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. 

Plăcintă, from the Latin word placenta which means flat cake, is a traditional fried pastry or a thin cake consisting of flour, water, eggs, milk, yeast, and a pinch of salt. This fried or deep-fried pastry is enjoyed warm, and it is usually stuffed with a sweet or savory filling.

A great variety of fillings can be used for the stuffing, including branza cheese, sweet cheese, mashed potatoes, shredded cabbage, apples, jams, and sour cherries, to name a few. Plăcintă’s texture and consistency can range from light and fluffy to doughy and crispy, resembling a flatbread. 

Zeama is a traditional soup that is also known as the ultimate hangover cure. It typically consists of homemade chicken broth that’s prepared with a smaller whole chicken, water, thin homemade egg noodles (tăiței de casă), and a variety of finely chopped vegetables and herbs.

The soup usually contains carrots, onions, sweet peppers, leeks, tomatoes, and potatoes, and it is typically flavored with pepper, salt, and a handful of aromatic herbs such as parsley, dill, thyme, lovage, or celery leaves. Traditionally, the broth is made sour with the addition of borș acru (fermented wheat bran juice), lemon juice, or zeamă de varză acră (sauerkraut juice). 

Sfințișori or Moldavian martyrs is a traditional dessert pastry coated in nuts and honey. The pastry is soft and fluffy on the interior, while the exterior is crispy, crunchy, and sticky. It is made in the form of figure eight, representing the human body and referring to the 8th of March, the day before an Orthodox holiday celebrating the Forty Martyrs, when the dessert is traditionally prepared.

There is also a Dobrogea regional version of sfințișori where the pastries are smaller and topped with walnuts and cinnamon.

Pârjoale are popular Moldovan and Romanian meat patties and meatballs made from lamb, pork, beef, or a combination of the three. The meat is usually combined with garlic, eggs, and fresh herbs such as dill, thyme, and parsley. These patties or balls are rolled in breadcrumbs and deep-fried in hot oil, keeping the meat tender and juicy.

Pârjoale are typically served on rye bread with some whole-grain mustard.