This is a genuine old recipe from the town of Gjirokastra, Albania. It is a very colorful, nutritious and exquisite taste with Turkish and European influence. Pasha qofte are paired with a simple soup base made with potatoes and carrots cooked in broth. Into this bubbling soup you drop rice meatballs made with ground meat or turkey, rice, onion, herbs and spices which come together very quickly to a perfect bowl of soup.
Meatball Soup (Supë me Pasha Qofte)
Albanian Pan-Fried Meatballs (Qofte të Skuqura)
Albanian pan-fried meatball is a ball or patty made of ground meat of beef, lamb, chicken or pork mixed with spices and onions. This is a traditional Albanian dish widely used for every day meal or holidays as a main dish or sliders served with salad, rice, pasta, yogurt sauce or other dishes. Meatballs can be cooked in many different ways from pan frying to baking in the oven.
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).
Homemade Chicken Broth (Lëng Pule Shtëpie)
Easy homemade chicken broth made with only four ingredients: chicken, onion, peppercorns and salt. Homemade chicken broth is a staple in so many delicious dishes. Usually when I am cooking chicken pilaf or chicken lemon soup I use this broth recipe.
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.