinsed beans into a large stock pot. Add water and bring to a boil.

BoilBoil gently forgently for 2 minutes; remove from heat, cover and let stand for 1 hour.2 minutes; remove from heat, cover and let stand for 1 hour.Add ham bone, cubed ham, onion, salt, pepper and bay leaves. Add ham bone, cubed ham, onion, salt, pepper and bay leaves.

Bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover and simmer for 1 hour and Bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover and simmer for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until beans are soft.15 minutes or until beans are soft.\\

Occasionally skim service of soup while itOccasionally skim service of soup while it is cooking.is cooking. Add carrots and celery, cook until tender.Add carrots and celery, cook until tender.

Remove ham bone, scrape any meat from bone and place back into soup Remove ham bone, scrape any meat from bone and place back into soup and serve.and serve.

Mish-Mash (a type of omelette)

Ingredients for 3-4:3 medium tomatoes3 red peppers1onion2-3 tablespoons vegetable oil200g feta cheese3 eggschopped parsleysalt and pepper to season

Prepare:Cut the ingredients into small pieces. Heat the oil in a frying pan, add theonions, 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 withparsley and serve. Delicious with toast.

Moussaka

Ingredients for 4-5:1/2 kg of minced meat (best mix pork and beef but beef only will do too)1 kg of potatoes, peeled and finely chopped in cubes2 tomatoes, finely choppedparsley, 1/3 cupful, finely chopped onion, finely chopped3 eggs, beaten1 cup yogurt2 tablespoon floursalt and pepper to tasteoil for cooking2 tablespoons chubritza

Prepare: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 arecooked. Stir the eggs, the yogurt and the flour together and pour it over the dish. Bake for

10more minutes. It's delicious with cold yogurt on the side.

Monastery Gyuvetch

Ingedients for 4-5: 1 kg braising beef or pork

4 medium tomatoes120g mushrooms

1 cup rice1 onion

150 g olives1 bunch of parsley

2 tablespoons vegetable oil25g butter

2 1/2 cups beef stockblack pepper, paprika and salt

Prepare:Cut the meat into cubes or small pieces and fry in a pan with a little oil for

about5 minutes. Add the chopped onions, beef stock and paprika, 5 minutes later

add the mushrooms and rice and simmer for about 15 minutes. Add thechopped 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.

Banitsa Ingredients:1 kg flour400g white brined cheese4 eggs500g yogurt1/2 teaspoon baking soda100g buttersalt

Prepare:Use the flour, salt and 3/2 cupfuls of water to make a hard dough which isdivided into first-large balls. Let stand for about 1 hour, then roll into about 1mm thick sheets. Line with melted butter and top with a mixture of beateneggs, baking soda,yogurt and crumbled cheese. Roll together and place in aLined dish, either lengthwise or in circles. Bake in a moderate oven and

some

water when ready. Cover with a cloth to make it soft.

MekitsiIngredients:

2 lbs flour3eggs

1 tsp of baking soda 1 cup water

1/2 teaspoon salt 1 cupful oil

Preparation:Add yeast to some lukewarm water, let it stay for 5 mins to get bubbly.

Beat eggs and yoghurt and water together until they mix well. Add flower and continue to

mix until you get soft dough. Let it stand for 1 hour. Roll into a sheet and cut out

circles (you can use a teacup). Fry in plenty of oil (deep fryer will do) until golden brown.

Serve powdered with sugar. They go well with jam or feta cheese too.

Crème Caramel

Ingredients:1/4 gallon milk 8 eggs 1/2 cup sugar a pinch of vanilla a pinch of cinnamon 10-12 small oven-proof cups

Prepare:Mix the eggs and the milk well. Stir more than half of the sugar in and add thevanilla and cinnamon. Try the mixture and if you find it not sweet enough, addmore sugar to taste. Sugar is important here - the more, the better the taste.Melt the rest of the sugar in a non-stick pan, stirring occasionally so it does notburn. Add some water to it to make the melting easier - don't worry water willvaporize gradually leaving the sticky molten sugar in the pan. Pour the sugar inthe cups, make sure you cover the bottoms well. Follow by pouring in the eggand milk mixture. Place the full cups in a pan of water in a way that water levelreaches the same height as the mixture inside the cup. Bake for about 25 mins in 375 F oven until golden brown crust is formed on top. Serve the contents ofthe cup upside-down on a small plate.

This is how our students cooking a tradicional bulgarian dishes .

The End