Byrek Misri

Byrek Misri

This is one of those stick to your bones and makes you feel good all over dishes. Think of it as American corn bread but packed with spinach, green onions and cheese. It’s very easy to make and can last a few days so, make a large batch if you can.

Ingredients:

-                 4 cups spinach (either frozen or finely chopped fresh)

-                 1 gallon milk

-                 2 eggs

-                 3 cups of corn flour

-                 Six green onions

-                 6 oz of cream cheese (or feta cheese if you prefer)

-                 1 cup butter room temperature

-                 Salt to taste

Directions:

First start by chopping green onions and preparing the spinach. Then, in a large bowl slowly combine milk and corn flour. Mix vigorously while pouring to avoid clumping. Now mix in the following ingredients: the eggs, spinach, onions.

Cut the butter into small cubes and throw them into the mix. Then crumble the cheese in as well. If you are making it with cream cheese use a small spoon and scoop in small pieces of cheese in. A little salt for taste and you are done and ready to bake!

Pour the mixture into an oiled pan and bake for one hour at 400 degrees uncovered. The dish is done when it is a solid mixture and golden around the edges. Let it cook for about 15 minutes and then serve. This can be served as a main dish or a side dish. Either way I know you will love it as much as I do! 

Enjoy!

Albanian Vegetable Pie

Albanian Vegetable Pie

Albanian vegetable pie, Byrek Shqipëtar me perime, is an Albanian recipe for cooking pies. Albanian pies are generally made of thin pastry leaves which can be rolled out at home or bought as filo dough at a supermarket. Most of the pies prepared by Albanian cooks are not sweet; instead, pie fillings are almost always salty. Thus, a piece of such a pie may well serve as the main dish of a meal. 

Ingredients:

-                 1 cup (240 mL) oil, preferably olive oil

-                 1½ packets (or about 30) pastry leaves (filo dough)

-                 1½ pounds (680 g) spinach, chopped

-                 1 cup (240 mL) diced feta Cheese

-                 1/2 cup (120 mL) chopped green onions

-                 2-3 eggs

-                 1½ t salt

Directions:

A medium-sized, round baking pan is recommended because it's more authentic but any medium-sized baking pan will do.

Brush the baking pan with some of the oil, and start laying the pastry leaves inside.

First, lay two leaves, sprinkle or brush with oil, then lay two other leaves, and repeat the procedure until half of the leaves are laid.

Make sure that they cover the pan by hanging them about one inch over the edges of the pan.

Sprinkle spinach with salt, then mix well by hand.

Add the feta Cheese, oil, onions, eggs and salt, and spread this mixture over the already laid pastry leaves.

Finish by covering the spinach with the rest of the pastry leaves repeating the first-half procedure and then roll the hanging edges of the bottom leaves over the pie (think of a pizza crust), sprinkle top with oil and bake moderately at 350 °F (175 °C) for about 45 minutes, or until golden brown.

Serve hot, accompanied with buttermilk, or beaten yogurt, thinned down in cold water or with chilled stewed prunes.

Sometimes a green salad adds to the meal!

Baked Beans Recipe for Serbian Prebranac

Baked Beans Recipe for Serbian Prebranac

This Serbian recipe for baked beans or prebranac is perfect for Lent or other fasting times in the Orthodox Christian tradition because it contains no meat, butter, eggs or milk, which are prohibited.
This dish is as much starch as it is vegetable and can be served as a vegetarian main course or side dish.

• Total: 105 mins
• Prep: 15 mins
• Cook: 90 mins
• Yield: 1 pound (6 servings)

Ingredients

• 1 pound beans
• 1/4 cup plus 3/4 cup canola oil
• 1 tablespoons dill (fresh or 1 teaspoon dried)
• 5 large onions (chopped)
• 3 garlic cloves (minced)
• 1 can/16 ounces tomato sauce (with bits of tomato)
• 2 teaspoons paprika (sweet or hot)
• salt to taste
• black pepper (to taste)
• 1 1/2 cups water

Steps to Make It

1. Pick over beans and rinse. Place beans in 4 quarts water. When it comes to a boil, skim off any foam that rises to the top. Add salt to taste, 1/4 cup oil and 1 teaspoon dried dill or 1 tablespoon fresh dill. Simmer until beans are tender. Drain, rinse in cold water to stop the cooking process and set aside.
2. Heat oven to 350 F. In a large Dutch oven or lidded casserole dish or roaster, heat 3/4 cup oil and sauté onions until translucent. Add garlic and sauté until onions are tender. Add tomato sauce, paprika, salt, and pepper to taste, dill to taste and water. Mix in the beans, cover and bake 45 minutes, adding more water, if necessary.

Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
565	Calories
29g	Fat
62g	Carbs
19g	Protein

3.     See Full Nutritional Guidelines

4.     (Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Bulgarian Vegetable Spread (Lyutenitza)

Bulgarian Vegetable Spread (Lyutenitza)

Lyutenitza (ljutenica, lyutenitsa, lutenica) is a national relish of Bulgaria. The ingredients vary by region but in general include tomatoes, peppers, onion, garlic, black pepper, vegetable oil, sugar and salt. Lyutenitza is a little milder (less hot) than the other popular relish Ajvar.

Ingredients:

-                 20 lbs red peppers

-                 3 lbs tomatoes

-                 2 1/2 cups oil

-                 2 cups sugar

-                 20-25 chili peppers, assorted

-                 1/3 cup salt

Directions:

Roast the red peppers, peel and seed, and grind coarsely.

Cut the tomatoes in 4-5 pieces each, grind and toss with the peppers in oil, fry for about 10 minutes. Add the sugar and the salt, add some water and simmer until the mixture thickens.

Half way through, add the ground chili peppers.Preserve in jars. Eat cold.