I love food. As evidenced by my size 14 figure (sorry not sorry) food makes me happy and I feel absolutely no guilt in enjoying it. I would rather be curvy and happy than skinny and miserable. Anyway, Albanian cuisine is delicious. A wonderful mix of Italian, Ottoman, and its own tastes and flavours, there is something for everyone. Fish, fresh meat, seasonal vegetables (and lots of spinach, yum yum) and plenty of cheese, what is not to love? Here are some of my favourites that I have come across in the last 6 months. Te befte mire!

Seafood Crudo

Whilst this may not be a traditional Albanian dish, as it appears in other Mediterranean countries, this is where I first tasted it. I love sushi, so the thought of eating raw fish drizzled with olive oil and lemon juice didn’t really deter me. That was until I was confronted with a raw prawn. Where I am from, prawns are meant to be cooked thoroughly and certainly not eaten whilst they are still twitching. The thought turned my stomach and made me a little concerned for my life, but being the brave young (is) lady that I am, I dived in mouth first. I am still alive and am a complete convert to the world of the raw prawn. Tirana and Albania are full of wonderful fish restaurants where you can get a selection of raw fish and shellfish served up any time of the day. You might be convinced that you will hate it, but believe me it is delicious and you should try everything once, right?

Petulla

Fried dough- what is not to love? The Albanian take on doughnuts, otherwise known as petulla is a breakfast staple and incidentally, my boyfriends favourite. Take them sweet with honey, jam, powdered sugar (not all at the same time), or savoury with feta cheese or yoghurt and enjoy the carbohydrate-filled delights in all of their glory. You can find a good recipe here. 

Tave Kosi (Tave Elbasani)

Whilst we are on the subject of comfort food, we cannot forget this traditional dish from Elbasan. A baked dish comprising of meat such as lamb, baked in yoghurt with rice, eggs and seasoning, it is a wonderful dish, perfect for winter evenings. It is a comforting classic that is quick, easy, and satisfying to make- there is a great recipe here.

Speca me Glize

Grilled vegetables are everywhere- peppers, courgette, potato, tomatoes- and this dish consisting of orange or yellow peppers is a must. The peppers are stuffed with rice, cheese, and spices before being baked in the oven. Delicious and full of flavour, this is worth a try and it is rather healthy as well!

Lemon Soup

Chances are, that when you think of delicious flavours of soup, lemon isn’t the first flavour that springs to mind. Lemon soup or soupa od jaja i limona is a traditional Albanian dish flavoured with eggs and lemon. If you are feeling particularly adventurous, you can even add chicken to it, but the most common way to make it is just so. Whilst you might need a bit of convincing to try it for the first time, I guarantee you will love it!

Byrek mi Spinaq

By now, you are probably beginning to understand that Albanian food is all about comfort and this spinach pie is no exception. With delicate layers of phyllo dough, full of spinach and cream, it is a delight that you can easily recreate at home. There is a great recipe here, but personally, I like to add lashings of garlic for an extra kick!

You may have noticed a distinct lack of sweet things on this list, due to the fact that I don’t have a sweet tooth. That said, I may have to write one soon and make the ultimate sacrifice of trying lots of tasty, sweet treats, all in the name of journalism.

Enjoy!