One-pan tomatoes, peppers and eggs or fërgesë is a traditional Albanian dish. It is a one-pan meal which is made with four ingredients: green peppers, ripe tomatoes, eggs and feta cheese. Cured meats could be added on this dish depending on region and the season when it’s made. The word fërgesë in Albanian means to sauté or fry. Tomato based stews were common throughout the former Ottoman Empire and Middle East with some variations. Some are meatless such as this recipe. Similar to this is Shakshouka in Middle East or Turkish Menemen.
One-Pan Tomatoes, Peppers and Eggs (Fërgesë)
Albanian Spinach Pie (Byrek Me Spinaq)
Albanian spinach pie is a savory dish made with flaky baked phyllo dough layers filled with spinach, feta cheese, eggs and herbs for flavor. Byrek is traditionally made with several phyllo dough sheets that have been thinly rolled out by hand. It can also be made with ready made pre-rolled phyllo pastry sheets.
Albanian Vegetable Stew (Gjellë me Perime – Turli)
Albanian vegetable stew, thick, rich and creamy is a colorful satisfying meal that you can make it in any season. There are many individual variations in Mediterranean dish, but all feature summer vegetables like eggplants, zucchini, butternut squash, string beans, tomatoes, peppers, carrots, onion, garlic and basil. In Albania vegetable stew is called Gjelle Turli, in southern Italy Ciambotta and France it is called Ratatouille.
Oven Baked Chicken and Rice (Pilaf me Mish Pulë në Tavë)
Cooking oven baked Chicken and Rice in a ovenproof dish will allow you to easily move it from stove-top to oven. In this recipe I am using Le Creuset cast iron Dutch oven pot (12 inch wide).
Poached Egg Over Rice Spinach (Burani me Spinaq dhe Vezë)
Poached Egg Over Rice Spinach or Burani is the traditional dish with eggs poached on top. Healthy and nutritious, this dish is a one pot meal that is very easy and quick to make.
White Bean Stew (Gjellë me Grosh)
White bean stew is a delicious meal, easy to make and very healthy and nutritious. The recipe below is made with dry beans, stewed in red sauce made with chopped tomatoes or tomato paste and onion. White beans are legumes high in protein and have significant amount of fiber in them. In Albania white beans stew is usually served with fermented food such as pickled tomato or cucumber also rice and bread. This recipe can be a very good vegetarian meal by simply omitting the meat. Dry white beans also are called fasule or grosh, depending on the region or country.