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Kontosouvli is a traditional Greek dish consisting of large pieces of pork marinated in a mixture of herbs and spices, then skewered and slowly cooked on a rotisserie, much like a gyro or souvlaki. The marinade often contains ingredients such as garlic, oregano, thyme, rosemary, paprika, olive oil, lemon juice, and red wine.
After marinating, the meat is threaded onto a large skewer and roasted over an open flame, which results in a rich and flavorful outer crust with a juicy, tender interior. The cooked meat is typically served in thick slices, often accompanied by pita bread, tzatziki sauce, and horiatiki salad, among other possible accompaniments.
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Gyros is one of the most popular Greek street food dishes, consisting of meat such as pork and chicken (in Greece) or lamb and veal (popular in other countries) cooked on a vertical spit. The meat is sliced in thin shavings and is then usually placed in a pita bread along with sauces such as tzatziki and vegetables such as tomatoes, onions, lettuce, and cucumbers.
Gyros is derived from the Greek word gheereezo, meaning to turn, referring to the constantly rotating vertical spit on which the meat is cooked. Some believe that gyros originated during the time of Alexander the Great, when his soldiers skewered the meat on their swords and cooked it over a fire.
MOST ICONIC Gyros
View moreSouvlaki is one of the most popular Greek dishes, consisting of small cubes of skewered and grilled pork, chicken, lamb, or beef. It is a popular fast food item that is usually served in souvladzidika, small eateries that also often serve gyros and other similar grilled meat dishes.
Souvlaki first appeared in ancient Greece, when it was called kandaulos, consisting of a combination of grilled meat, pita bread, cheese, and dill. The name of the dish is a diminutive of the Greek word souvla, meaning spit.
MOST ICONIC Souvlaki
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Burek consists of layers of phyllo dough stuffed with various savory fillings. Despite its Turkish origins, this dish has evolved into a proud gem of Bosnian national cuisine. Although most locals claim that only burek with ground beef can be called burek, the same dish also appears with other fillings, and these other varieties are known by different names: sirnica (cottage cheese), zeljanica (spinach), and krompiruša (potatoes).
Burek is baked rolled into a snail-like shape and this type is typically found in bakeries, while traditional restaurants often make it in the form of a pie, which is sliced into quarters before serving. The dish is wildly popular all across the Balkans, though in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the cultural significance of this everyday staple is incomparable and best summed up in a number of local proverbs suggesting that if a woman can make a good burek, she's eligible for marriage.
MOST ICONIC Burek
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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).
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Spanakopita is a Greek spinach pie consisting of a buttery, flaky phyllo pastry with a filling of cooked spinach, lemon juice, feta cheese, and sometimes dill. It can be served either as a small snack, an appetizer, or a light main course. Due to a farming tradition of handheld foods, the pies were originally invented for the field workers who would carry them in their pockets and consume them while working.
Although spanakopita has humble beginnings, it has risen to greater gastronomic heights, so today it can be found in most Greek diners, taverns, and upscale restaurants. It is likely that the dish originated 400 years ago, during the Turkish occupation of Greece, since a Turkish dish called ispanaki is almost identical in presentation.
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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Kokoretsi is a traditional Greek dish consisting of lamb or goat offal that is chopped into tiny pieces, seasoned with lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper. The offal is then skewered, covered with caul fat to keep the pieces in place, and cooked over charcoal.
It is traditionally consumed as an appetizer or meze on Easter Sunday in Greece. Although it is associated with Easter, it can usually be found throughout the year across the country. Kokoretsi is also popular throughout the Balkans, and the name of the dish comes from the Albanian word kukurec, meaning tripe.
This traditional Greek meat pie combines flaky phyllo dough with a flavorful ground meat filling. Since it is eaten across the country, kreatopita appears in numerous versions that often vary in shape and adapt the filling with rice, leeks, cheese, béchamel sauce, and various herbs and seasonings.
Regardless of the abundant varieties, they can all be enjoyed as a filling main course, snack, or even as a convenient street food option.
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Koulouri Thessalonikis is a traditional Greek street food staple and their national take on simit—a similar circular bread found in Turkey. In its simplest form, koulouri is made with wheat flour dough that is shaped into a ring before it is coated in sesame seeds and baked.
This Greek version is believed to have traveled with Greek refugees from Asia Minor who first settled in Thessaloniki, hence the name. The origin is still disputed between the two countries, but the Greeks have implemented this crunchy and filling snack in their national cuisine.
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