History of Bulgarian cuisine

Tarator

Shopska salad

Banitsa

Monastery "Gyuvech"

Oshaf

With the foundation of the Bulgarian state, the cuisines of Thracians, Slavs and proto-Bulgarians merge together. Each ethic group contributed with its culinary traditions.

Thracians, Greeks, Romans, Bulgarians, Slavs, and many other tribes and peoples who settled in the territory of modern Bulgaria have influenced that tradition from antiquity till now. Archaeological evidence suggests that the main ingredients of our ancient cuisine were traditional vegetables like cabbage, carrots, beet, turnip, onions, garlic; different kind of meat like sheep, goat, pork, beef, poultry; grains - millet, oats, barley, rye, wheat; as well as some legumes like broad beans, lentils, peas, vetch.

After 1940, and especially after 1968, many of the main ingredients could not be found at the market so they were replaced by others which are still part of our national cuisine. So butter has been replaced by lard, olives – by pickles, powdered egges – by milk mayonnaise. “Rusensko vareno” is used instead of Caviar. Some emblematic names like “Shopska salad”, “Kavarma po radomirski”, “Bob chorba po manastirski”, “Yaica po panagurski”, “Chushki burek” and so on appear in Bulgarian cuisine.

One of the characteristic features of Bulgarian cuisine is that most products in a dish are treated simultaneously. This is especially true in baking and the explanation is simple – households didn’t have ovens in the past so they took the prepared baking dish to bakeries. Even after the advent of modern technology this tradition of preparing food is still preserved.

Compared to other cuisines, in Bulgarian cuisine spices like onions, garlic, red and black pepper, allspice and bay leaf are very often used. Culinary zones are usually characterized by regional, culture and historical designation of the traditions associated with food, methods used for preparing food and serving it.

That is why cuisines are generally discussed according to the regions they cover on one hand, and according to the similar cultures of the nations that create culinary traditions, from another hand. So today Bulgarian cuisine has many similarities with the Balkan, Slavic and Mediterranean cuisines

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Tarator

Tarator is a cold summer soup made of yoghurt and cucumbers. It is served chilled. Local variations may replace yoghurt with water and vinegar, omit nuts or dill, or add bread. The cucumbers may on rare occasions be replaced with lettuce or carrots.

Ingredients1 long cucumber, chopped or grated (we prefer it peeled) 1 garlic clove, minced or smashed4 cups yoghurt1 cup water1 teaspoon salt (we like it saltier)1 tablespoon dill, finely chopped4 big pecans, well crushed3 teaspoons olive oilPreparationPut all those together and mix well. When ready garnish with olive oil (or other favorite oil). Best when chilled.

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Shopska salad

Shopska salad is a traditional Bulgarian cold salad made from tomatoes, cucumbers, onion, raw or roasted peppers and sirene (Bulgarian cheese, feta cheese, white brine cheese). Shopska salad is a very distinctive Bulgarian dish. It is named after a group of very frugal people called shopi who live in the capital of Bulgaria, Sofia.

Ingredients4 ripe tomatoes2 long cucumbers1 onion1 red or green pepper1/3 bunch of parsley2 tablespoons (olive) oil3 tablespoons of red wine vinegar1 cup (1/2 lb) Bulgarian cheese (or feta cheese)PreparationChop all tomatoes (we recommend leaving the pieces bigger), cucumbers and the pepper and put in a bowl. Add the finely chopped onions and parsley. Sprinkle with the oil and vinegar and mix it all together. Grate the feta on top.

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Banitsa

It is one of the most popular and typical Bulgarian dishes, more of a breakfast or snack thing than a main course. There are many shapes and varieties of banitsa - with cheese, spinach or butternut squash, but the cheese one is the most common and famous one. It is a traditional Bulgarian dish consumed at any meal.

Ingredients:2 packets of phyllo dough (Bulgarian "fini kori" or phyllo from the frozen desserts section)200 grams of yellow cheese (Bulgarian kashkaval or a mixture of cheddar and mozzarelle)500 grams of white cheese (Bulgarian sirene or feta cheese)7 eggs100 grams of butter1/2 cup of soda water1 cup yogurt PreparationMix six of the eggs, the grated butter, the crumbled white cheese, the yellow cheese cut in small pieces, and the yogurt. In a buttered pan, lay a layer of the phyllo dough, spread a layer of the mixture, and continue alternating layers so that the phyllo and the mixture are finished about the same time. Finish with a layer of phyllo dough. Then cut the banitsa into serving pieces. Mix the last egg with the soda water and stir. Pour the mixture over the banitsa and make sure there are no pieces of the phyllo dough left dry.Bake in a preheated over at 200 C for 40 minutes, or till golden. Back

Monastery "Gyuvech"

Ingredients600gr meat (lamb, veal or pork) 1 dl oil or 800 gr lard 1 onion 200 gr tomatoes salt pepper 2-3 dl warm water or soup from cube 300 gr fresh mushrooms (or 100 gr dried) 150 gr paprikas 100 gr olives 100 gr rice 1 dl wine 1/2 bunch of parsley

Preparation: Wash meat, wipe and cut into big pieces. Fry it quickly in heated oil, add finely chopped onion, cook gently until slightly soft, add half of the tomatoes (100 gr) peeled and cut into small pieces, add salt and pepper, pour in warm water or soup from cube (or bone stock), then simmer. When half tender turn into a fireproof or earthenware dish, add mushrooms trimmed, washed, and cut into thin slices and paprikas cut into strips. When mushrooms and paprikas are tender, add olives and rice picked over and half-cooked. Add more salt and pepper if necessary, pour in wine and some warm water as needed. Bake in the oven preheated to 175-200 degrees centigrade. After 10-15 minutes add the rest of the tomatoes cut into rounds and bake until brown. When done, sprinkle "gyuvech" with chopped parsley and pepper.

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Oshaf

A dessert made of dried fruit.