Serbian cuisine

We are all gourmets at heart, who sooner or later have a frantic desire to try something special, but without harm to their own stomach. In this case, one of the traditional dishes of Serbian cuisine will probably come to the rescue. Simple and sophisticated at the same time, it is as close and understandable to a thirsty Slavic soul. It is also incredibly rich in recipes for popular delicacies, flavors, products and their unusual combinations.

History

Today, almost every big city in the world has at its disposal at least one Serbian restaurant. And all because of her unique culinary principles and traditions. But a huge influence on the process of their formation was once exerted by individual historical events, traces of which are still caught in the national dishes of Serbia.

The country began to emerge back in the XNUMXth century, when Slavic tribes and, concurrently, the ancestors of today’s Serbs, settled in the western part of the Balkan Peninsula. Over time, the Serbian state developed and already in the Middle Ages expanded its possessions to the entire territory of the Western Balkans. It is said that it was then that modern Serbian cuisine began to develop. In those days, it consisted mainly of meat, dairy dishes, bread and vegetables. Serbs diluted the usual tastes with parsley and black pepper, which still occupy a leading position among the spices used in this country.

Later, there was the influence of the Bulgarian cuisine, from which local housewives borrowed recipes for salads from fresh vegetables, as well as some methods of cooking, namely: boiling, stewing, baking. In the XNUMXth century, there was a conquest by the Turkish Khanate, followed by a massive adoption of the culinary habits of the conquerors. In particular, Serbs liked Turkish sweets, which are still successfully sold in local pastry shops.

In addition, the national cuisine of Serbia was also influenced by Hungarian, German, Slavic and Mediterranean culinary traditions. You can verify this by analyzing the features and recipes of local dishes.

Features

• Ease… Most of the dishes are based on familiar products, the unusual combinations of which give rise to new tastes and become a real highlight of the kitchen. In addition, the process of cooking them usually takes a minimum of time and is not difficult.
• Abundance of meat… They say that Serbian cuisine is unthinkable without it. The locals have a special affection for pork, which slowly turns on a spit and, covered with an appetizing crust, exudes incomparable aromas. Along with it, lamb and goat meat are valued here.
• Genuine love of vegetablesthat has lived in the hearts of Serbs for centuries. Most often, eggplants, tomatoes, onions and peppers are used, which are stewed, fried in a pan or grilled, stuffed or simply eaten raw.
• Respect for bread and dough products… Bread has been the basis of the local diet since the dawn of Serbian cuisine, so it is not surprising that it is still very popular here today. Hostesses in Serbia love to bake all kinds of pies, donuts, pancakes and other goodies with and without fillings. In addition, bread was actively used during religious ceremonies. It is interesting that spoiled it was never thrown away, but simply made kvass from it.
• Abundance of dairy products… The pride of the national cuisine is milk fermented in a special way – kaymak. Along with it, on the tables here you can always see all kinds of cheeses made from sheep’s milk, yoghurts, jelly milk (a variant of our yogurt).

Basic cooking methods:

Over the years of the existence of Serbian cuisine, special dishes have stood out in it, which immediately passed into the category of traditional, national ones. It is difficult to judge today about their true origin, given the rich history of this country, nevertheless, they are always worth a try. It:

Kaymak. For its preparation, milk is boiled, and then cooled so that a film forms on it. Then this film is collected and laid in layers in a special wooden dish. Sometimes salt is sprinkled between the layers. The zest of the dish is in fermentation, which, according to eyewitnesses, creates an amazing taste. Kaymak is used as a snack or a kind of sauce.

Razhnichi’s shashlik is a shashlik cooked on charcoal.

Aivar – vegetable caviar with paprika. Traditional dish of September.

Chevapchichi – small sausages with minced meat.

Castradina – dried mutton.

Punena tikvitsa is a dish based on pumpkin stuffed with rice and meat.

Burek is a puff pastry pie with cheese or meat.

Zelyanitsa – baked goods with spinach and cheese.

Fish soups.

Pleskavitsa – minced meat flatbread cooked over charcoal.

The lure is local donuts.

Strukli is a delicacy made from nuts and plums baked in cheese.

Boza is a fizzy drink made from corn.

Coffee is practically a national drink. The most popular varieties are Serbian coffee and Turkish coffee. Tea is rarely drunk here, perceiving it more as a medicine than a real delicacy to quench one’s thirst.