MAIN INGREDIENTS
One of the staples of traditional Turkish cuisine, sarma consists of a filling that is snugly surrounded by leaves or leafy vegetables. There are numerous versions of this dish but the mixture typically combines ingredients such as minced meat, rice or bulgur, various herbs, seasonings, red pepper, paprika, ground sumac, or tomato sauce, while the typical wrapping usually includes vine, cabbage, or sauerkraut leaves, or a variety of leafy vegetables such as collard greens and swiss chard.
Having its roots in the Ottoman Empire, sarma is also traditionally consumed in the Balkans, the countries of Central Europe, the South Caucasus, and the Middle East. Although it is commonly enjoyed as a filling lunch or dinner (typically during the winter season), sarma is often prepared on special occasions and holidays.
MOST ICONIC Sarma
Île flottante or floating island is a popular dessert originating from France, consisting of meringues that are poached in vanilla custard and often topped with caramel sauce and toasted almonds. The meringues are usually made from whipped egg whites, sugar, and vanilla extract.
This classic dessert is one of the staples of French comfort food, although it is popular internationally, sometimes with small tweaks and variations, in countries such as Austria (Schneenockerln), Hungary (Madártej), Croatia and Serbia (šnenokle), and Italy (uova di neve).
MOST ICONIC Île flottante
Pljeskavica, a Serbian national dish also known as the Serbian hamburger, is a flat, round patty made from minced beef, pork, and veal, or a combination of the three, with the addition of selected seasonings such as paprika, salt and pepper, and in some cases, finely minced onions and garlic.
It is a simple dish that is hard to master, as the ratio of meat and fat is extremely important in the preparation process. Flavorful and juicy, the word pljeskavica comes from the word pljeskati, meaning to clap, since this is the motion made when forming the patties that are then grilled on both sides to a smoky brown color, with typical grill marks on both sides.
MOST ICONIC Pljeskavica
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Fiš paprikaš (or hal paprikas in Hungary, with the addition of sour cream) is a traditional stew cooked in a big cauldron over an open fire. This spicy fish stew is traditionally made with a variety of freshwater fish such as catfish, starlet, pike, and carp.
The stew is heavily flavored with large amounts of the region's staple – ground red paprika, which can range from mild to very hot. Fiš paprikaš is often served with homemade noodles, and it is so popular in the region that there are numerous fiš cooking competitions organized throughout the year.
MOST ICONIC Fiš paprikaš
MAIN INGREDIENTS
Pasulj is a popular Serbian bean soup that is traditionally prepared with white beans. The beans are usually simmered with sausage, bacon, or ham, and vegetables such as onions and carrots. Paprika, bay leaves, and garlic are commonly used as seasonings in the soup.
Pasulj is a typical representative of Serbian comfort food, and it is also very popular throughout the Balkans, especially in the neighboring countries. It is recommended to serve the dish with some crusty bread or sliced raw onions on the side.
MOST ICONIC Pasulj
Slatko is a Serbian fruit preserve that consists of distinguishable, usually whole pieces of fruit that are doused in a thick, sugary syrup. It can be prepared with various types of fruit such as quinces, watermelon rinds, cherries, raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, figs, grapes, plums, prunes, and even rose petals, while sugar-based syrups can often be flavored with vanilla, lemon juice, cinnamon, or cloves.
Serbian slatko, which translates as sweet, is a sign of hospitality that is traditionally offered as a warm welcome to guests. It is always served in small glass bowls and the guests should customarily enjoy only a spoonful of the preserve.
MOST ICONIC Slatko
Lenja pita or lazy pie is a traditional dessert consisting of two layers of biscuit with either a fruit filling, cheese, or nut filling sandwiched in between. The name of the dish refers to the fact that this cake is inexpensive and easy to prepare.
The dough consists of eggs, sugar, oil, flour, yogurt, and baking powder, while the fruit filling may be prepared with apples, cherries, blueberries, and similar forest fruits. The version with cheese is also very popular, as is the one with poppy seed filling.
MOST ICONIC Lenja pita
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Karađorđeva šnicla is a traditional dish consisting of veal or pork cutlet that is filled with kajmak, then rolled in breadcrumbs and fried in hot oil. The cutlet was created in 1956 by a chef Mića Stojanović, who would later become a personal chef to Josip Broz Tito, the president of the former republic of Yugoslavia.
The chef claims he invented it out of necessity at the restaurant Golf in Belgrade, and named it after the Serbian Prince Karađorđe. Today, the dish is a staple at many traditional restaurants and is typically accompanied by roasted potatoes, a lemon wedge, and tartar sauce on the side.
MOST ICONIC Karađorđeva šnicla
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Pörkölt is Hungary's national stew, its name derived from the word pörkölni, meaning to roast or singe. The stew is made from meat such as beef, lamb, pork, or chicken, simmered in a red sauce with lots of onions, garlic, and paprika powder.
It is traditionally served with dumplings, boiled potatoes, or pasta, and it is recommended to pair it with a Hungarian fruit brandy. Pörkölt's history is closely linked to the traditional Hungarian goulash, as both dishes were originally prepared as peasant meals that made hefty use of powdered paprika.
VARIATIONS OF Pörkölt
MOST ICONIC Pörkölt
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Burek sa sirom is a phyllo pastry that is round or coil-shaped and filled with a mixture of cheese and eggs. The dough is made with flour, salt, and water (and perhaps a bit of oil) and stretched into translucent sheets. The sheets of phyllo dough are stacked in a large tray, and each sheet is sprinkled with oil or oil and mineral water and spread with the cheese and egg filling.
Still, you might have heard that burek can only be called burek if it's filled with meat. That is, if you live in Bosnia and Herzegovina, but not everyone does, nor is burek really Bosnian – in fact, it has Turkish origins. In Bosnia, burek (with meat) and other types of similar pies such as sirnica (cheese) and krumpiruša (potatoes) are usually rolled into a coil, while Croatians and Serbs have a more relaxed approach – burek can be round and cut into quarters, or rolled into a coil – both shapes are good, and both can be called burek sa sirom (when filled with cheese, of course).