Alba - Fondazione Slow Food

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food, knowledge, and stories of gastronomic heritage

the ark of taste inventory in

AlbaSlow Food®

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Edited by

Dhurata Daneri, Dauro Mattia Zocchi, Michele Rumiz,

Charles Barstow, and Entoni Rasku

Following the nominations received from:

Pier Paolo Ambrosi, Artan Bala, Sulejman Dalipi, Petrit Dobi, Zef Gjeta, Preke

Gjeloshaj, Gjystina Grishaj, Urim Jace, Rigers Kacori, Flora Sali, Dorjan Meraj, Andrea Pieroni

Dhimiter Piligriu, Giorgio Ponti, Altin e Anton Prenga, Eftali Qerimi, Vehip Salkurti,

Manjola Shehaj, Flora Sali, Irma Tako, Drita Tanazi, VIS Albania, CESVI Albania,

the Slow Food network in Albania and the Slow Food Chefs’ Alliance in Albania

Language editing

Charles Barstow

Layout

Aarón Gómez Figueroa and Paola Sánchez García

www.cabezadetoro.com.mx

Illustrations

Edgar Flores López

Copyright © 2020 Slow Food®

All rights reserved

Slow Food Editore srl

Piazza XX Settembre, 5 - 12042 Bra (Cn) Italia

Tel. 0172 419611

[email protected]

www.slowfood.com

This book is part of a service provided by Slow Food and VIS to the Food and

Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations as part of a Letter of Agreement in

support of the project named TCP/ALB/3606 “Building MARDWA administrative

capacities for technical negotiations with European Union in agriculture and rural

development”.

The view expressed in this document are those of Slow Food and do not

Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations.

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FRAMEWORK OF THE PUBLICATION

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) technical assistance in Albania aims to preserve the biodiversity, enhancing sustainable productivity in the food and agriculture sector through multi-stakeholder partnerships from farm to fork. A key focus is to support the use of the rich

diversity of the Albanian traditional cuisine and the unique gastronomic experience to facilitate market development and integration.

FAO accelerated its support to strengthen institutional capacities, enhancing national agriculture and rural development policy framework in order to facilitate

the European Union.

Establishing a sound legislation to regulate and protect Geographical Indication is among key aspects for meeting the EU acquis and enacting an enabling framework that safeguards Albania’s agricultural and gastronomic heritage, and leverages its potential to support sustainability of rural livelihoods on the producer side while improving and diversifying diet choices for consumers delivered across the country and beyond.

This publication is an important achievement jointly realized with Slow Food, a global, grassroots Organization acting to safeguard food biodiversity across the

Sharing the vision for promoting Geographical Indications, FAO and the Slow Food raised awareness and introduced Albania’s extraordinary gastronomic heritage by

The publication has collected a list of products thanks to the valuable contribution of many chefs and volunteers of the Slow Food network in the country, who shared their culinary knowledge and secrets and who work passionately to safeguard the traditional cuisine heritage, which Albania has built over centuries. I believe that this unique collection will contribute to the Albanian Gastronomic Renaissance and the country’s commitment to the Sustainable Development Agenda. It will particularly to facilitate eradicating poverty (SDG1), ensuring food security and nutrition (SDG2) and promoting sustainable consumption (SDG12). This unique examples are prepared and released as part of FAO’s work within the framework of the Regional Initiative on improving agrifood trade and market integration in Europe and Central Asia.

Raimund JehleFAO Representative for Albania

Regional Programme Leader for Europe and Central Asia


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6 B iodiversity is the greatest promise for the future of humankind. Without it, the foundation for human life on the planet is lost, as is the very soil on which civilizations and cultures have been shaped and formed as the result of human adaptation to the natural environment.

Defending, protecting, and promoting biodiversity is therefore not simply one among a number of choices, advanced by the intellectuals of conservation or by nostalgic environmentalists: It is, rather, the only viable path forward. It is a moral duty that we, the generation that inhabits this historic moment, must take on for those who will come after us and live on this planet Earth, a planet that, today, we are trampling, hurting, and mistreating. From this point of view, the Ark of Taste, a global project that this book takes up in its Albanian context, is an initiative that seeks to create information, knowledge, and awareness about this unique heritage. Through the Ark, communities are invited to rediscover their agricultural and food heritage, in order not to lose the connection with the land that feeds us and will continue to feed us.

Talking about food biodiversity and its protection is of crucial importance in the Balkan area, especially when it comes to Albania. In facts, the history of this country shaped also the local customs and its gastronomy The over forty years

look for example at cheese, its immense pastoral dairy tradition where reduced to 2 options: the industrial white brined cheese or kaçkaval. On top of this, in the nineties and still today, consumerism arrived and the western model, following

club sandwiches and Caesar salads rather than a good byrek.

Fortunately, things are changing and real Albanian cuisine is lately being

phenomenon of “returning immigration”. Many Albanian chefs – who have emigrated in the past - decided to return to their country due to the crisis of 2008, opening activities where they enhance local biodiversity, let the transmission of old traditions be possible and the innovation of this latter a

and typical Albanian dishes, some of them catalogued also in this book. This is the case of Dibra Jufka, a type of handmade egg pasta cooked in a wood oven with a free-range chicken (Jufka dibre me pulë), or of a typical fruit preserve called gliko are (walnut gliko) or of the reasons why it is important to know, catalogue, and protect all those local

cultural and social conditions. In facts, on the one hand, they preserve cultural


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heritage, on the other, represent the only democratic instrument for restoring local economy and protect the authentic beauty of this land.

As citizens, we must be aware that the gastronomic heritage of a country rests primarily on the shoulders of these people, who, among other things, are those who care for the environment, who keep marginal communities alive, who save soils from erosion, and who protect biological, cultural, and food diversity.

Defending biodiversity takes us toward a more sustainable future, and a sustainable future for Albania as a whole represents a hope for the future of the entire planet. This publication is intended as a tool to promote Albania’s biodiversity and make it known to the wider public. We are at the beginning of a long and fascinating journey of discovery. Great things lie ahead.

Carlo Petrini


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8WHAT IS SLOW FOOD?

SSlow Food is a global, grassroots organization, founded in 1989 to prevent the disappearance of local food cultures and traditions and counteract the rise of fast food culture. Since its founding, Slow Food has grown into a global movement involving millions of people in over

160 countries, working to ensure that everyone has access to good, clean and fair food. Slow Food is the umbrella organization responsible for guiding and steering the action of the entire movement, which is composed of over 1,500 local chapters and 2,400 food communities, and reaches millions of people every year.

Slow Food promotes food that is good, clean and fair for all: good because it is healthy in addition to tasting good; clean because it is produced with low environmental impact and with animal welfare in mind; and fair because it respects the work of those who produce, process, and distribute it. Slow Food works to defend biodiversity and to promote a sustainable and environmentally friendly food production and consumption system; to spread sensory education and responsible consumption; and to connect producers of quality foods with co-producers (conscious consumers) through events and initiatives.

Slow Food is committed to protecting traditional, sustainable, quality foods, defending the biodiversity of cultivated and wild varieties as well as methods of cultivation and production. These are all threatened by the prevalence of processed food, industrial agribusiness, and the rules of the global market.

The Slow Food Foundation for Biodiversity was created in 2003 to safeguard food biodiversity and gastronomic traditions around the world. It promotes a sustainable model of agriculture that respects the environment, cultural identity, and animal welfare and supports the right of each community to decide what to plant, produce, and eat.

Slow Food has become what it is today based on the safeguarding of traditional products and practices. The Foundation’s activity focuses primarily on countries in the Global South, where defending biodiversity means not only improving

and coordinates a group of international projects focused on protecting agricultural biodiversity: the Ark of Taste, 10,000 Gardens in Africa, Presidia and Narrative Labels, Slow Food Chefs’ Alliance, and Earth Markets.

www.slowfood.com


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ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY OF GASTRONOMIC SCIENCES

Founded by the Slow Food movement and located in the heart of the food and wine region of Piedmont, Italy, the University of Gastronomic Sciences (UNISG) supports a unique educational design based on:

• cross-disciplinary learning

• practical experience

• study trips around the world

The distinctiveness of the University’s programs attracts students from

project that combines study and practice, books and life testimonies, science, management, craftsmanship, and traditional knowledge. These programs are

contact with producers and companies in the agri-food industry, as well as

the globe.

The University is supported by over 130 companies in the agri-food sector, as well as institutions that support research activities and participate in the life of the University. These companies and institutions make up the Association of Friends and Strategic Partners Club of the University of Gastronomic Sciences.

The methodological and didactic approach of the University provides students with a holistic view of current and past food production systems, and allows them to learn how to develop models and alternative scenarios for the food systems of the future.

The University creates gastronomes, new professionals with knowledge and

of food production, distribution, and consumption that will create a more sustainable future for the planet.


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10value and its important role in creating and shaping society. UNISG’s programs

ecological, communications, and marketing points of view.

The current programs are:

• Undergraduate Degree in Gastronomic Sciences and Cultures (ENG, ITA)

• Graduate Degree in Food Innovation & Management (ENG)

• Master of Gastronomy: Creativity, Ecology and Education (ENG)

• Master of Gastronomy: World Food Cultures and Mobility (ENG)

• Master of Applied Gastronomy: Culinary Arts (ENG)

• Master in Food Culture, Communication & Marketing (ENG)

• Master in Wine Culture and Communication (ENG)

• Master in Agroecology and Food Sovereignty (ENG)

• Master in Raw Milk and Cheese (ENG)

www.unisg.it


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ABOUT VIS ALBANIA

V IS Albania is recognized as a non-governmental organization in Albania and is part of VIS – an international network present with development projects in about 50 countries from all continents. In the wake of increasing global awareness regarding the environment,

project dealing with biodiversity (South America) and rural development (Africa and the Balkans).

Its mission is to lead the Albanian society towards a conscious commitment, to make it an active part in decision making in order to improve their lives.

The NGO VIS (Volontariato Internazionale per lo Sviluppo) is present in Albania

VIS strategy has been oriented to sustain the most disadvantaged, especially Albanian children and youth, creating opportunities of care, formal and informal education and vocational training. Actions have been continuously developing

economic development of rural communities, from the defence of children’s and youth rights and the promotion of woman’s dignity, to the preservation and conservation of environment and biodiversity.

Since 2009 VIS started a focus on a project in Northern Albania, where it played a pivotal role in fostering rural development in the most remote rural areas,

across the whole country.

Since 2012, VIS Albania has played a major role in developing the Slow Food network in the country, and has since then work in tight cooperation with Slow Food to give the opportunity to rural populations to transform their rural unique traditions into clear opportunities for sustainable development.


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WHAT IS THE ARK OF TASTE?

The Ark of Taste is an online catalogue of foods at risk of disappearing that are part of the cultures and traditions of the entire world.

The Ark was created to point out the existence of these products, draw attention to the risk of their extinction, and invite everyone to

take action to help protect them by seeking them out, buying and consuming them, telling their story, supporting their producers, and, in some cases (such as the case of endangered wild species at risk of extinction), promoting their conservation and reproduction.

The overall objective is not to create a seed bank, a collection of genetic material, or a museum to exhibit traditional knowledge, but to rediscover and give value to these resources in order to support local economies.

In addition to plant and animal species, processed products board the Ark because, together with plant and animal biodiversity, cheeses, cured meats, breads, and sweets are also disappearing. These products are expressions of farmers’ and artisans’ knowledge that exists not in written recipes, but as complex skills and practices passed down through generations.

WHAT ARE THE CRITERIA FOR SELECTING A PRODUCT?

1. Products can be domestic species (local plant varieties and animal breeds),

traditional uses), or processed products.

2.

product, but nor is tasting. The origin of the product must be understood and communities must be consulted. Ultimately, it is fundamental to consider the palate of the community from which a product originates. A European product


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3. Products must be connected to a territory and to the memory, identity, and The products that interest us are

strongly linked to their territory, not just in terms of climate and environment, but also in a cultural, historical, and physical context.

4. The Ark of Taste is a catalogue of products, not producers. Therefore, it is not necessary to have

for establishing a Presidium), but it is important to at least identify an order of magnitude, to establish whether we are dealing with an artisanal or an industrial product.

5. whether real (i.e. imminent) or potential (i.e. when the local social and environmental situations are such that a reduction in the quantity of the product or the number of producers can be predicted for the coming years).

HOW TO NOMINATE A PRODUCT

Anyone can nominate a product without being an expert, having particular skills, or being a Slow Food member. It is possible to nominate a product from your own area or from other communities or another country. You can

Foundation for Biodiversity website.

The nomination form will be evaluated by the national/regional commissions, in countries where they exist. The Foundation website lists the countries in which a commission exists and the relevant contact information for getting in touch with local working groups. These two bodies – the local commissions and the Slow Food Foundation for Biodiversity – will verify that the nomination

incomplete, additional information will be requested from the nominator.

After approval, the next step is to include a brief description of the product in the online catalogue.

At the time of printing this publication, Slow Food members have entered 5,168 products from 148 countries into the Ark of Taste.

The project: www.fondazioneslowfood.com/en/what-we-do/the-ark-of-taste/

Nomination form: https://www.fondazioneslowfood.com/en/what-we-do/the-ark-of-taste/nominations-from-around-the-world/nominate-a-product/


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THE SLOW FOOD COOKS’ ALLIANCE

The Alliance project started in Italy in 2009 and, so far, has spread to 24 other countries, from The Netherlands to USA, and from Mexico to Kenya.

Its objectives are:

• to inspire the creation and strengthening of direct relationships (of work, collaboration, friendship, and solidarity) between chefs and food producers.

• to promote Presidia and Ark of Taste products, as well as good, clean and fair products made locally on a small scale, thus protecting food biodiversity at risk of extinction.

• to communicate about small-scale farms and artisanal

• to develop and strengthen the Slow Food network in local communities, bringing producers, chefs, and restaurateurs closer to the Slow Food values.

• to promote local gastronomic traditions and artisanal knowledge.

• to raise awareness about the need to make sustainable consumption choices.

• to translate Slow Food’s international campaigns (Slow Fish, against food waste and GMOs, in favor of biodiversity and raw milk cheeses, to protect agricultural landscapes, etc.) into concrete, everyday actions. To provide concrete support to the Slow Food projects to protect biodiversity and the activities of the Terra Madre network.


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The participating chefs have diverse backgrounds and cooking styles, but they all share a commitment to protecting agricultural biodiversity and safeguarding gastronomic heritage and local cultures. They always source quality ingredients (local, sustainable, and seasonal) and communicate the origin of their products and the names of the producers who supply them.

Chefs are playing a pivotal role in the rediscovery of Albanian rural cultural and agricultural traditions. Many young cooks – in the recent years - have mastered their skills abroad and then came back home to contribute to the gastronomic renaissance of this country. The Slow Food Cooks’ Alliance in Albania hosts some of the most visionary chefs who have dramatically contributed in reinventing and giving a new life to the Albanian gastronomic heritage. It is also thanks to them that today Albania hosts one of the most vibrant food scenes in the whole Balkans and in Europe.


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The bardhë i Tiranës, whose name means “white of Tirana,” is a local olive variety from western Albania, where it accounts for 60-70% of the olive trees. It is known for its high oil yields (up to 28% by weight) and particularly good quality. This variety produces a lot of fruit, is

resistant to cold, and is well adapted to hilly terrain. It is suitable for planting in poor soils and non-irrigated live groves.

The climate and hilly topography of Tirana County provide optimal conditions for olive trees, which are cultivated in most villages in the region. The bardhë i Tiranës olive also grows well in Kruja and throughout Durrës County.

WHEN FULLY RIPE, OLIVES OF THIS VARIETY HAVE BLACK SKIN AND

PALE FLESH. THEY HAVE A SLIGHTLY ASYMMETRICAL OR IRREGULAR OVAL

SHAPE. ON AVERAGE, THE OLIVES WEIGH 2.1-2.4 GRAMS AND ARE 2.1 CM LONG.

S E N S O RY A N A LY S I S

T A S T E

OIL MADE FROM THESE OLIVES HAS A DELICATE

FLAVOR AND AROMA WITH NOTES OF APPLE, ALMOND, GREEN GRASS, SPICES, AND

AROMATIC HERBS.

S E A S O N A L I T Y

V I S U A L

CATEGORY

VEGETABLES

PRODUCTION AREA

TIRANA (TIRANA), KRUJA (DURRËS)

HARVEST

OCTOBER - JANUARY

E D I B L E PA R T S A N D C O O K I N G T E C H N I Q U E S

BAKED, STEWED

F R U I T , L E A V E S

TIRANA WHITE OLIVE(ULLIRI I BARDHË I TIRANËS)

1N.

Olea europaea L.

PICKLING, OILIVE OIL

W A Y S O F P R E S E R V I N G


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The cultivation of olives dates back millennia in Albania, and old trees are often found in close proximity to ancient and Medieval buildings—at the Petrelë and Prezë castles, both near Tirana, there are trees that range in age from 1,500 to 3,000 years.

The 14th-century Albanian national hero, Skanderbeg, was reputed to have encouraged young couples to plant olive trees before getting married. According to Albanian tradition, the mistreatment of olive trees will bring bad luck and if an olive tree was damaged while people were working the land, it was a sign that something bad would happen (war, an earthquake, etc.). This was one of the reasons that people built strong stone walls to protect olive trees.

Bardhë i Tiranës olives and other varieties from Tirana are of great importance for the livelihoods and welfare of the inhabitants of this region, where olives and olive oil have been central to the economy for centuries.

The bardhë i Tiranës olive variety is not currently at risk of extinction, although it should be noted that the trees are not always well maintained (activities such as pruning, working the soil around the tree trunk, and taking precautions to prevent disease are often not carried out) and many olive trees are misused or damaged by people who don’t know how to care for them properly.

Bardhë i Tiranës olives are made into oil and also cured as table olives, used

-sociated with high blood pressure.

Both men and women traditionally participate in the production of olive oil. During the last 20 years, with the increase of investments in modern olive oil mills, the production cold pressed extra virgin olive oil has increased, and some producers in Tirana produce their oil from bardhë i Tiranës olives.

place between October and January and is done mostly by hand or with hand-held shakers. In traditional groves, it can take more than 300 hours to harvest a hectare. Most people harvest early to ensure high-quality oil with low acidity, complex aromatics, and high polyphenol content.


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The Belortaja leek is an heirloom variety with stabilized traits, and has economic importance for those who grow it. This variety takes its name from the town of Belortaja (or Belorta), which lies on the edge of an agriculturally important plain near the city of Korçë in south-

eastern Albania. This region has a transitional Mediterranean climate with high

country (the plain lies at an elevation of 850 meters above sea level). Local

BELORTAJA LEEK(PRESHI I BELORTASË)

2N.

BELORTAJA LEEKS HAVE DEEP GREEN LEAVES THAT TURN WHITE

TOWARD THE ROOTS. THEY GROW TO A HEIGHT OF 60-100 CM. THE EDIBLE WHITE PART AT THE BASE IS

TENDER AND JUICY.


T A S T E

BELORTAJA LEEKS ARE RENOWNED WELL BEYOND

THE PRODUCTION AREA FOR THEIR SWEET TASTE, WHICH MAKES THEM SUITABLE FOR

RAW CONSUMPTION.


V I S U A L

PRODUCTION AREA

BELORTAJA (KORÇË)


RAW, BAKED, COOKED, STEWED

V E G E T A B L E

Allium porrum L.

CATEGORY

VEGETABLES

HARVEST

ONCE TRANSPLANTED, IT TAKES 5-6 MONTHS FOR THE PLANT TO REACH ITS FULL SIZE; THE HARVEST OCCURS IN OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER.

SEEDS ARE PLANTED IN MID-FEBRUARY, AND THE SEEDLINGS ARE TRANSPLANTED TO THE FIELD BETWEEN MAY 15 AND JUNE 15.

SOW


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The Belortaja leek has long been recognized as a special variety due to its taste, and the town of Belortaja is known more for this product than for any other historical or cultural reason.

The villagers sell the seeds in the surrounding area and the leeks – sold on local markets - provide important economic returns for them, making their cultivation vital for local farmers.

Traditionally, Belortaja leeks have been used for medical purposes; farmers cooked the leeks with some fat to obtain a gel that they used to treat cough and earache.

The future of this crop is endangered because more and more farmers in the area are using new seeds from outside the territory that are considered more resistant to climate change. Also, the abandonment of the village by the youth poses a great risk to traditional small-scale agriculture in general.

All parts of the Belortaja leek are edible except the roots. The leeks are used for fresh salads and cooked for casseroles or pies. They are also a main ingredient in various recipes ranging from pork and leek dishes cooked by Orthodox families, to pies and soups. Leek juice is often used by villagers to cure earaches.

One of the most important dishes is a traditional pie prepared with leek, minced meat and rice, named byrek me presh.

conditions are very suitable for the cultivation of leeks, and the local variety is

villages still preserve the old seeds and sow them year after year. The seeds are

with 30-40 cm between the plants. Weeding is done by hand. Once harvested, the leeks are stored in a cold place.


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Kalinjoti olives are called also the Kanina olives, after the village where they originated. This area is characterized by a Mediterranean climate with hot, dry summers and cool, wet winters. The climate provides optimal conditions for the growth of olive trees. This

throughout Vlora County in southwestern Albania.

KALINJOTI OLIVE (ULLIRI KALINJOT)

3N.

KALINJOTI OLIVES HAVE A SPHERICAL TO OVAL SHAPE. THE AVERAGE LENGTH IS 2.2 CM AND

THE DIAMETER IS ABOUT 2 CM. FRUIT PULP ACCOUNTS FOR ABOUT 86.4% BY WEIGHT. THESE OLIVES HAVE A HIGH OIL PERCENTAGE, OF

27-28%.


T A S T E

KALINJOTI OLIVES HAVE A FRESH, MILD FLAVOR AND

AN AROMA OF OIL AND CUT GREEN GRASS.


V I S U A L

CATEGORY

FRUITS AND NUTS

PRODUCTION AREA

KANINË, VLORA, SARANDË, DELVINË (VLORA); FIER, MALLAKASTËR, LUSHNJË (FIER);

MARIKAJ (TIRANA)

HARVEST

NOVEMBER - DECEMBER.


F R U I T A N D L E A V E S

Olea europaea L.

PICKLING, OILIVE OIL

SALADS, TEAS



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Vlorë County in general, and Kaninë village in particular, are historically associated with kalinjoti olive trees.

In Kaninë, each family had trees from which to source olives, oil, leaves, and wood. There is a close relationship between the location of castles or forts and the distribution of old olive trees, and there may well have been kalinjoti olive trees growing near the Kaninë Castle when it was built in the 3rd century BC.

Olive trees are considered sacred and a symbol of joy and victory. They were also important in christenings. It is said that the Albanian national hero, Gjergj Kastrioti Skanderbeg, suggested to young couples that they plant an olive tree before getting married.

Kalinjoti olives are sold in markets in Albania, Kosovo, and Macedonia, and the oil is available in small amounts in more distant countries, including the UK, Switzerland, and the US.

Today, kalinjoti olive trees cover 51% of Albania’s 55,000 hectares of olive groves. The future of this variety is threatened by a lack of interest from younger generations and increasing rural-to-urban migration. The annual production of olive oil has declined sharply in the last years. Often, wood from older trees is overharvested to be used for decoration.

Because of its high percentages of both pulp and oil, the kalinjoti olive is considered a dual use variety, suitable for both table olives and oil. A popular dish called sallata e bregut (“coast salad”) is prepared with kalinjoti olives, oregano, and oranges. Locals also use olive wood extensively for kitchen wares, decorations, and religious accessories. Olive has been used for the treatment of skin diseases and throat infections, and for body massages – mixed with raki - in the case of pneumonia and lung deseases. Olive leaves can be used to prepare a tisane, considered an excellent treatment for high blood pressure.

Kalinjoti trees are robust with an open crown and a vertical habit, and have many lateral branches and long, elliptical leaves. The produce an abundance

mainly by hand or with hand-held shakers.


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Koçkulla also known as grass pea, is an annual plant that grows to a height of 30-120 cm. It occurs as a wild plant in meadows, pastures, and grassy slopes, predominantly on sandy and acid soils, throughout Skrapar, Berat, and Belsh in southern Albania.

Koçkulla are usually sown by hand in March and April after the soil has been

as soon as possible after the winter and the soil in the seedbed should be

between June and late August. The seeds don’t all ripen at the same time, and harvesting is carried out when 90% of the pods are brown.

SKRAPAR GRASS PEA

(KOÇKULLA E SKRAPARIT)

4N.

THE SEEDS OF THE GRASS PEAS HAVE AN IRREGULAR FLATTENED,

ROUNDED SHAPE; THEY ARE ABOUT 5 MM ACROSS AND 3 MM THICK.

THEIR COLOR RANGES FROM GRAY TO YELLOW.


T A S T E

MILD FLAVOR SIMILAR TO THAT OF BEANS.

WHEN COOKED, THEY HAVE A FLOURY TEXTURE.

C O N S I S T E N C Y


V I S U A L

CATEGORY

LEGUMES

HARVEST

JUNE - AUGUSTLATE MARCH - APRIL

SOW


BOILED, BAKED

S E E D S

Lupinus albus L.

PRODUCTION AREA

OPAR (SKRAPAR) AND BERAT (BERAT); BELSH (ELBASAN)

DRYING



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Skrapar and Berat are neighboring districts in southern Albania where koçkulla

pie was served in a copper pan and was not split or cut with a knife; everyone

It is said that koçkulla were cooked as burek to feed home-building masters. When carpenters spent long days building or repairing homes, housewives cooked koçkulla pie to feed the workers and provide them the calories they needed. Still in Skrapar there is a song dedicated to koçkulla whose verses say, “Master Kalo constructs a house, for lunch and dinner eating koçkulla.”

Koçkulla are always found in farmers’ markets in the area, and occasionally in markets outside of Skrapar, Berat, Belsh, and Përmet. Sometimes they are also found in local restaurant and shops in Përmet and Tirana. However, many Albanians still do not know about koçkulla and have no information about its nutritional value. Skrapar, the leading koçkulla producer, is an isolated and very underdeveloped city. As a consequence, most of the youth have emigrated to Tirana, putting the future of koçkulla (and especially the preservation and sharing of local seed) at risk.

The inhabitants of Skrapar boil koçkulla like beans or use them for thickening

main ingredient is koçkulla pie. In this case, legumes are shredded and, after being cooked, turned into puree. Women generally prepare the pie. The layers of dough are toasted on cast-iron stoves or stones, which helps them to

cast-iron pans covered with an iron lid. Flaming charcoal is placed on the lid to

Residents of the area use sickles for harvesting koçkulla. Once harvested, koçkulla are dried in wicker baskets. They are then stored in linen or cotton sucks in a cood, dark place. Ideally, they should be consumed within the year. In order to improve the quality of the plants and seeds, the best koçkulla are selected and stored for the following spring. Villagers in areas where koçkulla are produced still preserve indigenous seeds from generation to generation.


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The Lekbibaj creeping bean is a local variety from the mountain villages of Tropoja District in northern Albania, where it has been cultivated for more than 100 years. The seeds are saved and passed from generation to generation. Tropoja, and especially the villages

of Lekbibaj and Nikaj-Mërtur, have a cool climate; the snow usually arrives in November and remains until March or April. The Lekbibaj bean tolerates both low and high temperatures and has good resistance to diseases.

THIS VARIETY PRODUCES WHITE, KIDNEY-SHAPED BEANS, EACH

WEIGHING ABOUT 1 GRAM.


T A S T E

PLEASANT, SLIGHTLY SWEET FLAVOR

SOFT. THEY BOIL VERY QUICKLY.



V I S U A L

HARVEST

AUGUST

(90 - 100 DAYS AFTER PLANTING)MAY

SOW


LEKBIBAJ CREEPING BEAN(FASULJA KACAVJERRESE E LEKBIBAJT)

5N.

Phaseolus vulgaris L.

CATEGORY

LEGUMES

PRODUCTION AREA

LEKBIBAJ AND NIKAJ-MËRTUR, TROPOJA DISTRICT (KUKËS)

BOILED, BAKED

S E E D S

DRYING



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The Lekbibaj creeping bean is one of the rarest Albanian cultivars with stabilized traits and economic value for growers. It has been of great importance to inhabitants of the area where it is grown and was used throughout the winter and a good meat substitute.

In village schools, teachers used beans as a teaching tool to explain arithmetic to elementary school students.

Locals would often exchange the beans for products, such as oil, that they did not produce themselves.

The cultivation of the Lekbibaj creeping bean is at risk due to the abandonment of the land and local, traditional agriculture—most young people have left Lekbibaj and Nikaj-Mërtur and moved to the cities where there are more opportunities and better living conditions.

Beans, along with corn and chestnuts, are one of the most important products of the area, and are an important source of protein. The main dish prepared with Lekbibaj beans is fasule ne vorbe, a stew cooked in a clay pot that hangs

meat (pastrami), and red pepper is added at the end. This is one of the most characteristic dishes of the region, and was traditionally cooked by both men and women, who would sit by the hearth and stir it. Lekbibaj beans are also made into a thin soup which is eaten with rice pilaf.

prefer deep, rich soil. The beans are planted by hand among corn (usually one bean plant after every 3-4 corn plants). Harvest takes place 90-100 days after planting, and must be done by hand because beans wind around the corn stalks. Once they have dried, the beans are stored in linen sacks.


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LUZNI BLACK CHERRY6N.

Luzni black cherry, named after the village of Luzni, is a late-season variety grown in Dibra County, northeastern Albania. Along with the Burlat and Summit varieties, this cherry accounted for a large proportion of cherry production in the area and was mainly used as a

fruit for the table or to make marmalade and compote. Dibra is a mountainous area and its climate has features of the Mediterranean and continental climate

Prunus avium L.

THE LUZNI BLACK CHERRY HAS A DISTINCTIVE DARK RED TO BLACK COLOR AND A CHARACTERISTIC

LONGITUDINAL LINE. IT IS OF MEDIUM SIZE, SMALLER THAN MORE

COMMON VARIETIES, AND HAS A SLIGHTLY OBLONG SHAPE AND A

LONG STALK.

FLOWERING STARTS IN THE MIDDLE OF MAY AND THE FIRST FRUITS ARRIVE IN THE THIRD WEEK OF JUNE. THEY ARE READY FOR HARVEST

WHEN THEY HAVE TURNED ALMOST BLACK.


T A S T E

SLIGHTLY SWEET


V I S U A L

CATEGORY

FRUITS AND NUTS

PRODUCTION AREA

LUZNI, GREVË, BEGJUNEC, PJEÇË, MAQELLARË (DIBRA)

HARVEST


FRESH, FRUIT PRESERVES, JUICE

F R U I T

DRYING


THE FLESH IS FIRM.



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growth of cherries, and the Luzni cherry in particular acquires an extraordinary

propogated by seed and preferably planted on sloping terrain. They produce consistently from year to year and require very few agronomic treatments. The fruit is mostly harvested by hand from ladders, though tree combs are also used. The harvest is a family activity.

Local people are very attached to this cherry variety as it is not found in other areas of Albania, where the soil and climate conditions are not suitable for its cultivation. Luzni black cherry is closely tied to the local culture and traditions: One of the biggest spring celebrations in Dibra is the “Cherry Feast,” which occurs every year in one of the villages where Luzni cherry trees are particularly abundant. During the harvest season, children play and wear the cherries as if they were earrings. According to Albanian tradition, cherry compote is given to people who are sick with a cold or sore throat. Cherry stalks are also used for medicinal purposes: After being dried, they are used to make a tisane to heal abdominal cramps or treat diarrhea. During Communism, Luzni black cherries were exported abroad due to their highly regarded taste and appearance. Luzni cherry compote is mainly sold in Dibra region, but in recent years demand for this product has also grown in Tirana.

to a decrease in the number of Luzni black cherry trees. Young farmers prefer to plant newer varieties that require less attention and maintenance. Some farmers in Dibra still maintain the old Luzni trees, but few of them remain.

Luzni black cherries are mainly consumed fresh, though it is also traditional to make juice and to dry the fruit for winter. One characteristic local product is black cherry compote: Cherries are carefully washed and their stalks are removed; they are then opened into two parts and the stone is removed. Thus prepared, the fruits are placed in a cooking bowl, and water, sugar, and a little bit of lemon juice are added. The compote is cooked and simmered until it thickens, and then stored in glass jars for the winter.


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Mountain tea (çaji i malit in Albanian) is also known as shepherd’s tea because it was traditionally gathered in the mountains. This plant is known for its use as an herbal medicine, and is mainly prepared as tisane (like many other species of Sideritis

throughout the Mediterranean).

This herb grows all over Albania, especially at elevations above 800 meters above sea level. It is pollinated by insects and tends to attract bees. In addition

MOUNTAIN TEA HAS SAGE-GREEN LEAVES AND STEMS, AND GREENISH YELLOW FLOWERS. ITS LEAVES ARE

SOFT, COVERED IN A LAYER OF FINE PUBESCENCE.


T A S T E

MOUNTAIN TEA HAS A VERY STRONG FLORAL

AROMA, ESPECIALLY AFTER BEING THROWN INTO

BOILING WATER.


V I S U A L

CATEGORY

TEA AND INFUSIONS

PRODUCTION AREA

VLORA, GJIROKASTRA, SHKODRA, AND KORÇË COUNTIES


MOUNTAIN TEA(ÇAJI I MALIT)

7N.

Sideritis raeseri Boiss. & Heldr.

HARVEST

HARVEST TAKES PLACE IN JULY, WHEN THE PLANTS ARE IN FULL BLOOM.

USUALLY PLANTED EITHER IN OCTOBER–NOVEMBER, OR FEBRUARY–MARCH IN THE NORTHERNMOST PARTS OF ALBANIA.

SOW

HERBAL TEA

F L O W E R S , L E A V E S , A N D S T E M S

DRYING



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Mountain tea is one of the most popular herbal teas in Albania. In addition to its curative properties, this tea has a wonderful aroma and is widely consumed

sliced bread and cheese in company and military canteens.

Mountain tea has been and continues to be an important source of income for many rural Albanians. Nowadays, it is mainly sold in farmers’ markets, although over the past 20 years the use of professional packaging has grown tremendously—several companies collect, package, and distribute cultivated mountain tea in supermarkets throughout the country, and some organic grocery stores buy it in bulk and package it.

The main threat to mountain tea is uncontrolled harvesting, often before the plants have reached an optimal stage of growth. Also, the plants are often harvested at their roots, which prevents them from regenerating the following season. This has drastically reduced the extent of wild populations in the

Sideritis raeseri are all used in making herbal tea. After cutting the dried plants into smaller sections, the mountain tea is placed in boiling water, simmered for a few minutes, and covered with a lid until it is served. Honey and lemon can be added. Mountain tea aids digestion,

and anxiety. It is also consumed recreationally as a pleasant beverage.

to growing wild, mountain tea is also cultivated from seed in household gardens. Many villagers prefer to cultivate mountain tea in lower areas than

harvested using a knife, and the roots should not be pulled. Men, women, and children all participate in the collection of mountain tea, which begins to “ripen” in May and June. Once harvested, the plants are spread out to dry on tables or on cloths on the ground, preferably in a covered but well-ventilated dry place—direct sunlight is not good, so some villagers make tents with tree branches to keep the mountain tea shaded as it dries.


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Pulëz is an old Albanian grape variety. It is also known as verdhëza or landari. This grape has been selected over centuries by Albanian farmers, mainly in the southern areas of the country, including Berat, Skrapar, Përmet, Tepelena, and Gjirokastra. It can also be found in

Elbasan, Librazhd, Gramsh, and Mat. It grows best in areas with a transitional

Pulëz is often grown on arbors, and the vines used to be grown up trees. It produces a lot of buds and an abundance of high-quality grapes no matter

THE GRAPE BUNCHES ARE MEDIUM-SIZED, SHORT, AND DENSE. THE

GRAPES THEMSELVES ARE SMALL TO MEDIUM (NOT OF UNIFORM SIZE), ROUND, AND GREENISH-YELLOW. THE LEAF IS MEDIUM-SIZED AND

HAS FIVE LOBES.


T A S T E

THE GRAPES ARE JUICY AND SWEET WHEN THEY REACH THEIR MAXIMUM

RIPENESS.


V I S U A L


HARVEST

SEPTEMBER

PULËZ GRAPE (RRUSHI PULËZ)

8N.

Vitis vinifera L.

CATEGORY

WINE AND GRAPE VARIETALS

BERAT AND GJIROKASTRA COUNTIES

PRODUCTION AREA

FRESH

F R U I T

DRYING, FERMENTING, DISTILLING



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Winemakers use pulëz for the production of raki (a distilled spirit) as well as for the production of wine and vinegar. Local communities also used this grape to dye bread during the winter, and for fruit juice. Pulëz grapes are also used for the preparation of medley grapes, which is usually served with nuts and bread.

The pulëz grape is closely tied to the rural communities around the above-mentioned cities. Celebrations and feasts linked to raki making and grape harvesting still take place in the countryside. Pulëz raki was often served at wedding parties, which were organized in September after the raki was produced. In recent years, many Albanian villages have begun to celebrate local feasts dedicated to their typical local produce. Several wineries organize a celebration of pulëz wine each September.

Pulëz vines are often grown beside oak trees, and the raki made from these grapes is known as raki e lisit or “oak raki.” The pressed grapes usually ferment for about 25 days.

With the revival of viticulture in the area, some wineries in around Berat and Përmet have started using pulëz to make table wine. Pulëz raki and wine are sold in small shops and supermarkets. The highest-quality products are sold through organic store chains created in recent years. Raki e lisit is mostly a household product.

The departure of young people from rural areas poses an obvious risk to the future of traditional farming and local varieties. Also, many areas that were planted with pulëz vines have been replaced with other cultivars, such as Merlot and Cabernet. Growing pulëz in new areas presents challenges, as the variety must adapt to new conditions.

what pruning system is used. This variety is less susceptible to powdery mildew disease than many other varieties. It can be planted in areas up to 700 meters above sea level. Weeding and harvesting is still done by hand.

Pulëz grapes ripen a bit later than other local grape varieties; it is usually harvested in early fall. Pulëz is usually intended for the production of white table wines with high alcohol content. Families that grow this variety also use it as a table grape, but the fruit is not found for sale in produce shops.


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The name “Reç chestnut” does not refer to a particular variety, but

where the mild microclimate and fertile soils (which are rare in the karst landscapes of northern Albania) have supported chestnut

the centuries, people have grafted, managed, and shaped the trees, giving rise to unique habitats in which wildlife and chestnut production coexisted in relative harmony. The forests around Reç are composed almost exclusively of chestnut and cover more than 450 hectares. Harvesting is done manually, and

9N.




BAKED, ROASTED

S E E D S

Castanea sativa Mill.

REÇ CHESTNUT (GËSHTENJA E REÇIT )

CATEGORY

FRUITS AND NUTS

PRODUCTION AREA

REÇ, MALËSI E MADHE DISTRICT (SHKODRA)

HARVEST

SEPTEMBER-NOVEMBER

REÇ CHESTNUTS ARE OF MEDIUM SIZE AND HAVE A

REDDISH COLOR.

V I S U A L

DRYING



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Reç is a village in Malësi e Madhe, Albania’s northernmost district, in Shkodra County. It lies at the foot of the hills on the eastern side of the valley of the Prroni i Thatë river, just inside the Municipal Natural Park of Shkrel. Humans introduced chestnuts to Albania’s mountainous northern regions centuries ago; because the area is not suited for grain cultivation, chestnuts are an important food crop. The trees also provide timber. Chestnuts may have been brought here by ethnic Albanians migrating from Kraja, a region on the Montenegrin side of Lake Shkodra that is known for its old chestnut groves.

Each family in Reç owns and manages at least a dozen chestnut trees. While

by a cooperative that involves about 80 families in Reç, and others throughout the region.

Despite the success of the local cooperative and increased chestnut yields in recent years, the future of the local groves is far from certain: The forests

by insect larvae that consume the fruit. The only way to contain this problem is through heavy pruning and other interventions, which reduce productivity. The maintenance of the traditional chestnut agroforests is also at risk because rural populations are increasingly migrating to the cities. In addition, the Asian chestnut gall wasp (Dryocosmus kuriphilusthe trees in recent years.

Chestnut bread is a special dish cooked for local festivals (e.g. the chestnut festival in Reç, which takes place each year in the second half of October). Usually, the lady of the house and the young girls take care of chestnut bread preparation, while the men and boys take care of boiling and roasting. Chestnut honey is an important local product as well.

there is no special technique for processing the chestnuts. Traditionally, the nuts were conserved by burying them in sand that local farmers got from Lake Shkodra, just a few kilometers from Reç. The local cooperative that collects chestnuts from across the region is planning to start drying the chestnuts and


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RED OREGANO (RIGONI I KUQ)

R igoni i kuq, which means “red oregano” in Albanian, refers to a type of Origanum vulgare that grows in forests and meadows in Albania’s mountainous regions. Red oregano is a local, wild oregano whose

northeastern, and southeastern Albania, mainly in hilly and mountainous areas but also in grasslands and pastures. It is particularly associated with areas

10N.

RED OREGANO IS A PERENNIAL HERB WITH REDDISH, WOODY STEMS AND

SMALL PURPLE-RED FLOWERS. IT USUALLY GROWS TO A HEIGHT OF

30-45 CM.


T A S T E

BITTER WITH SLIGHT EVERGREEN NOTES.

WHEN IT COMES INTO CONTACT WITH HOT WATER,IT

EMITS A UNIQUE AROMA UNLIKE THAT OF ORDINARY

OREGANO.


V I S U A L

CATEGORY

SPICE, WILD HERBS AND CONDIMENTS; TEA AND INFUSIONS

HARVEST

JULY-AUGUST


HERBAL TEA

L E A V E S , S T E M S , F L O W E R S , R O O T S

Origanum vulgare L.

DRYING


PRODUCTION AREA

DIBRA, KUKËS, LEZHË, AND SHKODRA COUNTIES


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Even today, many locals go with their families to the mountains in summer to accompany their cattle. It is during this period that mountain teas are collected for winter use. In the past, red oregano was collected in bundles and hung to dry on the wooden rails of the houses. When harvested in large quantities for commercial purposes, the oregano was gathered into linen sacks and transported to collection points. Then it was dried in thatched tents. After drying, the oregano was stored in batches, ready to be sold. It was the main winter drink in the homes of Albanians in the northern part of the country. Thanks to healing properties such as boosting immunity, locals gave the tisane to their children to make their bones strong.

varieties and seeds. Also, the low prices for mountain tea in local markets de-incentivize the collection and cultivation of this herb in the mountains. At the same time, the oregano grown on larger plantations does not fetch a high price because it is considered to be of inferior quality compared to the oregano from the mountains.

Red oregano is most often consumed as “mountain tea” (caji i bjeshkes) from autumn to spring. This tisane is made with the aerial parts of the plant

oregano, are boiled in water for 1 minute. The tisane is then strained and may be sweetened with honey.

where rivers, lakes, waterfalls, and forests are present. Herders and villagers used to collect the oregano by hand during the summer in the pastures where their animals were grazing. Based on numerous domestic and foreign market demands, red oregano has also been cultivated in the Malësi e Madhe District. Cultivated red oregano is either sown outdoors in spring when the

planting; or indoors 6 weeks before the last frost.


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Shesh i bardhë is an old white grape variety from the hills around Shesh in the former municipality of Ndroq, a few kilometers west of Tirana. This variety’s name derives from its color (bardhë means “white”) and its place of origin. It is likely a color mutation of the red variety Shesh i

zi (zi meaning “black”).

Around Ndroq and in other parts of Albania where Shesh i bardhë is planted, harvest is usually carried out entirely by hand due to the rough, steep terrain,

SHESH I BARDHË GRAPE(RRUSHI SHESH I BARDHË)

11N.

THIS VARIETY PRODUCES DENSE, MEDIUM-SIZED CLUSTERS. THE

GRAPES ARE BRIGHT GREEN (SOMETIMES TENDING TOWARD

GOLDEN YELLOWISH), MEDIUM-SIZED, AND ROUND, WITH A RELATIVELY HIGH SKIN TO PULP RATIO. THE LEAVES ARE

MEDIUM-SIZED, WITH FIVE LOBES.


T A S T E

THE GRAPES ARE SWEET. WINES PRODUCED FROM THIS VARIETY TEND TO HAVE A DEEP STRAW

TO YELLOWISH COLOR AND ARE QUITE AROMATIC, WITH FLORAL

AND APPLE NOTES.

SLIGHTLY CHEWY SKINS.



V I S U A L

CATEGORY

WINE AND GRAPE VARIETIES

PRODUCTION AREA

SHESH (TIRANA)

HARVEST

END OF SEPTEMBER.


RAW, BEVERAGES

F R U I T

Vitis vinifera L.

FERMENTING, DISTILLING, FRUIT PRESERVES



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Shesh i bardhë has historically been a very important variety in Tirana and Durrës counties. Though viticulture is an ancient activity in Albania, it only

local varieties such as Shesh i bardhë and Shesh i zi began to be planted in other regions of Albania, in places with a variety of soils and climate conditions. However, after the 1990s, there was a sharp decline in traditional viticulture as people migrated away from rural areas. The only grape product that continued to be produced in the villages during this period was raki and, unlike wine production, raki production remained an artisanal, household activity. Indeed, raki is a cricual component of socialization, especially among groups of men, who often drink it with meze (appetizers) like fresh cheese, boiled eggs, raw onion, meatballs, and pickles and sing “raki songs.” It is always served to guests and at special occasions such as weddings, births, parties, and funerals.

Today, Shesh i bardhë is made into wine and raki across Albania, mainly in Tirana County. These products are available in local shops and in cities. Some producers have started growing this variety biodynamically.

Although wine production has undergone a revitalization in recent years, the village of Shesh, where the Shesh i bardhë variety originated, is almost deserted, and local farmers have no access to basic agricultural services.

Wine was produced in state-owned wineries in Albania for many years; private wineries began to open mostly after the 1990s. In addition to being made into wine, Shesh i bardhë grapes are eaten as fresh fruit and used to produce raki (the local brandy). Vinegar and grape juice are also important products. During the grape harvest season, in August-September, women traditionally produce a grape jam by boiling grapes with sugar; the seeds are removed and the pulp is slowly cooked. Once ready, the jam is stored in glass containers. It is used during the winter for the morning meal. Bread with butter and grape jam is a great meal for children.

and careful grape selection. The bunches are collected in wooden or plastic containers and then transported quickly by truck or tractor to the cellars.


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Shesh i zi originates from Shesh village near Tirana, but is planted all

to various pruning practices. It grows in areas with a transitional Medi-

to 400-500 meters a.s.l. It prefers deep, loamy, calcareous soils, which allow it to produce an abundance of high-quality fruit. Shesh i zi is mainly used for table wine production, but is also eaten as fresh fruit.

SHESH I ZI GRAPE(RRUSHI SHESH I ZI)

12N.

THIS VARIETY PRODUCES LARGE, MODERATELY DENSE, MEDIUM-

LONG CLUSTERS. THE GRAPES ARE ROUND, MEDIUM-SIZED, BLUE TO

BLACK IN COLOR, AND GLAUCOUS. THE LEAVES ARE MEDIUM-SIZED

AND HAVE FIVE LOBES.


T A S T E

THIS VARIETY PRODUCES FULL-BODIED WINES WITH A RELATIVELY HIGH ALCOHOL

CONTENT. SHESHI I ZI WINES ARE RENOWNED FOR THEIR AROMA OF FOREST FRUITS, APPLE, AND UNRIPE PLUM. PLEASANT IN TANNINS,

THEY OFFER LONG LASTING AFTERTASTE.


V I S U A L

CATEGORY


PRODUCTION AREA

TIRANA AND DURRËS COUNTIES

HARVEST

LATE SEPTEMBER TO EARLY OCTOBER


F R U I T

Vitis vinifera L.

FERMENTING, DISTILLING, FRUIT PRESERVES


RAW, BEVERAGES


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This grape variety is closely linked to the rural communities of Tirana. In recent years, local festivals tied to the production of raki have been revived, and the village of Shesh hosts an annual wine celebration during the grape harvest.

commercially during the 1960s. However, after the 1990s, there was a sharp decline in traditional viticulture as people migrated away from rural areas. The only grape product that continued to be produced in the villages during this period was raki and, unlike wine production, raki production remained an artisanal, household activity. Indeed, raki is a cricual component of socialization, and is always served to guests and at special occasions such as weddings, births, parties, and funerals.

Shesh i zi grapes can be found for sale as table grapes in some farmers’ markets, but normally this variety is intended for wine production. This variety is often used for artisanal wine production, and Shesh i zi wines are sold at local markets or small organic shops, as well as in stores in the cities.

Many villages in Tirana County have been depopulated over the last 30 years as communities have moved to the capital or migrated abroad. The village of Shesh has almost been deserted and local vineyards and grape varieties such as Shesh i zi need attention and revival.

Sheshi i zi grapes are eaten fresh and made into wine, vinegar, jams and juices, and raki: Red wine vinegar is used in cooking and as a seasoning, grape jam is a popular breakfast food during the winter, and raki is a popular drink to share with guests, friends, and family, especially for important occasions. According to tradition, men were primarily engaged in the production of raki and wine, while women were involved in the preparation of grape juice and jam.


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The Stebleva potato is a local variety generally cultivated above 800 meters a.s.l. throughout Librazhd District in Elbasan County, and in some neighboring areas of Dibra County.

This variety requires humid, deep soil and lots of sun. The lands of Librazhd are rich in humus, which favors the growth of this crop. Depending

STEBLEVA POTATO (PATATJA E STEBLEVE)

13N.

THE STEBLEVA POTATO IS A RELATIVELY A LARGE VARIETY WITH THIN SKIN AND VERY MOIST WHITE

TO YELLOWISH FLESH.


T A S T E

SLIGHTLY SWEET.

FLOURY TEXTURE.



V I S U A L

CATEGORY

VEGETABLES

PRODUCTION AREA

STEBLEVA, LIBRAZHD DISTRICT (ELBASAN)

HARVEST

4 MONTHS AFTER SOWINGMARCH - MAY

SOW


BOILED, BAKED, FRIED, ROASTED

T U B E R

Solanum tuberosum L.


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Albanian people have used potatoes as a staple food for centuries, along with corn. They are especially important during the winter.

were added to supplement bread dough. The recipe for the preparation of this bread has been lost, but people still remember that it was once an important element of the local gastronomy.

Stebleve potatoes are relatively high yielding and resistant, which has made this variety popular throughout the country and brought recognition to the town of Stebleva. Every year in October, the village of Stebleva hosts a potato celebration.

The biggest problem facing the Stebleva potato is competition from improved varieties. During the last 15 years, many foreign potatoes entered the Albanian market and sellers often prefer them, which means that farmers are forced to sell their Stebleva potatoes at lower prices or just throw them away. Each year, the production of this variety further decreases.

Stebleva potatoes are usually boiled, fried, or baked. They are a very important vegetable in the local cuisine and are used in casseroles (particularly those made with lamb or goat meat), purees, meatballs, and bread. They are also delicious roasted and then covered with butter and fresh cheese.

on the weather, local farmers plant the potatoes in March, April, or May. Harvesting is done about 4 months after sowing, with new potatoes being

ventilated rooms.


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V losh is a red grape variety that likely originated around the Narta Lagoon in southwestern Albania. It is grown primarily in Vlora County, and to a lesser extent in Fier County and other areas in the southern and central parts of the country.

The harvest begins in the second half of September0 and the grape clusters are collected only by hand. The grape clusters undergo spontaneous fermentation for 5-7 days.

VLOSH GRAPE (RRUSH VLOSH)

14N.

VLOSH PRODUCES AVERAGE-SIZED, MODERATELY DENSE CLUSTERS. THE LEAVES ARE ROUNDED WITH FIVE LOBES.

THE GRAPES ARE DARK PINK TO REDDISH PURPLE IN COLOR, WITH

A ROUND OR OVAL SHAPE.


T A S T E

THE WINE MADE FROM VLOSH GRAPES IS FULL BODIED BUT RELATIVELY PALE IN COLOR,

QUITE TANNIC, AND HAS RICH FRUITY AND SAVORY FLAVORS.

AS IT AGES, THE WINE BECOMES BROWNISH AND ACQUIRES NOTES

OF MELON.


V I S U A L

CATEGORY


PRODUCTION AREA

PRIMARILY VLORA COUNTY; ALSO FIER COUNTY

HARVEST

LATE SEPTEMBER


F R U I T

Vitis vinifera L.

RAW

FERMENTING



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Wine production in Albania has always been considered men’s work. Women were not traditionally involved in making alcoholic beverages, and were not supposed to consume alcohol. In contemporary Albanian society, women do drink alcohol, but their involvement in wine production is limited or non-existent.

Vlosh wine is the main alcoholic beverage of the area around Narta Lagoon.

eels. The local winemaking tradition is centuries old and many people in the region produced their wine at home. Vine growers and winemakers from Narta took their experience and expertise to other regions of Albania, such as Shkodra and Durrës. The population of Narta is predominantly Orthodox

and celebrations. Vlosh wine was traditionally present on all the local tables. It is often paired with sea bass casseroles or roasted eels.

Vlosh wine is sold at typical local stores, or through direct sales. It is not typically aged.

After the 1960s, the hills of many villages in Vlora (e.g. Babice, Akerni, Trevllaz-er, Cekodhima) were planted with olive trees to increase oil production, and the adjacent Vlosh vineyards were often shaded out, leading to a decline in in the production of Vlosh grapes and wine. Currently, just two wineries in the city of Vlora produce Vlosh wines. Small quantities are produced in some other counties, such as Berat.

This variety is used almost exclusively for wine production (sometimes it is eaten as a table grape).


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Bedunica ;

area of Frasheri and Hotova National Park. In this region, beehives

HONEY

B E E K E E P I N G T E C H N I Q U E S

BEES ARE KEPT IN CONVENTIONAL RECTANGULAR WOODEN HIVES. THE BEEKEEPERS PRACTICE NOMADISM, MOVING THEIR HIVES FROM PLACE TO PLACE DURING THE SUMMER AND EARLY AUTUMN TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF DIFFERENT FLOWERS. THE HONEY IS HARVESTED BY HAND: THE HONEYCOMBS ARE UNCAPPED AND PLACED

IN A HAND-POWERED CENTRIFUGE TO EXTRACT THE HONEY FROM THE COMB. ONCE COLLECTED, THE HONEY IS PLACED IN STAINLESS STEEL CONTAINERS FOR MATURATION AND THEN PACKED IN GLASS JARS. THE BEESWAX IS USED FOR DIFFERENT PURPOSES.

BEDUNICA HONEY (MJALT I BEDUNICËS)

15N.

CATEGORY

PERMËT (GJIROKASTRA); ERSEKË (KORÇË)

PRODUCTION AREA


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Bedunica honey is used both as food and for medical purposes. It is used to treat liver and kidney infections and is considered a panacea for children. According to local traditional knowledge, bedunica honey can also be used to cure or prevent catarrh in the lungs. This is why it is often served to children, and it is generally consumed in wintertime, with a spoonful of honey being add to caj malit, the local mountain herbal tea.

Very few families in the area of Frasher, and village of Gostivisht in the Bredhi i Hotovës Dangëlli National Park produce this honey, as most of the bedunica

season honey, it is usually kept within the household for family consumption, and only seldom found on the market.

Since very few families produce bedunica honey, there is a high risk that the traditional knowledge regarding its production will be lost. Young people are

of marketing at local and national levels and the almost complete absence of state incentives for beekeepers have a negative impact on small-scale beekeeping. It is also noteworthy that locals claim that Carniolan honey bees are much better than the recently-imported Italian bees at harvesting nectar

and thus fetches a high price.

honey is mainly produced by the Carniolan honey bee (Apis mellifera carnica), a subspecies of the Western honey bee, characterized by a dark brown-gray body with light brown stripes. Bedunica honey is considered a late-season

in October. Bedunica honey has a yellow to greenish color, especially freshly


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S trawberry tree honey or arbutus honey, known as mjalte maret in Albanian, is a typical product from the villages of Carvova and Pagri

from the nectar of Arbutus unedo (strawberry tree or arbutus), which is native to the Mediterranean Basin. This evergreen shrub or small tree produces fruits that resemble strawberries (or lychees) due to their red color

HONEY

B E E K E E P I N G T E C H N I Q U E S

BEEKEEPING TAKES PLACE ALL OVER THE REGION AROUND PËRMET, AND ARBUTUS HONEY IS GENERALLY GATHERED FROM MID-OCTOBER UNTIL LATE NOVEMBER. AFTER THE BEES HAVE PRODUCED THIS HONEY, IT IS COLLECTED BY HAND AND THEN SEPARATED FROM THE

COMBS WITH A CENTRIFUGE. IT IS PLACED IN JARS FOR LONG-TERM STORAGE OR SALE AT THE MARKET. IN SOME ISOLATED AREAS, BEEKEEPING IS STILL CARRIED OUT USING THE LOCAL TRADITIONAL WOODEN HIVES CALLED SZGJOI.

STRAWBERRY TREE HONEY

(MJALT MARE)

16N.

CATEGORY

CARVOVA AND PAGRI VILLAGES, PËRMET DISTRICT

(GJIROKASTRA)

PRODUCTION AREA


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The residents of Carvova and Pagri still rely heavily on wild resources. Mjalte maret is one of these, and it has been produced for generations in this part of Albania. This honey has powerful antioxidant and antibacterial properties and is often used medicinally, for example to treat burns and wounds. Small quantities are available for sale in local markets, though much of the harvest is kept for personal use.

Honey is an important part of rural culture and traditional knowledge, both practically and symbolically. It is considered a sacred product due to its healing and curative properties. Mjalt maret in particular is regarded as more than just a food due to its numerous applications.

Honey and other bee products are highly valued and are therefore an important source of income for rural families, even if beekeeping is not their primary activity. Honey is either sold or bartered.

Përmet is one of the few areas of Albania in which the strawberry tree is widespread in the local forests (Skrapar, a bit further north, is another). Rural to urban migration as a consequence of poverty and lack of infrastructure has reduced the number of local beekeepers and the market for mjalte maret.

and distinctive texture. The tree is visually attractive because of its brightly

peeling, reddish-brown bark. The fruits are round with a diameter of about 2 cm, and are covered with tiny rigid tubercles.

beige color, characteristics that make it easily distinguishable from other honeys.


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CATEGORY

BREEDS AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY

BARDHOKA SHEEP ARE KEPT IN STABLES DURING THE WINTER MONTHS, AND FROM MAY TO THE END OF AUGUST THEY LIVE IN THE MOUNTAINS, WHERE THEY

GRAZE FREELY ON PASTURES. EACH FAMILY TAKES CARE OF ITS OWN ANIMALS. WOMEN ARE INVOLVED IN MILKING AND MEN ACT AS SHEPHERDS.

H U S B A N D RY M E T H O D S

W A Y S O F C O O K I N G


BAKED, BOILED, ROASTED DRYING, FERMENTING, SMOKING, CHEESEMAKING

P R O D U C T S D E R I V E D F R O M T H E A N I M A L

MEAT, MILK

PA R T S U S E D A N D P R O C E S S I N G

The bardhoka sheep owes its name to its color, as this breed is completely white (bardhe means white in Albanian language). It is raised for milk, meat, and wool. It is found in the Dukagjini region of Kosovo and in neighboring parts of northeastern Albania, particularly

varied terrain, and presence of alpine pastures make Tropoja District are especially well suited to sheep and goat pastoralism. It also known as delja e bardhë e Dukagjinit (“Dukagjini white sheep”), this breed is completely white. It

BARDHOKA SHEEP (DELJA BARDHOKA)

17N.

Ovis aries L.

TROPOJA, HAS (KUKES COUNTY), ALBANIA-KOSOVO AND ALBANIA-

MONTENEGRO BORDER AREAS

PRODUCTION AREA


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Together with goats, sheep were traditionally the main source of livelihood for mountain dwellers in Dukagjini and Kukës. There are many folk songs that speak of bardhoka sheep, sung by the rhapsodists of these regions and accompanied by a musical instrument called cifteli or lahute. Ram’s horns

the evil eye. Its meat and dairy products are still consumed at local level, by they are rarely sold to processing facilities.

The bardhoka sheep has existed for centuries in Kosovo and Albania. It has often been cross-bred with other breeds, so there is a high risk that the

introduced, especially since some of these breeds can lamb twice a year. Indeed, many shepherds have shifted their focus away from local breeds because they don’t yield as much milk and meet as improved imported breeds. In addition, the migration of young people from the mountains to the cities and lowlands threatens the future of mountain pastoralism, including the associated knowledge and traditional breeds.

Bardhoka milk is used to produce cheese, yogurt, gjiza, and butter (in this part of Albania, butter and lard have traditionally been the main kinds of fat used to

and removing the white foam that forms on top during boiling, in order to make it more shelf stable. Bardhoka sheep meat can be dried and stored in cool places; it can also be smoked. It is traditionally served with beans, cabbage, and other vegetables.

has relatively loose, straight wool that grows to 20 cm long. It has a short, wide

strong, spiraled horns. The forehead is woolly and there is a tuft of wool between the ears. Ewes weigh about 45 kg, and rams about 60 kg. The birth weight of the lambs varies from 2.5 to 3 kg; they have usually reached a weight of 15 kg by the time they stop suckling.


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CATEGORY

FISH AND SEAFOOD

Salmo ohridanus is endemic to the Lake Ohrid basin of Albania and North Macedonia (where it is called belvica). Ohrid is one of the world’s oldest lakes and is known for its crystal-clear waters. The belushka is

weighing half a kilo. It is silvery gray with a white belly and some black spots near the spine. Because this species lives and hunts in deep water, it has large eyes.

BELUSHKA FISH(PESHKU BELUSHKE)

18N.

Salmo ohridanus Steindachner

THE INHABITANTS OF POGRADEC AND LIN, TWO TOWNS ON THE WESTERN SHORE OF LAKE OHRID, FISH FROM BOATS IN THE CLASSICAL WAY, USING MOSTLY NETS. FISHING FOR BELUSHKA IS DONE BY LICENSED FISHERS OR FISHING COOPERATIVES DURING THE OPEN SEASON. HOWEVER, ILLEGAL FISHING ALSO TAKES PLACE WITH SMALL NETS AND DURING THE CLOSED SEASON WHEN THE FISH ARE SPAWNING. BELUSHKA BREED NATURALLY IN THE LAKE AND ARE ALSO FARMED IN ARTIFICIAL PONDS NEARBY.

FEBRUARY - OCTOBER

F I S H I N G S E A S O N A L I T Y F I S H I N G M E T H O D S


LAKE OHRID POGRADEC AND LIN(KORÇË COUNTY)

PRODUCTION AREA


FRIED, GRILLED, ROASTED, STEWED


WHOLE FISH, EGGS


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Along with koran (Ohrid trout, Salmo letnica), the belushka is the most important trout of Lake Ohrid, which is also home to eels, carp, and other species. Residents of both the Albanian and Northern Macedonian shores of the lake have caught and eaten these two species for centuries, and belushka

during the spawning season. In the 2000s, regulations were tightened and

and other cities of Albania.

together with increasing water pollution, has led to the decline of many species in the lake, and warming temperatures are exacerbating eutrophication.

Belushka is part of the traditional cuisine of Pogradec, where it is typically fried, roasted, or put in casseroles. One of the most popular casseroles is be-lushka tavatogether with a sauce of onions, carrots, and tomatoes. Then the pan is put

minutes. Belushka eggs are also eaten, simply fried in oil.


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The Dragobia goat is a traditional breed from northeastern Albania; it is found mainly in Dragobia (after which it was named), in Tropoja District. Dragobia goats are black with curved horns. They are about 70 cm tall and 70-76 cm long. The head is 20-24 cm long. They

of age. Breeding takes place in September-October, and the kids are born in February-March.

DRAGOBIA GOAT(DHIA E DRAGOBISE)

19N.

Capra hircus L.

CATEGORY

BREEDS AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY

THESE ANIMALS ARE VERY WELL ADAPTED TO THE HARSH WEATHER AND TERRAIN OF THE MOUNTAINS; THEY ARE RESISTANT TO THE COLD AND VERY EFFICIENT AT EXPLOITING A WIDE RANGE AND QUALITY OF FOOD RESOURCES AVAILABLE IN THE FORESTS. DRAGOBIA GOATS ARE REARED IN EXTENSIVE AND SEMI-EXTENSIVE PRODUCTION SYSTEMS. THE SPEND THE SUMMERS FREE ON THE PASTURES, WHILE IN WINTER THEY LIVE IN STABLES NEAR THE HERDERS’ HOUSES

AND FEED ON DRY GRASS HARVESTED DURING THE SUMMER. IN LATE MAY OR EARLY JUNE THEY START MIGRATING BACK TO THE MOUNTAINS TOGETHER WITH THE HERDERS AND THEIR FAMILIES. IN GENERAL, MEN ARE IN CHARGE OF THE FLOCK, BUT WOMEN ARE ALSO INVOLVED IN CARING FOR YOUNG ANIMAS. WOMEN AND CHILDREN ARE INVOLVED IN MILKING AND MILK PREPARATION, AS THESE ACTIVITIES TAKE PLACE CLOSE TO THE HOME.

H U S B A N D RY M E T H O D S



ROASTED, STEWED DRYING, SMOKING, CHEESEMAKING


MEAT, MILK


TROPOJA AND HAS DISTRICTS (KUKËS)

PRODUCTION AREA


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Dragobia goats are linked to the mountainous area of Tropoja District. This breed is the result of a long selection process by farmers over the generations. All parts of the Dragobia goat are important, from the horns (which the herders either use as a symbol against the evil eye, placed on the main door of the house or at the gate of the surrounding fence) to the skin (which was generally

For generations, this goat has been the main source of food for the residents of Tropoja, and is vital to the local economy. Dragobia goat meat and by-products are mainly used within the household or sold at local farmers’

Local goat breeds face competition from French and Spanish alpine goats. Because they yield less milk than foreign breeds, Dragobia goats and many other traditional Albanian breeds are at risk of extinction. Even the practice of raising goats in the mountains is at risk, as young people are abandoning the region.

Dragobia goats are reared both for meat and milk production. Fresh meat is obtained mainly from kids aged 2-4 months, but also from adult animals. Meat from kids is produced mainly in May–June, while meat from adult animals is used throughout the year, primarily for the production of dried meat.

The most classic way of cooking Dragobia goat meat is with a sac, a traditional pot covered with a domed lid on which charcoal is placed. This technique makes the meat very tasty and soft. Pastërma is a salt-cured product obtained from the meat of sheep and goats: After being cleaned, large chunks of meat are salted for about 2 weeks and then hung to dry in the air. Before being consumed, pastërma is washed to remove the salt and then boiled. Dragobia goat meat is also processed as mish i thatë (“dried meat”). For this, the animal is butchered, its meat is cut into strips, the strips are salted and then wrapped in goat skin for 24-36 hours so that they can absorb the salt, and then they are hung on a wooden rack and smoked. Finally, they are dried for 10-15 days. The product can be stored for up to 2 years.

Dragobia goats also produces high-quality milk, which is used for the

or aged for winter consumption.


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CATEGORY

FISH AND SEAFOOD

Koran is endemic to Lake Ohrid and the Black Drin River basin of Albania and North Macedonia. This species grows to a length of 30-60 cm and a weight of 1-3 kg. It has a dark silver back and silver-white belly. It has black and sometimes red spots, especially near

THE INHABITANTS OF POGRADEC AND LIN, TWO TOWNS ON THE WESTERN SHORE OF LAKE OHRID, FISH FROM BOATS IN THE CLASSICAL WAY, USING MOSTLY NETS. FISHING FOR OHRID TROUT, LOCALLY KNOWN AS KORAN, IS DONE PRIMARILY BY LICENSED FISHERS OR FISHING COOPERATIVES, THOUGH UNLICENSED FISHERMEN ALSO CATCH THIS SPECIES USING SMALL NETS. THE CLOSED SEASON FOR KORAN IS FROM DECEMBER TO FEBRUARY, WHEN THE FISH ARE SPAWNING. AS OF RECENTLY, KORAN ARE ALSO FARMED IN FISHPONDS AROUND THE LAKE.

MARCH - NOVEMBER



OHRID TROUT(PESHKU KORAN)

20N.

Salmo letnica Karaman

LAKE OHRID POGRADEC AND LIN (KORÇË COUNTY)

PRODUCTION AREA



FRIED, GRILLED, ROASTED DRYING, SMOKING


WHOLE FISH, FILLET, EGGS


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Koran is found only in Lake Ohrid, which is one of the world’s oldest lakes and is known for its crystal-clear water (transparent up to depths over 20 meters).

as a unique species in 1924.

The harvest of this species has always been regulated by law. During the 45

increased, including during the spawning season. In the 2000s, regulations

cooperatives.

poor conservation has pushed this species to the brink of extinction. A lack of monitoring and generally poor management policies, together with increasing

association in Pogradec is trying to recover the population of koran by raising

Koran is consumed in several ways, including deep fried in vegetable oil, grilled, roasted, and in casseroles. In the last few years, with the introduction of some international methods and techniques by Albanian chefs, people have

is koran and walnut tavapepper, and sometimes the addition of a little wine. It is generally cooked

usually fried and added to salads.

streams that run into the lake in January and February to spawn. Koran feed on


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Lake Shkodra carp has a generally yellowish color but can vary from

ikra) in dense aquatic vegetation in

fast, reaching a length of 11 cm in 4-5 months and a weight of 1.5 kg in just 2 years, but it takes 3 years for them to become a reproductive adult. The lake

CATEGORY

FISH AND SEAFOOD

CARP FISHING TAKES PLACE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR,

EXCEPT DURING THE CLOSED SEASON FROM MARCH

THROUGH MAY.

FISHING IN LAKE SHKODRA IS MAINLY DONE WITH NYLON BENTHIC GILLNETS OF DIFFERENT MESH SIZES, BEACH SEINES, AND LONGLINES WITH HOOKS ATTACHED. FISHING GEAR CHANGES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR ACCORDING TO SEASON, TARGET SPECIES, AND WEATHER CONDITIONS. LARGE BEACH SEINES ARE TYPICALLY EMPLOYED IN THE WINTER TIME FOR CATCHING BLEAK (ALBURNUS SCORANZA) IN SHIROKA AND ZOGAJ, ON THE SOUTHERN SHORE OF THE LAKE. TOGETHER, CARP AND BLEAK TYPICALLY REPRESENT MORE THAN 70% OF THE TOTAL CATCH.



LAKE SHKODRA CARP21N. Cyprinus carpio L.

LAKE SHKODRA(ALBANIA–MONTENEGRO

BORDER)

PRODUCTION AREA



FRIED, GRILLED, ROASTED DRYING, SMOKING


WHOLE FISH, FILLET, EGGS


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Lake Shkodra is the largest freshwater basin in Southern Europe. Fishing has always been one of the main occupations of the local population, and the

other species are also caught and valued.

shows that there are 210 boats used by 410 people operating in the Albanian part of the lake. A lack of monitoring and poor management policies, together with increasing water pollution, have led to the overexploitation and degradation of the lake’s resources. No reliable data are available on catches in the Albanian waters of Lake Skadar, though it is estimated that approximately 500 tonnes of

Lake Shkodra carp is consumed in several way: deep fried in vegetable oil,

then marinated in oil with garlic and herbs. One of the most distinctive dishes is

and soaked it in a mixture of oil, white wine, lemon, onion, garlic, bay leaves, and herbs. Tavë krapi is another unique dish in which the carp is cooked with

local cuisine, normally fried in oil.

stages. The northern shores of the lake are important spawning and nursery grounds for carp.


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The Cem wild trout or Adriatic trout known in Albanian as trofta e Cemit, is found in the lower part of Kelmend, between Fushë Lojë and Grabom, and between Vukël and Tamara, where the two branches of the Cem River meet (this is the southernmost population of Adriatic

trout, and the only population in Albania). It is known as “the trout with red

CATEGORY

FISH AND SEAFOOD

JUNE-AUGUST

THE FISH ARE TRADITIONALLY CAUGHT WITH A VERY LONG FISHING ROD MADE OF ASH WITH A PLASTIC LINE. ALONG THE LINE, SMALL KNOTS ARE TIED WITH IRON WEIGHTS TO ASSIST IN THE CASTING. HOOKS BAITED WITH WORMS ARE USED AS LURES.



KELMEND, MALËSI E MADHE DISTRICT (SHKODRA)

PRODUCTION AREA


BAKED, FRIED, ROASTED


WHOLE FISH

CEM WILD TROUT(TROFTA E EGËR E CEMIT)

22N.

Salmo obtusirostris Heckel


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Kelmend is located in the mountainous northern part of Albania, in Malësi e Madhe District, on the border with Montenegro. In this region, trout dishes are an important part of the local gastronomic culture and wild trout are recognized for being sweeter tasting than farm-raised trout. Kelmend is a Catholic area, and trout is traditionally often consumed during Lent, and especially on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. Due to the popularity of this

the region. However, in the last 15 years, after the fall of the strict state control

practices have developed in the region, including the use of dynamite and electricity. Besides the fact that these practices are very unsafe for those who use them, the explosions are causing damage to the natural habitat where the

In recent years, there has been a reduction in the number of trouts in Kelmend

yet reached reproductive age. It is critical to raise awareness about how to sustainably manage the Cem River’s resources.

This variety of trout is broadly known throughout the Shkodra region, and has become popular among tourists and visitors to Kelmend, particularly if it is prepared as tavë peshku in the oven together with onions, peppers, and potatoes. The other main ways of cooking the wild trout are on the grill, served with vegetables and cheese; or fried.

points” ( ) for its peculiar characteristic of having its entire

length from 10 cm up to a maximum of 50 cm. It breeds during the winter and


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® Photo Andrea Longobardo, UNISG student

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Raki is a traditional distilled beverage made from the fermented juice of various fruits. The local variation from Boboshtica is made with the fruits of the mulberry tree. This tree rarely exceeds 10–15 meters in height and grows wild around Korçë, in southeastern Albania. The

fruits are white, green, or pale yellow when unripe. In most species, the fruits

BOBOSHTICA MULBERRY RAKI

(RAKIA E MANIT TË BOBOSHTICËS)

23N.

CATEGORY

DISTILLED AND FERMENTED BEVERAGES

PRODUCTION AREA

BOBOSHTICA, DRENOVË, KORÇË

(KORÇË)

I N G R E D I E N T S P R E P A R A T I O N M E T H O D

MULBERRY FRUITS

(MORUS SPP.)

THE MULBERRY TREES ARE GENTLY SHAKEN TO COLLECT THE FULLY RIPENED FRUITS, WHICH ARE THEN PLACED IN LARGE WOODEN VATS AND LEFT TO FER-MENT FOR UP TO 7 DAYS, USUALLY OUTSIDE IN THE OPEN AIR. THE OBTAINED FERMENTED MUST IS THEN DISTILLED TWICE USING DISCONTINUOUS DISTI-LLATION IN COPPER ALEMBICS. THE EQUIPMENT USED FOR DISTILLATION IS TRADITIONAL AND THE PROCESS IS SLOW. THE SPIRIT IS CUT WITH DISTILLED WATER TO OBTAIN A PLEASANT FINAL STRENGTH OF AROUND 45% A.B.V. THE FINAL PRODUCT IS POURED INTO RECYCLED GLASS BOTTLES. THE ELDERS GUIDE THE YOUNGER GENERATION THROUGH THIS PROCESS IN ORDER TO TEACH THEM.


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Korçë is not far from the borders with Greece and Macedonia. This area, which is known as one of the driest regions of Albania, is characterized by a transitional Mediterranean climate. Here, the villages of Boboshtica and Drenovë have a long tradition of mulberry production, and the majority of the fruit is transformed into raki inside people’s homes. It is consumed for special occasions.

for sale. Locals sell it on the informal market because producers don’t have the legal tools to produce it as an artisanal product to be sold in the local markets.

Boboshtica mulberry is still known today thanks to the communities that

writing, and must therefore be learned through practice.

A change in the law would mean that local small-scale producers could legally switch their production from homemade to artisanal and sell it in local markets,

locals in the three villages where mulberry raki is traditionally produced.

The leaves are alternately arranged, simple, serrated, and often lobed. The inhabitants of Boboshtica, Drenovë, and Korçë have a custom of collecting mulberries and using them for the preparation of a unique local variant of raki that has a light green color, a delicate aroma of mulberries and herbs, and a


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Rakia e shalës is a typical distilled beverage from the mountain communities of the Shala valley in Shkodra Country, northern Albania. The fruits used to prepare this rare version of raki are gathered from the cherry plum tree (Prunus cerasifera), also known as myrobalan

plum. This tree or large shrub is typically 6-7 meters tall and has smooth ovate

CHERRY PLUM RAKI (RAKIA E SHALËS)

24N.

CATEGORY


PRODUCTION AREA

SHALA VALLEY, DUKAGJIN HIGHLANDS

(SHKODRA)


CHERRY PLUM FRUITS

RIPE CHERRY PLUMS ARE HARVESTED IN SEPTEMBER AND THEN FERMENTED FOR A MINIMUM OF 2 WEEKS IN BARRELS MADE FROM SYCAMORE WOOD. THE NEXT PHASE OF THE PRODUCTION PROCESS IS DISTILLATION, WHICH IS DONE WITH TRADITIONAL IMPLEMENTS. RAKIA E SHALËS CAN BE DISTILLED ONCE OR TWICE (TWO DISTILLATIONS YIELDS A MORE REFINED SPIRIT WITH A MORE APPRECIATED FLAVOR). THE FINAL PRODUCT CAN BE STORED IN BIG GLASS JUGS OR EVEN PLASTIC BOTTLES.


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Cherry plum raki is linked exclusively to the Shala community, one of Albania’s historical tribes. Throughout the four centuries of Ottoman Turkish presence in Albania, the Shala were never completely dominated, and have retained their unique culture and language. Raki was originally made as a way to preserve various fruits; today, the drink appears to serve primarily as a social lubricant, and is consumed whenever people congregate or socialize. It would be

of raki to the guests. Rakia e shalës, like many other versions of raki, is also consumed for medicinal purposes, mostly to relieve pain. Cherry plum raki is not sold commercially; it is produced at the household level to be shared with family and friends.

Many people, especially the youth, are leaving the isolated villages of the Shala valley and moving to the cities. As a result, the local distilled beverages and other typical products, as well as the traditional knowledge linked to their production, are in danger of disappearing. Making these products better known can help to ensure that there is continued interest in producing them and in transmitting the production techniques to future generations.

white or pale pink. The fruits, which look like over-sized cherries, are sour and green when unripe, and become sweet and red as they mature. The raki made

NOMINATOR: ANDREA PIERONI


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Cornelian cherry (Cornus mas, also known as cornel or dogwood) is known as thana in the Dukagjin area of northern Albania. This tree, which occurs both wild and incultivation, usually grows to a height

appear in February-March, are golden-yellow and very fragrant. The fruits

CORNELIAN CHERRY RAKI

(RAKI THANE)

25N.

CATEGORY


PRODUCTION AREA

KALLMET, BUKMIRE, MIRDITE, MALESI E MADHE (LEZHE AND

SHKODRA COUNTIES)


CORNELIAN CHERRY (CORNUS MAS)

THE FRUITS ARE GATHERED WHEN RIPE AND THEN SORTED. THEY ARE LEFT TO FERMENT IN WOODEN BARRELS FOR 1-2 MONTHS. AFTER THIS PERIOD, ONCE THE FERMENTATION HAS FINISHED, THE FRUIT IS DISTILLED TWICE. THE FIRST DISTILLATION PRODUCES A SOFT RAKI WITH AN ALCOHOL CONTENT OF AROUND 30%. THE SECOND DISTILLATION TAKES PLACE AFTER A FEW WEEKS, REDUCING THE QUANTITY OF THE ORIGINAL DISTILLATE BY ABOUT HALF. DURING THE DISTILLATION, THE FIRST LITER OR LITER-AND-A-HALF OF SPIRIT (WHICH IS METHANOL RICH AND TOXIC) IS DISCARDED, AS IS THE VERY LAST BIT, KNOWN AS THE TAILS (WHICH IS OVERLY ACIDIC AND OF POOR QUALITY—IT CAN BE USED TO MAKE SECOND-RATE SPIRITS). THE RAKI IS THEN READY TO DRINK. IT IS STORED IN THE HOUSE IN A DARK PLACE, IN WHATEVER BOTTLES PEOPLE HAVE AT HAND.


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This product is typical of the Catholic populations from the mountains of northern Albania, particularly the Shala tribe.

Raki thane is linked to the Shala community, one of Albania’s historical tribe, who have lived in the valley of the Shala River since at least the 15th century. The Shala tribe is primarily Catholic, like other northern Albanian tribes. Homemade raki thane, perhaps more so than other kinds of raki, is closely associated with special occasions, when it is shared with family and friends. It is also considered medicinal and is taken to treat rheumatism or rubbed onto the skin to alleviate insect bites. Cornelian cherries also eaten raw to relieve intestinal troubles in children.

The production of raki thane needs attention because the few people who still live in the isolated Shala valley are mostly elderly, the youth (who traditionally collected the wild fruit) having migrated to the cities for more opportunities. There is a risk that production could cease if the tradition cannot be passed to the next generation.

The distilled beverage made from wild cornelian cherries is called raki thane;



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The village of Roshnik, in Berat County, is characterized by a Mediterranean climate and the area is rich in fruit trees (mainly olives, cherries, and chestnuts) and grapevines. In addition, dried

sarilos variety are regarded as a local delicacy. They have

CATEGORY

FRUIT PRESERVES


FIGS

THE FIGS ARE HARVESTED AND THEN PLACED IN A HUT COVERED WITH GREENHOUSE PLASTIC. A SOLUTION OF SULFUR AND WATER IS MIXED ACCORDING TO A SPECIFIC RATIO AND THEN BOILED; THE SULFURIC STEAM THAT IS RELEASED PASSES THROUGH THE FIGS, ACTING AS A NATURAL DISINFECTANT AND PREVENTING FLIES OR WORMS FROM INFESTING AND DAMAGING THE FIGS DURING DRYING OR THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. THE FIGS ARE THEN PLACED ON LARGE WOODEN TRAYS CALLED LESA AND DRIED COMPLETELY BEFORE BEING PACKED OR PUT ON STRINGS.

PRODUCTION AREA

BERAT, ROSHNIK, ROSHNIK I VOGËL

(BERAT)

ROSHNIK DRY FIGS (FIQTË E THATË TË ROSHNIKUT)

26N.


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years ago from Izmir and adapted to the fertile ground in the village of Roshnik,

strong association with this product. Figs were traditionally hung on strings in groups of 52, one for each week of the year.

organized for the occasion, including the annual “Roshnik Feast” and the harvest festival in Berat.

lucrative and important economic activity. Today, only a few families produce

mainly sold locally or kept for household consumption.

drying method has historical value but is very much at risk of being forgotten because the villages of the area have been abandoned for many years. The few remaining people who know the old method are mostly elderly.

start to dry on the tree (losing about half of their moisture content), and then drop spontaneously to the ground. Fallen fruit are collected 2-3 times a week and brought to a suitable area for drying. The drying process is carried out on wooden drying trays called lesa for about one week, until the water content drops to 22-24%.


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The juice made from fermented cabbage is a traditional drink from northeastern Albania, produced by fermenting white and red

CATEGORY



WHITE OR RED CABBAGE SALT

LEMON CORN OR BARLEY

LËNGU I RASOJIT IS PREPARED IN WOODEN BARRELS, WHICH MUST BE MADE OF BEECH OR OAK. FOR A BARREL WITH A CAPACITY OF 200 LITERS, 70-80 MEDIUM OR SMALL CABBAGES ARE REQUIRED. THEY ARE CLEANED, THE STALK IS REMOVED, AND THE HOLE WHERE THE STALK WAS IS FILLED WITH A SPOONFUL OF SALT. THE CABBAGES ARE THEN STACKED UPSIDE DOWN IN THE BARREL AND SOAKED FOR 24 HOURS, AFTER WHICH THE BARREL IS FILLED WITH POTABLE WATER. THE MIXTURE IS LEFT TO FERMENT FOR ABOUT 3 WEEKS. IT SHOULD BE STORED IN A VERY COLD PLACE, SUCH AS A BASEMENT OR BALCONY. MANY YEARS AGO, RESIDENTS OF REMOTE AREAS ADDED A KILOGRAM OF BARLEY, WRAPPED IN BARLEY, TO THE BARRELS TO GIVE COLOR TO THE JUICE. NOWADAYS, IT IS MORE TYPICAL TO ADD A CORN COB OR TWO TO THREE LEMONS.

FERMENTED CABBAGE JUICE

(LËNGU I RASOJIT)

27N.

PRODUCTION AREA

TROPOJA (KUKES COUNTY)


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In the rural villages of northern Albania, where access to public health services is still somewhat limited, people use natural remedies to maintain their health. Fermented cabbage juice is used as a treatment for several diseases.

Lëngu i rasojit is linked particularly to Tropoja, in Kukës County. Here, it was generally drunk after meals to aid digestion. It was traditionally prepared by women and stored in containers made of oak. The juice was produced throughout the winter, when cold temperatures allow for a stable fermentation, and consumed into the spring and summer.

In Tropoja and other villages near the border with Kosovo, it is still considered a healing drink and a good source of probiotics: It is taken to reduce gastric

Very few families in Albania still make lëngu i rasojit, though Albanians in Kosovo still produce it at the household level. In recent times they have also started to produce it on a larger scale by adapting the traditional recipe.

to fermentation process. Lëngu i rasojit has a high concentration of vitamin C; it is considered a good treatment for prostate disease and can also be used to clean the kidneys.

Together with dry meat, lëngu i rasojit has long been an important food for shepherds and women working the land or in the household. Fermented cabbages can be consumed as sauerkraut, grated and marinated with olive oil and lemon juice and served with various dishes.


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Lëng sanza (literally “gentian juice”) is a traditional herbal decoction that people from the mountainous areas of Albania have used for centuries to prevent various diseases, such as liver disease and gastritis, and to boost immunity. The drink is very popular in the north

and northeast of Albania. Its main ingredient is the root of Gentiana lutea, the

GENTIAN TEA (LËNG SANZE)

28N.

CATEGORY

TEA AND INFUSIONS


GENTIAN ROOTS

(GENTIANA LUTEA)WATER

TO PREPARE LËNG SANZA, DRIED GENTIAN ROOTS ARE CUT INTO SMALL PIECES AND BOILED IN WATER FOR APPROXIMATELY 10 MINUTES. BECAUSE IT IS SO BITTER, THE DECOCTION IS USUALLY SWEETENED WITH HONEY. ALONGSIDE THE TISANE, COMMUNITIES FROM THE MOUNTAINS OF ALBANIA ALSO PREPARE A CONCENTRATED JUICE FROM GENTIAN: SHREDDED ROOTS ARE ADDED TO WATER AT ROOM TEMPERATURE AND THE MIXTURE IS POURED INTO A BOTTLE AND LEFT CLOSED FOR ALMOST 7 DAYS. THE OBTAINED JUICE CAN BE USED AS A MEDICINE FOR CLEANSING THE LIVER, AIDING DIGESTION, ETC.

PRODUCTION AREA

SHKODRA, KUKËS, AND DIBRA COUNTIES


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The genus Gentiana derives its name from King Gentius, an Illyrian king of Albanian origin who is thought to have discovered the plant’s tonic properties—he is said to have treated wounded soldiers with gentian. In veterinary pharmacopoeia in the 1860s, gentian root (or gentianae radix) was considered useful as a tonic and for treating stomach ailments.

are simply placed in the alcohol and left to infuse for about a month, giving the spirit a bitter taste and amber color. Albanian fernet, a popular digestif, also contains Gentiana lutea.

Gentian is used as a panacea for gastrointestinal diseases, and was widely use by the people of Kelmend when access to public health services was limited, including in the early 1990s following the end of the Communist Period.

Dehydrated gentian roots can be found in local shops and farmhouses across the alpine areas of Kelmend, and gentian is sold as a dry tea in homeopathic pharmacies, medicinal herb shops, and organic stores in Albania.

Gentiana lutea is at risk because of unsustainable harvesting practices. It takes 5 years for the roots to grow large enough for harvest, but people increasingly harvest younger roots, and in general don’t take not to pull the entire root bunch, making it impossible for the plant to regenerate. In addition, gentiana harvesting has become a commercial activity that is rapidly losing its ties to

plant must include teaching people about responsible harvesting methods.

great yellow gentian. Known locally as sanza, gentian is an herbaceous plant that grows in alpine and sub-alpine pastures, usually in calcareous soils. The most valuable part of the plant is the root, which, after being well dried and cut into small pieces, is used for the preparation of herbal teas. Drinks prepared with gentian roots have an intense bitter taste. Before the introduction of hops, gentian was also used occasionally in brewing. Gentian is harvested by herders in the summer, while their animals graze in the high pastures.


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G jirokastra kaçkavall is a traditional dairy product made of 100% sheep milk from local breeds. The animals graze freely in the mountains or surrounding areas. Lunxhëri and Kardhiq are known for their excellent pastures where sheep graze on a great diversity

GJIROKASTRA KAÇKAVALL CHEESE

(DJATHI KAÇKAVALL I GJIROKASTRËS)

29N.

CATEGORY

CHEESE AND MILK PRODUCTS


SHEEP MILK

CHEESEMAKING IS CARRIED OUT IN SMALL DAIRY FACILITIES. UNPASTEURIZED SHEEP MILK IS HEATED TO 46 DEGREES, AND RENNET IS ADDED. THE CURD IS LEFT TO COAGULATE UNTIL THE MASTERS REALIZE IT IS READY. UNLIKE INDUSTRIAL PROCESSING, ARTISANAL PROCESSING OF KAÇKAVALL AT THIS STAGE RELIES MOSTLY ON SIGHT, NOT ON A FIXED SCHEDULE, AS THE MILK IS DIFFERENT EVERY DAY AND THIS MEANS THAT TIMINGS CAN VARY. NEXT, POWDERED RENNET IS ADDED AND THE MILK COAGULATES OVER A PERIOD OF ABOUT 30 MINUTES. THE CURD IS THEN DELICATELY WORKED BY HAND USING LIGHT, ROTATING MOVEMENTS, STARTING AT THE EDGE OF THE VAT AND MOVING TOWARD THE CENTER, AND THEN PROCEEDING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. THIS OPERATION, WHICH MUST BE DONE EFFICIENTLY, RESULTS IN A UNIFORM PASTE MADE OF CURDS NO BIGGER THAN GRAINS OF RICE. THE TOTAL TIME REQUIRED FOR THESE GRAINS TO FORM IS GENERALLY 2.5-3 MINUTES AND IS ASSOCIATED WITH A GRADUAL INCREASE IN TEMPERATURE (THE HEAT IS LOWER IN THE INITIAL PHASE, ABOUT 46 DEGREES). THE CHEESE IS THEN AGED FOR USUALLY ABOUT 3 MONTHS, AND THEN IS MADE AVAILABLE ON THE MARKET.

PRODUCTION AREA

LUNXHËRI, KARDHIQ, CAJUP, ASIM ZENELI

(GJIROKASTRA)


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Gjirokastra kaçkavall owns its name to the broader tradition of kachkaval/kashkaval/caciocavallo production, which is practiced from Anatolia to Italy, which refers to a wide variety of stretched-curd cheeses. Although this is not such a cheese, Gjirokastra County is home to a particularly strong tradition of kaçkavall production, and the delicious cheese from this region is known all over Albania. Gjirokastra has been known since ancient times for its dairy production, which includes fresh cottage cheeses and aged cheeses. In the 1930s, Gjirokastra cheese was exported to the US and then Greece. The cheese is eaten throughout the year, either as it is, roasted, or melted in pots.

There is not enough milk to make Gjirokastra kaçkavall cheese, due to the depopulation of the local villages; many young people either migrate to Greece or seek work in towns and cities. Also, the division of land has reduced the availability of suitable pasture for sheep grazing. Over the last 20 years, attempts to improve the local breeds, so that they will yield more milk, have been undertaken. However, the traditional breeds still produce better quality milk and cheese. It is important that the techniques for producing Gjirokastra kaçkavall be passed to future generations, both because of the high quality of this product and due to its cultural value and link to local breeds and landscapes.

Trigonella foenum-graecum), which imparts

was only processed with artisanal methods, cheese production took place primarily in April and May; now, with the use of modern storage vessels, milk processing is also carried out during the summer, until the second half of July. Kaçkavall cheeses have rounded edges and contain air holes that form during fermentation. The size of each wheel varies from 3 to 5 kg and the color changes from light to intense yellow as the cheese matures. Kaçkavall has

outside hardens during aging.


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O sas belong to the wider family of trahana, a dried food made from a

of Southeastern Europe and the Middle East. Wealthy families

be found either with or without egg. Like most trahanas, osas are an ancient

GJIROKASTRA OSAS (OSAT E GJIROKASTËR)

30N.

CATEGORY

PASTA


WHEAT FLOUR EGGS

MILK OR YOGURT BUTTER SALT

TO PREPARE OSAS, FLOUR IS SIEVED AND PUT IN A LARGE BOWL. IN ANOTHER CONTAINER, THE EGGS ARE MIXED WITH MILK OR SOMETIMES WITH YOGURT AND MELTED BUTTER. SALT IS ADDED AND THE WET INGREDIENTS ARE MIXED WITH THE FLOUR UNTIL A SMOOTH DOUGH IS OBTAINED. THIS IS THEN DIVIDED INTO SMALL BALLS, EACH OF WHICH IS FLATTENED INTO A CIRCLE ABOUT 10-15 CM WIDE AND 1-2 CM THICK. THESE DISCS ARE DRIED FOR 1-2 DAYS, DEPENDING ON THE HUMIDITY IN THE HOUSE. NEXT, THE PIECES ARE CRUMBLED BY HAND, CREATING SMALL PELLETS THAT ARE LEFT TO DRY FOR ANOTHER 3-4 DAYS UNDER THE SUN ON WOODEN TRAYS OR LARGE PANS. THE OSAS ARE FINALLY PUT INTO COTTON OR LINEN BAGS AND STORED IN A COOL, DRY PLACE.

PRODUCTION AREA

GJIROKASTRA COUNTY


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Osas are a very old culinary product and very few people know them. They were traditionally made by the Muslim community of Gjirokastra, in southern Albania. Osas were important in the household economy; children enjoyed soup with osas during the winter, and housewives would prepare casseroles with meat and osas when they lacked potatoes or carrots during the winter. Osas were always prepared in large quantities so that families could cope with winter and early spring seasons when no fresh products were available. Mostly women and girls were involved in the production of osas, as well as of other winter provisions called zahire. An average-sized family (6 to 7 people) produced up to 10 to 12 kg of osas.

Nowadays, osas are used to cook casseroles with lamb, either in traditional celebrations or during Sunday family lunches. In the Muslim families that prepare osas, only the meat of lambs, sheep, or chickens is used.

Ismail Kadare, the well-known Albanian writer and nominee for the Nobel Prize in Literature, mentioned osas in books about his childhood. Kadare was born and spent his childhood in the city of Gjirokastra.

This delicious product is, unfortunately, not known outside of Gjirokastra city. It is prepared only by Muslim families, and the overall number of families that

most people outside of very traditional families are not interested in making this product, so there is a great risk that it will disappear.

staple, prepared during the summer months as provisions for the winter, and they were mainly used to feed children. Osas are small, irregular pellets made

they are used to thicken soups and casseroles and, when made with yogurt,


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Boza is the name of a lightly fermented, grain-based beverage thought to have originated in Anatolia. It is a thick beverage with a typical sweet-and-sour taste and a very low alcohol content (around 1-2%). Boza is widespread in Turkey and also present in

CATEGORY



MILLET (PANICUM MILIACEUM)

TO PREPARE BOZA, MILLET IS FERMENTED IN WATER AND THEN FILTERED. WHITE CORN CAN BE USED IN PLACE OF MILLET. NO MALT IS USED. BOZA IS MAINLY PRODUCED IN THE WINTER, WHEN LOW TEMPERATURES ALLOW FOR A SLOW, STABLE FERMENTATION. THE GRAIN IS FIRST LEFT TO SOAK IN COLD WATER FOR ABOUT 24 HOURS. THE SOAKED GRAIN IS THEN BOILED WITH WATER AND SUGAR TO OBTAIN A SEMI-THICK PORRIDGE, WHICH LEFT TO COOL DOWN AND THEN KEPT IN A SLIGHTLY WARM PLACE FOR 3 DAYS BEFORE BEING PUT IN A COOL PLACE FOR ANOTHER 3 DAYS.

GORANI BOZA 31N.

PRODUCTION AREA

GORA REGION (KUKËS)


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Boza is a traditional drink for the Gorani people (Gorani means “people of the mountains”), who speak a very particular South Slavic language. They are believed to be descendants of Bogomil communities who converted to the Muslim faith quite late, and so have a mixed religion.

In the Gora region on the borders of Kosovo, Albania, and Macedonia, the harsh mountainous climate limits people’s mobility and contributes to food insecurity throughout most of the cold and snowy season. To withstand these conditions,

Boza provides valuable energy and is a fortifying beverage. It used to be kept inside copper containers and vendors would travel around cities in the whole Balkan region selling it. Variations of the so-called traditional recipe with Turkish

supermarkets, the traditional production method is becoming less common

winters, infrastructure problems, and isolation are pushing people to abandon the mountain villages, adding to the rapid loss of traditional knowledge and gastronomy of the region.

the Balkans. In northern Albania, boza is traditionally produced from millet (Panicum miliaceum), a “minor cereal” that grows to a height of 50-150 cm. The fermentation of millet to produce a beer-like beverage is a very old tradition in Gorani communities.



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Hardiç is a fermented produced made by local communities of central Albania since ancient times. In addition to being a non-alcoholic refreshing drink, it is also a curative and digestive beverage. Hardiç is made in late spring by combining juniper berries with water and

lemon juice and allowing the mixture to ferment. It has slightly cloudy with a light yellowish color and sour, fresh taste.

CATEGORY



JUNIPER BERRIES

(JUNIPERUS SPP.)WATER LEMON

TO PREPARE HARDIÇ, LEMONS ARE WASHED, QUARTERED, AND COMBINED WITH JUNIPER BERRIES IN A LARGE GLASS BOTTLE OR JAR, WHICH IS FILLED WITH WATER AND THEN COVERED (BUT NOT SEALED). THE BOTTLE IS THEN LEFT IN A SUNNY, WARM SPOT BY THE WINDOW FOR 40-45 DAYS. THE JUNIPER BERRIES GRADUALLY SINK TO THE BOTTOM AND THE WATER BECOMES YELLOWISH (THIS INDICATES THAT THE JUICE IS READY). THE LIQUID IS STRAINED AND TRANSFERRED TO A SECOND BOTTLE AND KEPT IN A COLD PLACE. ACCORDING TO PREFERENCE, A LITTLE BIT OF WATER OR A TEASPOON OF SUGAR MAY BE ADDED. THE JUNIPER BERRIES CAN BE USED ONE OR TWO MORE TIMES TO PRODUCE ADDITIONAL HARDIÇ.

HARDIÇ32N.

PRODUCTION AREA

TIRANA, DURRËS, AND ELBASAN COUNTIES


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Hardiç is produced mainly at the household level in central Albania. Elderly people used to drink hardiç after taking a nap in order to refresh themselves and improve digestion. Consuming this drink is thought to help clean the kidneys and treat cysts. According to local tradition, hardiç is also used to lower cholesterol, treat diabetes, and eliminate excess water. Families in rural villages still produce hardiç. It is usually consumed between May and October.

Very few families still produce hardiç, so there is a risk that the tradition will be lost. This drink is known only in central Albania and it is primarily the older generations who maintain the use and memory of folk remedies.


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Jardun is an artisanal dairy product made from the milk of local sheep in the mountains of Kelmend, northern Albania. It is made with the last milk

when the animals graze on the summer pastures. This milk is appreciated

JARDUN 33N.

CATEGORY



SHEEP’S MILK

SALT

AFTER MILKING, THE RAW MILK MUST BE WARMED UP AND STIRRED CONTINUOUSLY WITH A BIT OF SALT FOR 20 MINUTES TO 1 HOUR, STOPPING AS SOON AS THE MILK IS ON THE VERGE OF BOILING OR WHEN IT STARTS TO THICKEN. IT IS OFTEN WARMED OVER A FIRE IN TRADITIONAL POTS AND STIRRED WITH TRADITIONAL UTENSILS. ONCE IT HAS COOLED, IT CAN BE EATEN. JARDUN IS NOT CONSERVED FOR MORE THAN 1 DAY AND SHOULD BE CONSUMED VERY SOON AFTER PREPARATION.

PRODUCTION AREA

KELMEND, MALËSI E MADHE DISTRICT

(SHKODRA)


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The economy of Kelmend is largely subsistence oriented and many people that live in the area are herders with extensive knowledge about animal husbandry. The local cuisine and gastronomic heritage are strictly tied to dairy production. The local sheep’s milk is very famous for the particular taste that it gives to products such as jardun and yogurt.

Since jardun is a product that cannot be preserved, it is only consumed within the household; the quantity produced by each family is very low and is based on the number of family members and the number of sheep available for milking. It is very common to give jardun to children, as it is highly nutritious, and is used to prevent many illnesses.

Jardun risks being lost because pastoral and dairy activities in the mountains are decreasing as people are moving away. In turn, the number of sheep in Kelmend has drastically diminished in recent years; most families have some cows, but often do not also keep sheep.

Since it is a product that needs to be eaten fresh, jardun is only found within households, not on the market, so its survival depends on the existence of families that know how to look after sheep, as well as how to prepare the drink. As the inhabitants that remain in the region are mostly elderly, the future of jardun is most certainly at risk.

because of its high fat content, which gives a creamy quality to the jardun. This special product is thicker than milk, but is not yogurt. It has a very distinctive


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w is a traditional handmade pasta. It is usually made with high-quality whole-wheat durum (Triticum durumwater-powered mills. The use of eggs and milk, which give it a

DIBRA JUFKA (JUFKA DIBRE)

34N.

CATEGORY

PASTA


FLOUR

MILK EGGS

SALT

TO MAKE JUFKA, FLOUR IS MIXED WITH MILK, EGGS (FOUR YOLKS PLUS FOUR WHOLE EGGS PER KILOGRAM OF FLOUR), AND SALT. THE DOUGH IS LEFT IN A DRY PLACE FOR 1-5 DAYS TO NATURALLY FERMENT; THEN IT IS DIVIDED INTO MEDIUM-SIZED BALLS, WHICH ARE ROLLED OUT INTO WIDE SHEETS (UP TO 30 CM WIDE). THESE ARE LEFT TO PARTIALLY DRY AND THEN ROLLED UP AND CUT LENGTHWISE INTO THIN, RIBBON-SHAPED NOODLES. AFTER COMPLETELY DRYING, THE JUFKA CAN BE STORED IN CARDBOARD OR WOODEN BOXES OR IN BAGS. IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THE NOODLES ARE WELL VENTILATED TO PREVENT MOLD.

PRODUCTION AREA

PESHKOPIA, DIBRA (DIBRA)


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County, where this pasta originated, has remained relatively conservative and has not become over developed, which has helped to preserve the region’s culture and gastronomy. Jufka was traditionally soaked in animal fat or cooked together with a chicken and its stock, until the liquid evaporated.

Jufka has also been found among the Arbëreshë, a community of Albanians living in Southern Italy since 1480, which implies that this traditional pasta is at least several centuries old.

Jufka has always been produced mainly for home consumption, but it is now possible to buy it in some markets. It is prepared by women in the households of Dibra.

During the Communist Period, when traditional recipes were discouraged and crops were managed by the state, many people forgot how to prepare jufka. Today, only a limited number of women retain the knowledge.

is at risk of disappearing. However, the product does have a chance to be rediscovered. Given the limited employment opportunities in the area, as well as the desire to expose jufka to a wider audience, a group of women from the village of Vakuf have taken the initiative to produce artisanal jufka for commercial sale. The association allows women to diversify their incomes, become promoters of local development, and improve their role in the community. The cooperative has an oral agreement with the local farmers to ensure that all the ingredients are purchased from them.

in the region. It may be one of the oldest types of pasta in Europe. The pasta is usually made during the summer, as it is easier to dry it at this time of year.

special variety of local durum wheat called karabash, which was cultivated


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Kallmet vines produce large, relatively loose grape bunches. The

round, and reddish violet in color, with moderately thick skin. Kallmet wine has a beautiful rich ruby color and aromas of red apple,

CATEGORY



KALLMET GRAPES

LOCALS START TO PREPARE FOR THE HARVEST SEASON BETWEEN MID-AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER. THE GRAPES ARE HARVESTED BY HAND, AND THE GROWERS OFTEN USE DONKEYS TO GET FROM THEIR HOUSES TO THE VINEYARDS. THE GRAPES FERMENT IN STAINLESS STEEL TANKS FOR 15-20 DAYS, AND THE WINE IS KEPT IN THESE TANKS FOR 8-12 MONTHS BEFORE BOTTLING.

PRODUCTION AREA

KALLMET, BUKMIRE, MIRDITE, MALESI E MADHE

(LEZHE AND SHKODRA COUNTIES)

KALLMET WINE (VERË KALLMET)

35N.


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Albania has a long tradition of viticulture, which is mentioned in various ancient writings; the Roman naturalist Pliny described Albanian wine as “very sweet” and ranked it third among all the wines he had tasted. Many Albanian families traditionally grow grapes in their gardens to produce wine and raki, a local brandy (in the past, Kallmet grapes were used primarily for raki).

Grape cultivation is one of the main agricultural activities in Kallmet (the village after which the Kallmet grape is named) and Mirdita, Lezhë County, northwestern Albania, where 80% of local farmers consider Kallmet wine production to be one of their main sources of income. They have always planted their land with local grape varieties.

Kallmet wine is consumed during celebrations in Catholic families. Because it is strongly connected to religious celebrations, this wine is also a common accompaniment to daily meals. As a rather robust wine, Kallmet is a good pairing for the slow-cooked meat dishes typical of the region. In Shkodra, the County to the north of Lezhë, Kallmet wine is the traditional accompaniment to carp casserole. Some families used to age cheese in Kallmet wine pomace.

Recently there has been a drastic reduction in the growth of vines as a result of the migration of young people to the cities and out of Albania. Climate change

have become increasingly unpredictable).


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Bukë në voter (also bukë misri in Albanian or in the local dialect) is an old recipe from Kelmend, linked to a special way of bak-ing cornbread in the mountain communities: In the past, cornbread was baked on the traditional voter

CATEGORY

BREAD AND BAKED GOODS


CORN FLOUR

WATER

TO PREPARE BUKË NË VOTER, CORN FLOUR IS MIXED WITH HOT WATER TO FORM A DOUGH. THE DOUGH IS THEN FORMED INTO A ROUND OR UNEVEN RECTANGULAR SHAPE. THE VOTER (A BIG FLAT STONE) IS HEATED OVER THE EMBERS OF A FIRE; ONCE IT IS HOT ENOUGH, THE DOUGH IS PLACED ON TOP AND COVERED WITH AN IRON LID. IT COOKS FOR ABOUT 45 MINUTES.

SINCE THE CORNBREAD TENDS TO BE A BIT HARD, IT CAN BE SOAKED IN SHËLLIRË (THE SALTY WATER IN WHICH CHEESE IS USUALLY CONSERVED) TO MAKE IT SOFTER AND TASTIER. AFTER SOAKING IT FOR A FEW MINUTES, THE BREAD CAN BE PUT BACK ON THE VOTER FOR FURTHER COOKING OR CAN BE EATEN STRAIGHT AWAY. IT IS BEST TO EAT IT WARM.

PRODUCTION AREA


(SHKODRA)

KELMEND CORNBREAD (BUKË NË VOTER / BUKË MISRIT /

BUKË KOLLOMOQIT)

36N.


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Bukë në voter has important religious and cultural value for people who prepare it. Since Kelmend is a Catholic region, women used to draw a cross on the bread, which is considered a gift from God. It is also a product that has a strong link with the land, more so than in other places in Albania where cornbread is found, because the soil of the Kelmend region is particularly good for cultivating yellow corn. Today, however, this bread has come to be seen as a poor product.

Unlike in the other countries of the Communist Bloc in Eastern Europe, in Albania it was not possible to have any kind of private economic activity after 1967, even at the family level. The state decided and controlled everything, including which crops would be cultivated in each territory. This inevitably led to the loss of the farmers’ local corn varieties. The prevailing use of white corn has changed the original territorial identity of this bread, but bukë në voter is still very common on the tables of Kelmend.

Bukë në voter has changed in two important ways: Firstly, white corn has

replaced the traditional ovens, though some elderly members of the community still have and know how to use the voter. The use of electric ovens has inevitably changed the characteristic taste of the traditional bread. Today bukë në voter reminds people of life in the countryside and its use is limited to consumption in the household.

Kelmend, in the far north of Albania, has a particularly favorable climate for the cultivation of (yellow corn), which was grown in the fertile lands along the banks of the Cem River; nowadays (white corn) is cultivated as well.

The dough is formed by hand into either a round or a rectangular shape and traditionally has a cross drawn on it. The color is light brown, with the crust a

slight sweetness.


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M ish i thatë (literally “dried meat”) is the oldest way of preserving meat in Kelmend, dating back hundreds of years. Mish i thatë is produced from the meat of the local Kelmend pig, a small but particularly fat breed. This pig and various products made from its

meat are very common throughout Kelmend, a region in northern Albania on the border with Montenegro.


PORK

RAW SALT

SMOKE

AFTER REMOVING THE HAMS FROM THE PIG CARCASS, THE REST OF THE MEAT IS CUT INTO PIECES WEIGHING 4-5 KG EACH. THESE ARE PUT INTO A CONTAINER AND COVERED WITH A LAYER OF UNREFINED RAW SALT FOR 21 DAYS. NEXT, THE PIECES ARE IMMERSED QUICKLY IN HOT WATER TO REMOVE EXCESS SALT, AND THEN THEY ARE HUNG IN A WELL-VENTILATED PLACE AND SMOKED FOR 5-6 DAYS. THE WOOD USED FOR SMOKING IS OFTEN FROM LOCAL JUNIPER OR FRUIT TREES. THE DRIED, SMOKED MEAT IS THEN STORED IN A COLD PLACE, USUALLY INSIDE THE HOUSE OR IN THE CELLAR.

PRODUCTION AREA


(SHKODRA)

KELMEND DRIED AND SMOKED PORK MEAT

(MISH I THATË )

37N.

CATEGORY

CURED MEAT AND MEAT PRODUCTS


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This product is particularly associated with the winter, a time of year when many preserved foods are made and consumed. It is usually made after the December 6, when Saint Nicholas Day is celebrated.

Mish i thäte is produced mainly for use within the household, and consumption is limited to the Kelmend region. Most families in Kelmend own at least one pig, and each family uses the meat for its own subsistence needs. Since the fall of Communism, the Kelmend pig has been cross-bred with larger, more productive breeds from Montenegro, so today the breed is larger and leaner than in the past.

Mish i thäte and the local Kelmend pigs from which it is made are at risk of disappearance due to social and economic conditions in the region: There is a high degree of rural-to-urban migration among the younger generations because of the lack of economic opportunities in the area and the low

a gradual loss of knowledge related to the traditional, local methods involved in meat processing.

Kelmend pigs reach a weight of 120-200 kg. Each sow can give birth to 8-16 pigs per year. The locals of Kelmend are particularly careful in feeding their pigs, avoiding excess corn in favor of wild local herbs, bran, and grass, which improve the quality of the meat. Pork is the primary protein source in winter for the area’s

cured in salt before being smoked).


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Kallmet Likër Vishnje—or vishnjak, as it is known locally—is a liqueur made with from cherries (Prunus cerasus). It is prepared through infusion and, in some cases, with the addition of local raki (the typical spirit of the Balkans).

CATEGORY



RIPE SOUR CHERRIES

(PRUNUS CERASUS)SUGAR

RAKI OR ALCOHOL (OPTIONAL)

TO PREPARE THE DRINK, MATURE, DARK RED CHERRIES ARE SELECTED AND HARVESTED. THEY ARE WASHED AND PLACED IN A GLASS CONTAINER. SOME SUGAR IS ADDED AND THEN THE CONTAINER IS COVERED WITH A TOWEL AND LEFT IN THE SUN FOR A PERIOD OF 4 WEEKS. DURING THIS PERIOD, THE FRUITS FERMENTAT. SOMETIMES, TO MAKE THE PRODUCT LAST LONGER, RAKI IS ADDED. AFTER THIS TIME, THE VISHNJAK IS READY TO BE FILTERED AND CONSUMED OR STORED IN BOTTLES.

PRODUCTION AREA

MOUNT KORAB, GOLLOBORDA REGION (DIBRA AND ELBASAN)

SOUR CHERRY BRANDY

(LIKËR VISHNJE)

38N.


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Likër Vishnje is a traditional liqueur from northern Albania and is well known throughout the region. It is produced almost entirely for household consumption, but may also occasionally be found in some traditional restaurants. Usually elder women are the ones that know how to prepare it.

The liquor is always served to guests, and is considered a healthy beverage. After the liqueur is strained, the sour cherries are then often eaten as a dessert.

The tradition of using sour cherries is part of the ecological knowledge of

the plant for medical purposes (for example, the peduncles of the fruits are harvested when fully ripe and left to dry in the sun, after which they are used as a diuretic solution).

During Communism, the production of Likër Vishnje was forbidden, so many families lost the traditional preparation method. This is the reason why older people are the only ones who know how to prepare this traditional liqueur. Unless these recipes are passed onto younger generations, the drink risks disappearing.

Sour cherry trees grow to a height of 2-8 meters and their leaves are 5-8 cm long. The cherries have a circumference of about 1.5 cm. The particular cherries used to make Likër Vishnje are very watery and more astringent than normal sour cherries, and their skin is very thin.

The color of the beverage ranges from pink to dark red. It has a sweet-and-sour taste and a viscous consistency. It is an alcoholic beverage normally used as a digestive.


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Throughout the villages of Myzeqeja, a plain in central western Albania, ripe mulberries are harvested during the month of June. The sweet fruits have a circumference of about 2 cm and can be either black or white. Local people gather the fruits and use the juice to

prepare a special local variety of pekmez, a kind of syrup.

CATEGORY

FRUIT PRESERVES


MULBERRIES

(MORUS SPP.)LEMON JUICE

IN ORDER TO PREPARE MULBERRY PEKMEZ, THE FRUITS SHOULD BE FULLY RIPENED AND NEITHER DRY NOR DAMAGED BY INSECTS. THE BEST FRUITS ARE SELECTED AND ARE THEN SQUEEZED TO SEPARATE THE JUICE FROM THE PULP. THIS JUICE IS THEN BOILED AT A LOW TEMPERATURE AND STIRRED OCCASIONALLY. A BIT OF LEMON JUICE IS ALSO ADDED. THE SECRET TO A HIGH QUALITY PEKMEZ IS KNOWING WHEN TO END THE BOILING PROCESS. THIS OCCURS WHEN THE JUICE BECOMES DENSE AND DIFFICULT TO STIR. THEN, THE MIXTURE IS LEFT TO COOL AND PUT IN JARS THAT CAN BE CONSERVED IN A COOL PLACE.

PRODUCTION AREA

LUSHNJË (FIER)

LUSHNJË MULBERRY PEKMEZ

(PEKMEZ E LUSHNJË)

39N.


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Fier County has a very good climate for mulberry trees, which were introduced during the Ottoman period for silkworm production, and which are still of great importance to the culture and economy of the region. Mulberry pekmez has long been produced by families in the Myzeqeja area, and is traditionally served at breakfast with bread and butter. Because it is so sweet, mulberry pekmez is often diluted with water. All of the family members use to collect the berries together. This product is sold locally in very small quantities, and today even the tradition of making it at home is dying out.

This product is at risk of extinction because the local mulberry trees have been damaged by several diseases and pests. Rural-to-urban migration has reduced the capacity of local farmers to restore these local mulberry trees, and most remaining farmers are elderly. As a result, mulberry-based products


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Maza e çapres is an artisanal dairy product from northern Albania made mainly with goat’s milk. It is a cream that is aged in a container and allowed to acidify. This product was traditionally preserved in çapre, the dried skin of a young goat or sheep.

MAZA E ÇAPRES40N.

CATEGORY



GOAT MILK

SHEEP MILK

COW MILK

TO MAKE MAZA, WOMEN BOIL THE MILK EVERY DAY AFTER MILKING. ONCE IT HAS COOLED, THEY SEPARATE THE CREAM TO CONSERVE IT WITH A BIT OF SALT IN A WOODEN BARREL. ONCE THE BARREL IS FULL, THE CREAM IS PUT INSIDE THE SKIN OF A LAMB OR GOAT, PREVIOUSLY SLAUGHTERED FOR A SPECIAL FEAST. THE SKIN IS DRIED, CLEANED, AND STITCHED TO CREATE A CONTAINER IN WHICH THE CREAM IS HELD UNTIL WINTER. IT IS IMPORTANT TO LEAVE THE SKIN OF THE ANIMAL IN A DRY PLACE IN ORDER FOR THE MAZA TO AGE PROPERLY.

PRODUCTION AREA

KASTRATI, SHKRELI, BOGA, LOWER KELMEND REGION

(SHKODRA COUNTY)


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The preparation of maza has deep roots in the pastoralist communities of Kelmend, a cultural region in the mountains in northern Albania near the

preparation of dairy products is an essential part of getting ready for the hard, cold winter. Each family produces 10-15 kg of maza per year.

Maza e çapres is only made for household consumption and is an important dish to serve during celebrations or to show hospitality. Various dairy products are considered a fundamental asset to be shared with guests in order to show

While the preparation of maza e çapres continues in the higher villages, it is disappearing from those further down the valleys. In lower Kelmend, families are raising fewer and fewer animals, and migration to the United States and Italy has depopulated the area. The greatest threat to the future of maza e çapres is the fact that the preparation methods are changing: The custom of using lamb or kid skin is declining in favor of plastic containers that do not

of the cream.

Maza e çapres is found mainly in the villages of Boga and Kolça, and the Kelmendi tribes of these villages are specialized in the care of goats. These villages, which lie at elevations between 200 and 1,250 meters a.s.l., are located in lower Kelmend, where the lack of green pasture means that goats are the only livestock that can survive. Men tend to the animals while women process the milk.

Maza e çapres is usually prepared during summer, when the animals produce more milk, and consumed during the winter, either alone or mixed with nena (a kind of nettle). Nowadays it is also common to eat byrek me nene e me mazë (byrek with nettle and mazë).

consistency.


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Among Kelmend’s many typical products, mishavinë stands out for its complexity and distinctiveness. It belongs to the “cheese in a sack” family, found across the Balkan Peninsula and Anatolia, although it is matured in wooden containers, not in animal skin. It is made from

the milk of cows, sheep, and goat mixed together, and is produced only in the summer months, when the animals graze freely in the fresh mountain air on the slopes of the Albanian Alps.

MISHAVINË41N.

CATEGORY



ONCE THE MILK HAS COAGULATED, THE CURD IS CUT INTO THICK STRIPS, WHICH ARE WRAPPED IN CLOTH AND LIGHTLY PRESSED TO RELEASE THE WHEY. THE CHEESE IS THEN CUT INTO LARGE PIECES AND LEFT TO DRY OUTDOORS, PROTECTED FROM THE SUN, FOR 7-10 DAYS. FINALLY, IT IS CRUMBLED BY HAND, SALTED, AND LEFT TO AGE IN A WOODEN CONTAINER WITH HOLES IN THE BOTTOM, TO ALLOW ANY REMAINING WHEY TO DRAIN OFF. THE TOP OF THE CONTAINER IS SEALED WITH A THICK LAYER OF MELTED BUTTER, SOMETIMES CLARIFIED. AFTER RESTING IN THE CONTAINER FOR 2 MONTHS OUTDOORS, THE MISHAVINË IS READY.

PRODUCTION AREA


(SHKODRA)

MILK (COW, SHEEP, GOAT)

RENNET SALT


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TSLocated in the far north of Albania, Kelmend remains one of Europe’s least

known and most inaccessible places. The road leading from the city of Shkodra to Kelmend has been paved only recently, and it takes several hours to reach the green pastures of the village of Lëpushë, set amidst the peaks of the Albanian Alps close to the border with Montenegro.

Mishavinë is made only in the summer months when the animals live on the mountain pastures, and is eaten throughout the long winter. Together with other products such as mish i thäte (cured pork) and bukë në voter (a bread made with

one of Europe’s most unspoiled areas and boost its tourism appeal.

for months at a time); there are few employment opportunities and much of the population has left to seek their fortunes in more developed areas. Many of the mountain communities in this region now risk disappearing, along with the gastronomic traditions that have been passed down through the generations, preserving their authenticity.

The Presidium has worked together with producers and cheesemaking experts to come up with a production protocol that facilitates higher quality standards, including reviving the use of traditional wooden barrels for aging the cheese. The next step will be to bring the production and storage facilities up to standard so that mishavinë can meet European food-safety regulations and be sold more widely. The Presidium was created thanks to the initiative of VIS Albania (which has been working in Kelmend for several years with a wide-ranging program of income-generating activities, including many based on tourism and gastronomy) and is supported by the Slow Food Cooks’ Alliance, which was launched in Albania in 2015 to support small-scale high-quality food production.

This cheese is generally white, tending toward straw yellow. It has a crumbly


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Raki rigoni, or “oregano raki,” is one of the oldest alcoholic beverages in the region of Përmet, in southern Albania. It is made from the leaves and stems of wild white oregano. The soil and climate of the region provide ideal conditions for the spontaneous growth of this

CATEGORY



WHITE OREGANO

(ORIGANUM VULGARE)

MAKING RAKI RIGONI REQUIRES A LOT OF TIME AND EFFORT: FIRST, ABOUT 50 LITERS OF WATER AND 10-15 KG OF THE OREGANO ARE LEFT IN A WOODEN BARREL; AFTER 2-3 DAYS, THE OREGANO STARTS TO FERMENT, AND THE MIXTURE MUST BE STIRRED FREQUENTLY OVER THE FOLLOWING DAYS UNTIL IT STOPS BUBBLING. THE FERMENTATION LASTS ABOUT 10 DAYS IN TOTAL AND, ONCE IT FINISHES, THE FERMENTED MIXTURE IS DISTILLED ONCE IN OLD BRANDY STILLS.

PRODUCTION AREA

PËRMET (GJIROKASTRA)

OREGANO RAKI (RAKI RIGONI)

42N.


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This spirit is linked to the villages of Përmet and Frashër in the cultural region of Dangëllia, and is produced in extremely small quantities.

Younger members of the family follow their elders as they collect the wild oregano, and the production of oregano raki is mostly a male activity.

In the past, raki rigoni was often consumed during the winter to relieve respiratory illness.

Oregano is an excellent natural remedy and is used to treat the u, stomach- aches, bacterial infections, and sore throat, and against hepatitis. In addition to being made into raki, oregano leaves are infused in hot water to make a curative tisane.

Raki rigoni is not sold commercially; it is made only for household consumption.

The tradition of producing raki rigoni is being lost as residents of the local villages move to the cities for better economic opportunities. Young people in particular are disinclined to pursue agricultural activities or artisanal food production. Rural areas need an inclusive development policy in order to grow the market for local products.

plant. It is primarily women who collect this plant during the summer. Oregano is valued for its high antioxidant content.


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Pastërma is a cured meat from the region of Përmet, particularly the areas of Dangëllia and Frashër, that is made by drying goat meat

or mutton, it is best when prepared with the meat of an older goat raised in the nearby mountain pastures. Pastërma is prepared during the winter, especially during the month of December, when the temperatures are below freezing.


GOAT MEAT

SALT

TO MAKE PASTËRMA, A GOAT IS SLAUGHTERED AND THE CARCASS IS HUNG FOR 24 HOURS. THEN THE FAT IS CUT OFF, THE BONES ARE REMOVED, AND THE MEAT IS SELECTED AND CUT INTO STRIPS 5-6 CM WIDE. THESE STRIPS ARE PUT INTO A BARREL WITH SALT AND LEFT TO REST FOR 12-15 HOURS. THE SALTED MEAT STRIPS ARE CAREFULLY HUNG 1-1.5 METERS ABOVE THE OVEN OR FIREPLACE AND DRIED VERY SLOWLY. THE MEAT IS CLOSELY OBSERVED AND ROTATED AS NECESSARY TO ENSURE UNIFORM DRYING. WHEN FINISHED, THE DRIED STRIPS ARE CUT INTO SMALLER PIECES AND STORED IN CANVAS BAGS THAT ARE KEPT IN A DRY PLACE.

PRODUCTION AREA


PËRMET GOAT PASTËRMA

(PASTËRMA)

43N.

CATEGORY

CURED MEAT AND MEAT PRODUCTS


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Pastërma has been made and consumed in the area around Përmet since ancient times, and its production is a tradition that is passed down through the generations. It was originally made with mutton; during the Ottoman period, primarily beef was used because of the Muslim faith. The version made with

Pastërma was created as a way to preserve fresh meat that could not be

always been used as the source of heat for drying.

Pastërma is used in many dishes, the most preferred of which also include beans, onions, leeks, and cabbage or pickles. Local families in Përmet prepare this cured meat mostly for home consumption.

Today, the traditional goat pastërma of Përmet is at risk of disappearing due to increasing rural-to-urban migration, which compromises the transmission of traditional knowledge from generation to generation. Furthermore, new hygiene rules make it impossible for local butchers to prepare the cured meat according to the original tradition, especially with the use of locally raised and slaughtered animals. This prevents artisan producers from emerging, and in general the practice of making cured meats at home is declining.


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Petka is a type of pasta, prepared mainly as a provision for the winter. Its history stretches back at least 200 years and it is associated especially with Korçë, Pogradec, and Permët in southeastern Albania. Petka originated from the bits of dough left over after making pie.

PETKA 44N.

CATEGORY

PASTA


WHEAT FLOUR

EGGS SALT

WATER (OPTIONAL)

ONCE THE FLOUR IS SIEVED, THE EGGS AND SALT ARE ADDED (AND SOME WATER, IF NECESSARY). A DOUGH IS FORMED AND THEN ALLOWED TO REST FOR ABOUT 30 MINUTES BEFORE BEING OPENED OUT IN THIN LAYERS ABOUT 40-50 CM IN DIAMETER. THESE SHEETS OF DOUGH ARE LAID OUT ON TABLES OR OTHER FLAT SURFACES, COVERED WITH COTTON TABLECLOTHS, AND LEFT TO DRY. ONCE COMPLETELY DRY, THE PASTA IS BROKEN INTO PIECES AND PLACED IN LINEN OR COTTON SACKS, WHICH ARE STORED IN A COOL, DRY PLACE. IN THE OLD DAYS, WHEN PETKA WERE MADE FROM SCRAPS OF PIE DOUGH, THEY CONTAINED NO EGG, BUT WHEN THEY STARTED BEING MADE AS A SEPARATE ITEM, EGGS BECAME THE MAIN INGREDIENT, AS THEY GAVE THE PETKA A BETTER FLAVOR AND DENSER CONSISTENCY. WOMEN AND GIRLS HAVE TRADITIONALLY BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PREPARATION OF PETKA.

PRODUCTION AREA

KORÇË, POGRADEC (KORÇË); PERMËT (GJIROKASTRA)


111

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Petka originates from the tradition of cooking pies, which was especially important during weddings, most often celebrated in the fall, after the harvest season. Preparing the pies took a long time, as they were all made by hand. During this process, the bits of dough cut from the edges of the pie crust as they were places in baking pans would accumulate. The housewives did not throw these scraps of dough away, but dried and collected them in linen or cotton sacks (even pillow cases) and then cooked them during the winter.

Petka were a necessity and were highly demanded by children due to their delicious taste and short cooking time. Over the years, housewives took to preparing petka in late summer when it was easy to dry them outdoors.

During the Communist period and through the 1990s, petka continued to be made and cooked in Albanian households. More recently, as a result of the growing appreciation for typical local products, petka have started to appear in new specialty stores (e.g. for organic or traditional products), mainly in Tirana and in Korçë and Pogradec.

Even though petka remain popular, very few families continue to produce them for domestic consumption, so there is a high risk that the tradition of making petka at home will be lost, along with the old production techniques and associated knowledge.

gluten content. Petka have an irregular shape, as they are made from broken pieces.

Petka can be cooked for any meal, and are usually boiled in salted water and then served seasoned with butter and white cheese. Fresh mint can also be


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Turshi are pickled vegetables made in the home to be consumed throughout the year. They can be made from various kinds of unripe vegetables, especially peppers, green tomatoes, cabbage, cucumbers, and eggplants;

pickled unripe eggplants. After pickling, the eggplants have a lactic aroma,

CATEGORY

VEGETABLE PRESERVES


UNRIPE EGGPLANTS

PEPPERS

GARLIC PARSLEY

SALT

OIL

TO MAKE TURSHI PATËLLXHANË, UNRIPE EGGPLANTS ARE WASHED, CUT LENGTHWISE, AND BOILED IN SALTED WATER UNTIL THEY BEGIN TO SOFTEN. THEY ARE THEN DRAINED AND HOLLOWED OUT, AND THE PULP IS DICED AND MIXED WITH PEPPERS, GARLIC, PARSLEY, ANY OTHER VEGETABLES BEING USED, AND SALT. THE HOLLOWED-OUT EGGPLANT SKINS ARE THEN STUFFED WITH THIS MIXTURE, PLACED OVER GRAPE LEAVES IN A WOODEN BARREL, COVERED WITH SALT AND OIL, AND WEIGHED DOWN. THEY ARE THEN LEFT TO FERMENT FOR AT LEAST 3 WEEKS.

PRODUCTION AREA

GJIROKASTRA

PICKLED EGGPLANT (TURSHI PATËLLXHANË)

45N.


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Preserving vegetables via lactic acid fermentation (pickling) is an ancient tradition in the Balkans and the Middle East. The word turshi derives from the Persian word torsh, which means “sour.” This product is widely prepared for home consumption, and now can also be found in markets all over Albania. Turshi patëllxhanë are usually served before dinner with appetizers or as a condiment with a main course. They are usually made during the summer, when the price of vegetables is not high. It is usually woman and grandparents who go to the market to purchase the ingredients, which are then pickled at home.

Nowadays the artisanal method used for the preparation of this product is at risk of disappearing, due to the rise of industrial variations that lack the same quality, health properties and production techniques that make turshi unique in its characteristic and taste.


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P istil is a processed product made from wild plums, mostly linked to the food traditions of Elbasan County. It is prepared in late summer and early fall when the fruits ripen. Plums that were too sour to eat were traditionally used to make vinegar or pistil. The women of the

CATEGORY

FRUIT PRESERVES


WILD PLUMS (PRUNUS SPP.)

TO PREPARE PISTIL, RIPE WILD PLUMS ARE WASHED WITH PLENTY OF WATER. THEY ARE THEN PLACED IN A LARGE, COVERED POT AND COOKED OVER A LOW FIRE FOR ABOUT 20-30 MINUTES. ONCE THE PLUMS HAVE SHRUNK, THEY ARE PRESSED TO REMOVE THE SKIN AND PITS FROM THE FLESH. THE PUREE IS THEN SPREAD OUT INTO A THIN LAYER LEFT TO AIR DRY FOR 2-3 DAYS. THE RESULTING GELATINOUS MASS IS KEPT FOR USE IN VARIOUS WINTER DISHES. IN THE PAST, PISTIL WAS STORED IN PIECES OF LINEN OR COTTON IN A COOL PLACE.

PRODUCTION AREA

ELBASAN, TIRANA, AND SHKODRA COUNTIES

PISTIL46N.


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Plum pistil has been produced by generations of Albanian families in Elbasan, Shkodra, and Tirana counties, and is also found in parts of Berat and Korçë. In the past, it was commonly made in towns and cities as well as rural villages. Families living in houses with private gardens surrounded by fruit trees used to prepare several kinds of fruit preserves and jams, including pistil. In addition to plums, pistil can be produced from cornel and apricot, though plum pistil is the most widespread version.

Many important dishes of Albanian cuisine, such as tava or white cabbage and minced meat, can include pistil. When fruit juices were not avaiable, pistil could be turned into juice by adding warm water and sugar; this was consumed either warm or cold. Pistil was an important winter provision for many Albanian families.

Nowadays, it is occasionally found in farmers’ markets in Elbasan and Librazhd.

Preparation of the pistil takes time and requires wild plums of good quality. Now that many people, especially the youth, no longer make their own fruit preserves (particularly from wild fruits that must be collected by hand), pistil has become rare. Very few families maintain the traditional production techniques, so there is a risk that homemade pistil will disappear. There are

house would collect fruit from the wild plum trees so that it wouldn’t go to waste. Pistil is basically a slightly sour fruit leather (dried puree). It is widely

helps to balance out the fattiness of meat dishes and is a nice complement to


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Rehani thanës is a fruit beverage made from cornelian cherries, also known as cornel or dogwood) in southern Albania, particularly Përmet and Ersekë. It is made in the late summer and fall (usually August, then the fruits have reached maximum ripeness) to be used

as a winter provision. Rehani thanës has a dark cherry color and fresh, acidic taste.

CATEGORY

FRUIT BEVERAGES


CORNELIAN CHERRIES

(CORNUS MAS)WATER SUGAR

ONCE THE CORNELIAN CHERRIES HAVE RIPENED, THEY ARE HARVESTED, CLEANED OF ANY SMALL TWIGS AND LEAVES, AND WASHED THOROUGHLY. THEN THEY ARE COOKED IN WATER IN A LARGE METAL POT OVER A LOW FIRE FOR 30-40 MINUTES, UNTIL THEY BEGIN TO BOIL. THE COOKED FRUIT IS THEN DRAINED, PUT IN ANOTHER VESSEL, CRUSHED (OFTEN WITH A WOODEN SPOON), AND STRAINED WITH A SIEVE TO REMOVE THE SKIN AND SEEDS. THE OBTAINED PULP IS COOKED IN A POT WITH A LITTLE SUGAR FOR ABOUT 45 MINUTES UNTIL IT THICKENS. DURING BOILING, THE WHITE FOAM THAT APPEARS ON THE SURFACE IS CAREFULLY REMOVED. THE RESULTING SYRUP IS REHANI THANËS. TO ENJOY A GLASS OF REHANI, THE SYRUP IS DILUTED WITH COLD WATER.

PRODUCTION AREA

PËRMET (GJIROKASTRA), ERSEKË (KORÇË)

CORNELIAN CHERRY JUICE

(REHANI E THANËS)

47N.


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after meals. In the winter, it replaced milk, which was scarce or completely unavailable at this time of year.

Women are traditionally the ones responsible for the preparation of rehani, which can also be made from grapes (rehani rrushi, the most common version, especially in central Albania), plums, or quince. Rehani thanës is mostly prepared at home, though there are some commercial processors in Përmet and Erseka. Thana (cornelian cherry) is quite an important fruit for the people of Përmet.

Some organic shops specializing in local products sell rehani, especially in Tirana and Gjirokastra.

Very few families still make rehani thanës, although the residents of Përmet identify strongly with this product. After the 1990s, part of the population of Përmet and Erseka migrated away, mainly to Greece. As a result of this demographic shift, agricultural land, fruit trees, and vineyards are no longer cared for as they once were; many villages in the region were abandoned and typical local products were replaced with foreign and mass-produced alternatives. Many young people don’t know about rehani thanës and very few old people continue to make it.


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Salcë shakullit is a product made from drained yogurt aged in an animal skin sack. It is typical of the mountain pastures of Përmet and other villages in Gjirokastra County, southern Albania. Salcë shakullit is generally made in August or September. When fresh, it is slightly

YOGURT CREAM IN A SACK

(SALCË SHAKULLIT)

48N.

CATEGORY



THE PROCESS FOR MAKING THE SKIN SACK STARTS IN DECEMBER OR JANUARY WITH THE SLAUGHTERING OF A GOAT OR SHEEP. THE SKIN, WITH THE FUR STILL ATTACHED, IS CURED WITH SALT AND HUNG IN A CLOTH SACK FOR 6 MONTHS; THEN IT IS SEWN UP SO THAT ONLY ONE OPENING REMAINS, AT THE NECK. FINALLY, THE SACK IS INFLATED WITH AIR SO THAT THE FUR CAN EASILY BE SHAVED OFF TO CREATE A CLEAN SURFACE, AND THE SACK IS TURNED INSIDE OUT. NOW IT IS READY TO FILL WITH APPROXIMATELY 25-30 LITERS OF YOGURT, AND THEN A BIT OF SALT. THE SKIN IS TIED SHUT AND, OVER THE NEXT FOR 5-6 DAYS, THE OUTSIDE OF THE SACK IS RUBBED WITH SALT TO HELP DRAW OUT MOISTURE, AND SALTED MILK (WHICH FERMENTS WITH THE YOGURT) IS ADDED DAILY UNTIL THE SACK IS COMPLETELY FULL. THEN THE SACK IS CLOSED AND HUNG FOR ABOUT 15 DAYS; AS WHEY SEEPS OUT, IT IS SCRAPED OFF AND THE SKIN IS RE-SALTED. AFTER THIS PERIOD, A FINAL BIT OF MILK IS ADDED AND THEN THE SACK IS CLOSED FOR GOOD, ENSURING THAT AIR CANNOT ENTER AND SPOIL THE YOGURT. THE FINAL PRODUCT IS HUNG FOR 60-75 DAYS. BY NOVEMBER, THE SACK STOPS LOSING WHEY AND THE YOGURT INSIDE IS CONSIDERED READY FOR CONSUMPTION.

PRODUCTION AREA

TREBESHINË, DHËMBEL, NEMËRÇKË, PËRMET (GJIROKASTRA),

POSTENAN (KORÇË)

MILK YOGURT

SALT

NATURAL FERMENTS


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Salcë shakullit is a unique traditional Albanian product geographically linked to the area around Përmet: The shepherds of Trebeshinë, Dhëmbel, Nemërckë, and Postenan are the ones who discovered this method of hanging drained yogurt to conserve it for long periods of time. It is an important source of food for the herders because they can carry it easily when they travel to the pastures with their animals.

The product is culturally linked to the Aromanian community of southern Albania. Aromanians are an Orthodox Christian ethnic group of the Balkans,

of the Communist regime.

Salcë shakullit is not sold commercially, but made for personal consumption by herders. It is nearly unknown outside of the Përmet region, so market opportunities for this product are limited. It is mainly consumed as a starter, or served for breakfast.

The number of herders who still graze their animals in the high mountain pastures of southern Albania is diminishing very quickly, so many of their

producers to make these products while also complying with new hygiene rules adopted to bring Albania in line with European Union regulations. Without complying with these standards, traditional products cannot reach the wider

further aging, it becomes milder, crumbly, and piquant.

This product is linked to the old tradition of using leather containers to transport and conservation food products such as cheese, salt, and rakiIt belongs to the “cheese in a sack” family, one of the oldest kinds of cheese in the world, typical of the Balkan peninsula and Anatolia.


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T rahana is a wheat-based product that is eaten throughout Albania, particularly in Korçë County (southeastern Albania) and Myzeqe (a plain in southwestern Albania). Several variations of this product exist, with sweet tarhana (made with whole milk, usually from goats), sour

TRAHANA 49N.

CATEGORY

CEREALS AND FLOURS


WHEAT FLOUR

YOGURT (FOR SOUR TRAHANA)MILK (FOR SWEET TRAHANA)

VEGETABLES (RED PEPPERS, TOMATOES, ONIONS, FOR RED TRAHANA)

SALT (OPTIONAL)WATER (OPTIONAL)

THE PRIMARY INGREDIENT IN TRAHANA IS WHEAT FLOUR OR CRACKED WHEAT, WHICH IS TYPICALLY MIXED WITH MILK OR YOGURT TO OBTAIN A SORT OF DOUGH. THIS IS LEFT TO FERMENTED FOR 2-3 DAYS, TRADITIONALLY IN A WOODEN CONTAINER, AND IS THEN DRIED. FINALLY, IT IS CRUMBLED BETWEEN THE THUMB AND FINGERS INTO SMALL, IRREGULAR, RICE-LIKE GRAINS. FOR RED TARHANA, A PUREE OF TOMATOES, ONIONS, AND RED PEPPERS IS PREPARED AND MIXED WITH THE FLOUR; THE REST OF THE PROCESS IS THE SAME AS FOR THE DAIRY-BASED SWEET AND SOUR VERSIONS.

PRODUCTION AREA

KORÇË, GJIROKASTRA, BERAT, FIER, AND VLORA COUNTIES


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The trahana produced in Albania belongs to a wider family of homemade staples produced throughout the Balkans and Anatolia, and their origin is as ancient as agriculture. Trahana or tarhana, in turn, are link to the middle eastern and Persian tradition of Keshk (or keshek). They all are linked to a slightly fermented mix of a cereal and milk (or yogurt), which is left to ferment and then dehydrated. Traditionally trahana was a way to preserve a stample for the winter times. It has always been prepared by housewives and girls during autumn for use as a winter provision. Young children, too, often help make it. During the 7-10 days when the women of the household are making it, virtually every available surface in the house is covered with trays of drying trahana.

This product is used to make a kind of thick soup by adding a few spoons of it to boiling water or broth. Leftover bread is also added, and the soup is garnished with fresh butter or a drizzle of olive oil, red pepper, and feta cheese. There are many regional, local, and family recipes for tarhana. In some regions, the pudding is cooked with chopped onions or leeks, caramelized in a pan with lard. This sauce makes trahana particularly tasty. Children love tarhana, and it has been introduced into some school canteens.

Very few families continue to make trahana, although what little production remains still takes place primarily at the household level, with just two or three companies in Albania producing it commercially. Producing artisanal trahana by

have automated production, people generally prefer the handmade trahana. For over 2 decades, many Albanians stopped producing their own tarhana, but in the last 5 years or so, domestic production has begun to rise and the creation of cooperatives that produce handmade and traditional products has made trahana more marketable.

tarhana (made with yogurt), and red tarhana (made with red pepper, tomato, and onion) being among the most representative types. In some regions,

with a clear meat broth.


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The Tropoja black plum is a local variety of Prunus domestica cultivated mostly in Tropoja, northern Albania, near the border with Kosovo. This mountainous area has a continental climate and the plums are harvested from June to October. Compared to other varieties in

CATEGORY

FRUIT PRESERVES


PLUM FRUITS (PRUNUS DOMESTICA)

TO PREPARE HOSHAF, THE HARVESTED PLUMS ARE WASHED AND THEN BAKED IN TRADITIONAL IRON OVENS WITH TWO CHAMBERS, ONE FOR THE FIRE AND ONE FOR THE PLUMS. THIS TECHNIQUE IS LOCALLY CONSIDERED A TRUE ART AND A SPECIFIC FEATURE OF THE TROPOJA AREA, AND ONLY A HANDFUL OF PEOPLE STILL PROCESS PLUMS THIS WAY. THE TECHNIQUE IS AT RISK OF DYING OUT.

PRODUCTION AREA

TROPOJA (KUKËS)

TROPOJA BLACK PLUM HOSHAF

(HOSHAF ME KUMBULLAT E ZEZA TË TROPOJËS)

50N.


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Plum hoshaf is an important resource for local producers and the local economy, and its production involves 600-800 seasonal workers, employed during the harvest season. Currently, around 140 small- to medium-scale producers have this plum as their primary source of income.

This fruit has a strong connection with the livelihoods of the local population. Besides hoshaf, the plums are transformed in jams, compotes, and raki (the national, traditionally distilled beverage). It is also very common to dry the plums under the sun or in a normal oven.

Tropoja black plums are considered to possesses remarkable curative properties, and the compote made from this variety is used to treat respiratory diseases.

national market, not only within the community. Even though the product is highly valued, and sales volumes have increased in recent years from 431 to 1,600 tonnes, this geographical indication is threatened by generalization: Further away from the area of origin, consumers are often misled by other varieties being labelled as Tropoja black plums. Less and less people today produce tropoja black plum hoshaf, and this tradition is quickly disappearing.

consistency, and better resistance to disease and pests. It is known for its dark color (hence the name “black plum”).

Wild or cultivated plums are traditionally cut and then hung in strands close to hoshaf. Though Tropoja plums are known

for their sweetness, those used to make hoshaf can sometimes be quite acidic—indeed, hoshaf is made in part to render sour plums more palatable.


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This vinegar is a traditional product made from the ripe fruits of the cornelian cherry tree, also known as cornel or dogwood, known in Albanian as thana. This tree grows throughout the Balkans and has

CATEGORY


CORNELIAN CHERRIES

(CORNUS MAS)SUGAR

THE FRUITS ARE PICKED WHEN THEY ARE RIPE AND THEN LEFT TO FERMENT IN WATER FOR AT LEAST 30-40 DAYS IN WOODEN BOXES OR SMALL BARRELS. SUGAR, WHICH IS USUALLY OBTAINED IN DIBRA TOWN, MAY BE ADDED IF NEEDED TO HELP THE FERMENTATION. ONCE IT HAS FINISHED FERMENTING, THE VINEGAR IT IS LEFT TO REST FOR A SHORT PERIOD AND IS THEN READY TO BE CONSUMED. IT IS NOT FILTERED, AND IS STORED IN LARGE BOTTLES OR GLASS CONTAINERS, INCLUDING DEMIJOHNS.

PRODUCTION AREA

DIBRA COUNTY

CORNELIAN CHERRY VINEGAR

(UTHULLA E THANËS)

51N.

OIL AND VINEGAR


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The people of Mount Korab, on the Albania-Macedonia border, live in relative isolation and have a distinct gastronomic culture. Cornelian cherry vinegar has strong socio-cultural value in the mountain communities; it is drunk on a regular basis and used in cooking and to season salads dressing). It is also used medicinally for stomach aches, as a diuretic, and to treat diarrhea and hypersensitivity. In the morning, it is drunk with honey or sherbet (a sweetened drink). It can also be applied to snake bites and used to treat head lice.

The use of cornelian cherries has historically been widespread in the Balkans; it was often made into wine, which quickly turned to vinegar, and northern Albania is one of the places where the tradition of producing this vinegar is still very much alive.

Each family in the mountain communities produces its own batch of vinegar. This product is not sold on the market.

The increasing use of mass-produced vinegars, largely available on commercial market, seriously endangers the transmission of the culinary knowledge concerning the homemade production of cornelian cherry vinegar. This

vinegar unique properties.

The leaves of Cornus mas are oblong with a pronounced pointy tip and

ripen in August. Cornelian cherries have the shape of an olive or oblong cherry; they are yellow and red and have a delicate sour taste that comes through nicely in the vinegar obtained from these fruits.

In Dibra County, northeastern Albania, cornelian cherry vinegar is used as an everyday beverage and also as a cooking ingredient.



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Kokërrmadh Elbasani is a traditional olive variety cultivated in central Albania, particularly in Elbasan County (from which the variety takes its name). It should not be confused with the better known and more widely planted kokërrmadh Berati variety. The kokërrmadh Elbasani

olive is considered good as both a table olive and for oil production.

CATEGORY

OIL AND VINEGAR


KOKËRRMADH ELBASANI OLIVE

THE OLIVE HARVEST IN ALBANIA TRADITIONALLY STARTS AT THE BEGINNING OF OCTOBER AND GOES ON UNTIL FEBRUARY, AND IT WAS TRADITIONALLY A TASK THAT FAMILIES PERFORMED TOGETHER. HARVESTING IS MOSTLY DONE MANUALLY, WITHOUT MODERN EQUIPMENT. THE OLIVES ARE PRESSED IN COOPERATIVE MILLS, WHICH ARE EQUIPPED WITH SMALL OR MEDIUM-SIZED CONTINUOUS CYCLE PRESSES MADE OUT OF WOOD. AFTER ACIDITY ANALYSIS, THE OIL IS LEFT TO DECANT NATURALLY IN STAINLESS STEEL TANKS. STORAGE IS OFTEN IN CLAY JARS THAT HAVE BEEN FOUND IN THE CELLARS OF HISTORIC HOUSES.

PRODUCTION AREA

ELBASAN

ELBASAN KOKËRRMADH EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL

(VOJ ULLIRI)

52N.


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Elbasan kokërrmadh olives have been cultivated since Medieval times. Recently, around 300 olive growers from the region have come together to form the FBE (Agricultural Federation of Elbasan) with the goal of developing and improving the district’s local products, especially olive oil, which points to the continued importance of this product. There are three cooperative mills. Olive trees and olive oil have always been part of the physical and social landscape of Elbasan, and families often purchase oil in large quantities directly from the producers. The oil is also sold to restaurants and markets.

traditional regional dishes and salads, and as a butter substitute in local recipes such as tavë kosi (a traditional dish made with lamb, rice, and yogurt, cooked in the oven) and tave pistili (similar, but without yogurt, and with beef and plums).

Elbasan kokërrmadh oil is deeply linked with the local area, and the variety in its pure form cannot be found elsewhere. In the past 40 years, no new individual trees of this variety have been planted, and the trees do not have a high level of resistance to diseases, which puts their future at risk, despite how highly valued the oil is. More recently times, olive growers have begun to abandon this variety in favor of varieties with more commercial viability; the olive oil industry is growing in Albania and mechanized production methods mean that fewer unique local olive oils are available.

The interaction of this variety with the local environment and cultural practices

in Elbasan. The climate of Elbasan is transitional, and this olive variety is relatively resilient to cold weather.

The olives themselves are medium sized (typically 3 grams, of which the stone accounts for half a gram), and oval shaped. The oil yield is relatively high, at about 22% by weight.



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G liko is a sweet preserve that is often served with spirits or juice. It can

is mainly made from unripe walnuts, which should be harvested when they are not too green and not too hard or mature. The unripe

walnuts are pierced with a small metal implement to see if they’re ready.

CATEGORY

FRUIT PRESERVES


GREEN WALNUTS WATER LEMON

SUGAR CITRIC ACID

GERANIUM FLOWERS

PEELED ALMONDS

AFTER THE GREEN WALNUTS ARE COLLECTED, THEY ARE CUT IN HALF AND PUT INTO A POT TO BOIL FOR 3-4 MINUTES TO SOFTEN THEIR OUTER LAYER. THEN THEY ARE SOAKED IN COLD WATER FOR SEVERAL DAYS, WITH THE WATER BEING CHANGED SEVERAL TIMES. NEXT, THEY ARE PEELED, PLACED IN WATER WITH LEMON AND SUGAR, AND BOILED AGAIN. THUS PREPARED, THE NUTS ARE THEN BOILED IN SYRUP PREPARED FROM SUGAR AND WATER (1 KG OF SUGAR AND 700 ML OF WATER FOR EACH KILOGRAM OF NUTS). CITRIC ACID AND GERANIUM FLOWERS ARE THEN ADDED. A PEELED ALMOND IS INSERTED INTO EACH WALNUT, AND EVERYTHING IS BOILED AGAIN. FINALLY, THE MIXTURE IS LEFT TO COOL AND THEN PLACED IN GLASS CONTAINERS, WHICH ARE SEALED FOR LONG-TERM STORAGE OR SALE.

PRODUCTION AREA


WALNUT GLIKO (GLIKO ARRE)

53N.


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Walnut gliko is a typical product of Përmet, in southern Albania. The production of walnut gliko begins at the end of May and continues through the end of July, before the maturation of the fruit. Gliko production is one of the principal agricultural traditions in Përmet. Every family produces gliko for its own needs, and local housewives compete to see who produce the best gliko. The traditional restaurants of the area also produce gliko, which they serve as

of gliko, including walnut gliko. Gliko is served during festivities, celebrations, and important family occasions (such as engagements, weddings, or birthday parties), and to welcome guests. Numerous visitors in Përmet buy gliko as a souvenir or a gift for their friends.

The product is in need of attention because the younger generations do not show interest in traditional local culinary traditions. Also, because they grow

production. The number of people still producing it at a household level is diminishing, and there is only one small company that produces artisanal walnut gliko for the local and national market.

The walnut trees in Përmet are allowed to grow naturally, so they become quite tall. They grown near forest patches where the humidity is higher (especially near springs, small creeks, rivers) and prefer soft soil where they can spread their roots


The production of gliko could become a resource for the development of the local economy. However, the lack of adequate marketing of gliko’s qualities has exposed it to competition from industrial equivalents made in other regions of southern Albania, which are sold with the same name and are usually cheaper. Slow Food will work with producers (and orchard owners) to establish which local fruit varieties are best suited to the production of gliko; improve product quality and packaging; and promote gliko on the national and international market, making it a tool for preserving the biodiversity of the Vjosa Valley. The

production workshop and ensure that it meets current regulations.


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Hoshaf is the local word for a dried fruit product that is made from wild fruits that are too sour or otherwise do not taste good, in order to render them edible. In central Albania, hoshaf is often prepared from wild apples. The taste of the fruits is very acidic when they

CATEGORY

FRUIT PRESERVES


WILD APPLES

(MALUS SYLVESTRIS)

UNRIPE APPLES ARE CUT IN HALF OR INTO VERY THIN SLICES. THESE ARE THEN MADE INTO CHAINS AND HUNG CLOSE TO THE FIREPLACE OR IN THE SUN TO DRY. ONCE DRIED, THE PRODUCT IS THEN KEPT IN A PART OF THE HOUSE WITH LOW HUMIDITY. THE HOSHAF CAN BE EATEN WITHOUT FURTHER TRANSFORMATION, BUT THEY ARE ALSO REHYDRATED IN BOILING WATER WITH SOME SUGAR.

PRODUCTION AREA

GOLLOBORDO (PARTS OF DIBRA AND ELBASAN COUNTIES) AND KORÇË COUNTY

WILD APPLE HOSHAF (HOSHAFI I MOLLËVE TË EGRA)

54N.


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Gollobordo refers to an area in eastern Albania bordering Macedonia (there is a Macedonian minority living in the Albanian part of the region). The villages

of the 20th century, the population of the Macedonian villages was mostly Orthodox Christian. The local economy is based on small-scale agriculture and sheep herding. Apples have been an important resource throughout the history of this area: They are used to produce vinegar and also to help start the fermentation of bread and yogurt. Wild apple hoshaf is a very important food for children; adults also enjoy it as a snack, especially with tea. The product is

Wild apple hoshaf is produced in very limited quantities in Gollobordo. It is mainly the older generation that still engages in picking and transforming wild fruits; although they remain committed to their traditional practices, they also heavily rely on remittances from their relatives abroad. Overall, fewer people are involved in activities that deal with the surrounding natural environment because many leave the area to go and live in Tirana for half the year and only come back during the summer for a few months, so many traditional food production techniques have been abandoned.

are collected, and many are unripe. Once they have been dried, the taste is sweeter and has a slightly chewy texture. Hoshaf is either eaten dry or boiled, in which case the cooked fruits are consumed together with the resulting liquid.



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B lackberry raki (raki manaferre in Albanian) has been produced for centuries in the mountainous areas of northern Albania. Raki is the traditional brandy of the Balkans, and this particular version is made exclusively with wild blackberries collected mostly in areas over 800

CATEGORY



BLACKBERRIES

(RUBUS SPP.)

WELL-RIPENED BLACKBERRY FRUITS ARE FERMENTED IN OAK VATS FOR A PERIOD OF NO MORE THAN 2 TO 3 WEEKS, DEPENDING ON THE AMBIENT TEMPERATURE AND THE SUGAR CONTENT OF THE BERRIES. AS SOON AS THE ALCOHOL STARTS TO RELEASE THE AROMA OF THE BERRIES AND THE FERMENTATION SLOWS DOWN, THE LIQUID IS DISTILLED IN COPPER STILLS HEATED WITH A WOOD FIRE.

BLACKBERRY RAKI IS PRODUCED IN LATE AUGUST AND EARLY SEPTEMBER. IT IS TRADITIONALLY CONSIDERED A MEN’S DRINK, AND MEN HAVE ALWAYS BEEN INVOLVED IN THE PRODUCTION OF RAKI.

PRODUCTION AREA

TROPOJA (KUKËS), PUKA, MALËSI E MADHE (SHKODRA),

PËRMET

WILD BLACKBERRY RAKI

(RAKI MANAFERRE TË EGËR)

55N.


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Blackberry raki is a spirit with a long history, and used to be consumed only by men—the only women who were allowed to drink it were burrnesha (Albanian sworn virgins). In the past raki was used a curative drink to stimulate blood circulation and prevent hangover (after a night of drinking, one shot would be taken after breakfast).

Because grapes do not grow in the mountains of northern Albania, residents of this region have no tradition of making and consuming grape brandies; rather, they have always used forest fruits to produce spirits. Wild berries that ripen well and reach a high sugar content can be made into raki of very high quality. Blackberry raki was always served at weddings and other family celebrations, as well as during men’s gatherings in the village squares (there was always someone with a bottle of raki in his pocket, and when the men of the village gathered for discussions, they would pass it around the table).

Blackberry raki was historically produced at the household level. Commercial production began only in the last 20 years in several distilleries around Kukës. These companies sell through supermarket chains throughout Albania.

greatly from the artisanal version.

The quality of the product is endangered as part of it is harvested for export and that amount destined for raki production is collected from non-respectable industrial or catering companies and the craftsmanship, starting from storage through oak trees or other traditional processing techniques is not followed.

prominently in the gastronomy of highland communities in northern Albania, and locals work hard to preserve this tradition.

Blackberries grow wild throughout Albania, but in the south of the country this fruit has not traditionally been used to make raki. However, in the last 30 years, blackberry raki production has started to spread to southern Albania.

This spirit can be colorless or yellowish when aged in wooden barrels. It has


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Garound Përmet in southern Albania. Fig trees are short (6-10 meters

in the mountains amd are harvested from April to May. Gliko is

CATEGORY

FRUIT PRESERVES


WILD FIGS

SUGAR CITRIC ACID

ROSE JUICE

ONCE COLLECTED, THE STEMS OF THE FRUIT ARE CUT AND THE FIGS ARE PIERCED SEVERAL TIMES TO MAKE THEM PERMEABLE. THEY ARE WASHED AND BOILED FOR A FEW MINUTES TO MAKE THEM LESS SOUR, AND THEN PLACED IN COLD WATER TO STOP THEM FROM COOKING FURTHER. THEN THE FRUITS ARE GENTLY SQUEEZED AND PLACED IN A CONTAINER WITH SUGAR (1.4 KG OF SUGAR FOR EACH KILOGRAM OF FIGS). THIS CONTAINER IS FILLED WITH BOILING WATER AND LEFT TO REACH A CONCENTRATION OF 75%. CITRIC ACID AND ROSE JUICE IS ADDED AND, FINALLY, THE GLIKO IS PLACED IN GLASS JARS AND SEALED, READY TO BE STORED OR SOLD

PRODUCTION AREA


WILD FIG GLIKO (GLIKO FIKU I EGËR)

56N.


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consumed at celebrations such as family feasts (e.g. for engagements and weddings), and to welcome guests into the home. In addition to being made

little interest in local culinary traditions. Therefore, the number of people still producing this product at home is diminishing, and there is only one small

national market.

usually prepared with the fruits that are not fully ripe or otherwise unsuitable

The production of gliko could become a resource for the development of the local economy. However, the lack of adequate marketing of gliko’s qualities has exposed it to competition from industrial counterparts, made in other regions of southern Albania, which are sold with the same name and are usually cheaper. Slow Food will work with producers (and orchard owners) to establish which local fruit varieties are best suited to the production of gliko; improve product quality and packaging; and promote gliko on the national and international market, making it a tool for preserving the biodiversity of the Vjosa

renovate a production workshop and ensure that it meets current regulations.


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The wild rose or dog rose, which is locally known as , is a bush that produces red fruits known as rosehips; in the area around Përmet, in southern Albania, wild rosehips are used to produce a kind of wine. The roses bloom hip from May to July, with delicate

October to November.

CATEGORY



WILD ROSEHIPS

(ROSA CANINA)

THE WILD ROSEHIPS ARE COLLECTED AND THEN THEY ARE DRIED; ABOUT 1 KILOGRAM OF THE DRIED FRUITS IS THEN MIXED WITH 10 LITERS OF WATER AND 4 KILOGRAMS OF SUGAR. THIS MIXTURE IS LEFT TO FERMENT FOR ABOUT 30 DAYS, REACHING AN ALCOHOL CONTENT OF 5-6% BY VOLUME. ONCE THE FERMENTATION IS COMPLETE, THE REMNANTS OF THE ROSEHIPS ARE FILTERED OUT.

PRODUCTION AREA


WILD ROSEHIP WINE (VERË TRENDAFILI TË EGËR)

57N.


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This product is valued for its medicinal properties and is used to treat various ailments, including anemia and arthritis. It also possesses antidiabetic

system, and is particularly rich in vitamin C. The annual production of wild rosehip wine is quite low. Although very small quantities are sometimes available at local markets, it is mostly produced for personal or family consumption. The use of rosehips is quite widespread in Albania, but they are more typically made into jams or tisanes. Rosehip wine is an artisanal product

The tradition of making wild rosehip wine is being lost because it is made from wild harvested fruits and the production process is time consuming and a little tricky. Rural to urban migration means that there are fewer people in the rural communities who continue to harvest and process the wild fruits. It is still quite common for Albanians to use rosehips in other ways, but there is very little demand for the wine.


® Photo Marcello Marengo


And study at a university located at a UNESCO World

Heritage Site, the ideal place to

immerse yourself in the world of food

GET INTO THE FUTURE OF FOOD!

® Photo Yoni Nimrod, UNISG student


unisg.it UNISG@




And study at a university located at a UNESCO World

Heritage Site, the ideal place to

immerse yourself in the world of food

GET INTO THE FUTURE OF FOOD!

® Photo Yoni Nimrod, UNISG student


unisg.it UNISG@

Anuncios_ENG.indd 5 18/08/2020 20:59 ADG_ALBANIA_interiores.indd 139 10/6/20 9:07 AM

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Phyllo dough is a major tradition across the Balkans. In the Mirdite region

To prepare the walnut Burek we need to follow this line of work:

Cut the cleaned nuts into small pieces and place them in a pot with about 1.5 liters of water and a pinch of salt. Heat the water and let it boil for about 30 minutes, and then let it rest. Let the nuts and water cool to a temperature of 30° C.

Start preparing the Burek dough by adding water and a great pinch of salt to

divide it in small balls and start layering them into 30-cm-diameter and 1-mm-thick layers. Bake each layer on the surface of a stove a set them aside.

Oil-coat the surface of a 30 cm diameter pan, and apply a fresh burek layer over it. Spray some oil over the byrek surface and start breaking (crumble) the dry (baked) burek dough layer over it.

Soak the dry crumbled burek layer with the mass of walnuts. Repeat this action by lining the pie layers one after the other and making a pie thickness as desired.

Take a glass of lukewarm water and mix with 3 tablespoons of oil, 1 tablespoon

creamy mass. With the help of a kitchen brush or spoon, spread the mass of dough created over the surface of the pie and place in the oven at 150 for 45 min. Constantly check that the nuts are not burning. Walnut burek is ready at the moment when the inner burek layers separate. Serve walnut burek while warm.

C H E F P R O F E S S I O N A L A T

CHEF ALTIN PRENGA MRIZI I ZANAVE, FISHTA

MIRDITË WALNUT BUREK IN.


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For 6 persons

500 g walnuts

200-250 ml water

250 ml oil

salt


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E lbasani Tava or Yogurt Casserole is a special dish cooked all over Albania but originates from the city of Elbasan. Period of consumption is from mid-July to September and consumed lukewarm.

In a large pot over medium-high heat, sear the lamb on all sides. Do not crowd. You may have to sear just a few pieces at a time. Add all pieces back into the pot and cover with water or broth. Add a generous amount of salt and simmer for 1 hour.

until they blend and cook together. When the mixture thickens and begins to turn the color of light peanut butter, begin adding the water or broth?. Heat until thick and continue stirring constantly. You are essentially making gravy. Let cool.

Preheat the oven to 350F. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, yogurt, rice, pepper, and the gravy which has cooled down. You may add more salt, to taste. Lay lamb pieces out in a casserole dish. Pour the yogurt mixture around the lamb. Bake for approximately 45 minutes. Serve immediately.


NAIM BASHMILI GASTRONOMY TEACHER

ELBASANI TAVA IIN.


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For 4 persons

1,5 kilos lamb, cut into 10 pieces

500-600 ml broth from lamb

2 tablespoons butter

4 eggs

750 ml albanian yogurt

1 tablespoon white rice

salt


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Fërgesa is a native dish cooked mainly in the region of Central Albania, which includes towns and cities of Tirana, Durrës, Kavaja, Shijak, Elbasan. Its basic main ingredients are onions, garlic, tomatoes, Albanian cottage cheese (called gjizë) or white cheese and dry

spices. All these ingredients are subject to frying (slow cooking) in extra virgin olive oil following a certain time and technique. Fërgesë is cooked from spring to late autumn.

Pre-Preparation: Peel the peppers and cut them into thin disks, then peel the tomatoes, remove the skin and cut them into small cubes. Add some olive oil and salt to the white cheese, beat the eggs with the milk cream, chop one onion and garlic thinly.

lid), add the tomato cubes, tomato sauce, stir with a spoon of wood for about

cream, salt, pepper, peperoncino, cover with lid and cook fergese slowly with

chopped parsley. Serve warm.


GEZIM MUSLIAKA RESTAURANT MARCHESI - TIRANA

FËRGESAIIIN.


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For 4 persons

3-4 medium size green or red bell peppers

5-6 red tomatoes

1 medium size onion

3 cloves of garlic

10 ml virgin olive oil

2-3 laurel leaves

350 g salted cottage cheese (Albanian Gjize)

Salt

Black pepper


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“F lija në Saç” is a dish specialty of traditional Albanian cuisine that is cooked mainly in the North and Northeast of Albania. It is

cooking process! Fli is a very popular Albanian food. Fli is similar to very thin

also be baked in a stove or “Shporet” as it is called in locals’.

If Fli is baked according to the traditional way, its dough must be baked in turn, or as it is called by local people, “Layer by layer”. Once a dough is poured into the pan, the hot cover should be placed over it. Each Fli layer must be coated with fat. Once the layers are baked, Fli is left to cool for 10 minutes and served warm. Fli itself is a dish that can be sided with both salty and sweet products such as yogurt, pickles, cheese, honey or fruit jam. In many areas it is eaten in the morning.

dough like for pancakes. In a saucepan, melt butter, milk cream and oil, until all the ingredients are melted and incorporated .

Grease the pan (diameter 30-35 cm) all over its surface. Add a little of the dough prepared on the pan and distribute it well, making sure the dough has covered the entire surface. Traditionally, the pan is set on a slow-burning wood

handle in the center of it that easily attaches a grip that holds its weight. Saç is covered with charcoal, which roast the dough layers from the top. Continue baking Fli in a pan for 3-5 minutes. Is there a way to do it at home on a normal stove with a normal lid?

is coated with the prepared fat. Continue to add dough and create another thin layer. Cover again with the lid and continue baking for another 3-5 min. This

B Y P R O F E S S I O N A L A T

DHURATA THANASI LUGA E ARGJENDTË RESTAURANT - TIRANA

FLI KUKSIIVN.


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For the bread bun

For the dough

3-4 cups cold water

salt

For the coating

200 g beef or sheep butter

500 g or 2 cups milk cream cheese or Mazë as the locals call it

3 tablespoons oil


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Jufka with chicken is a simple, healthy and delicious meal. This traditional dish of the northeastern region of Albania is one which families have enjoyed eating and serving guests for quite some time. People from the Dibra region are immensely proud of this particular dish, one of many

delicious contributions this region has given to Albanian gastronomy. With the lightness of angel hair pasta and consistency of tagliatelle, jufka is sure to

be loved by everyone on the table. Usually served with meat, the recipe here joins jufka with farm-fresh chicken to make a simple dish that is ready in less than an hour.

dough like for pancakes. In a saucepan, melt butter, milk cream and oil, until all the ingredients are melted and incorporated .

Grease the pan (diameter 30-35 cm) all over its surface. Add a little of the dough prepared on the pan and distribute it well, making sure the dough has covered the entire surface. Traditionally, the pan is set on a slow-burning wood

handle in the center of it that easily attaches a grip that holds its weight. Saç is covered with charcoal, which roast the dough layers from the top. Continue baking Fli in a pan for 3-5 minutes. Is there a way to do it at home on a normal stove with a normal lid?

is coated with the prepared fat. Continue to add dough and create another thin layer. Cover again with the lid and continue baking for another 3-5 min. This


ISMET SHEHU RESTAURANT CEREN ISMET SHEHU - TIRANA

JUFKA DIBRE ME PULË VN. (DIBRA NOODLES WITH CHICKEN)


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For 4 persons

1 farm-fresh chicken

450 g jufka

100 g fresh butter

1 onion

Salt and pepper


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Koran with walnuts Casserole is an old traditional recipe of Pogradec.

of Pogradec have cooked it for generations, and this is the typical dish found in all the restaurants along the lake.

kitchen tissues for a few minutes. Then cut it into roll pieces and pour salt on it. Coat a ceramic baking pan with olive oil and pieces of Koran on it. Put the baking pan in the oven and adjust the oven’s temperature to 200 degrees.

frying pan and add the onions cut into cubic small pieces, and fry for a few minutes. Mince the carrots and add them to the frying pan for some additional minutes together with the bay leaves, garlic, salt, pepper and oregano. Season the sauté with a glass of white wine and continue to cook for no more than 10 minutes.

Quickly remove the baking pan from the oven, and pour a glass of wine and

for additionally 15-20 minutes. Once removed from the oven, add crushed walnuts and lemon leaves on top of it.

B Y P R O F E S S I O N A L A T

ILIR HYSAJ LE BON, TIRANA

KORAN VIN. WITH NUTS CASSEROLE


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20 ml Olive oil

3 onions

Salt / pepper

A few bay leaves

2 glasses of white wine

250 g walnuts

2 or 3 carrots

5-6 garlic cloves


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This food is cooked all over Albania and is always accompanied by pilaf rice. A sauce prepared with mashed garlic, salt and vinegar is added on top. Together with burek, meatballs, shish kebabs atc, Paçe is considered a street food. Paçe was massively eaten in winter time,

and it was usually served for breakfast in “Mëngjesore” - restaurants frequented by workers and carpenters.

For the preparation of garlic sauce you need thick salt. Pour garlic into the mortar, add thick salt and cook until creamy. In a bowl add 5-6 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar. Then add the salted garlic and stir well. This sauce is optionally added to the dish (1 or 2 teaspoons per plate).

For the preparation of the meat, wash and clean 2 lamb heads. Cut them in half and place them in a pot covered with cold water. Add one onion, laurel

to boil, the foam that comes to the surface is removed. At this point cook

remove it from the liquid and clean it from the bones. Cut the obtained meat into small pieces.

wooden spoon and fry until it turns brown. Add the tomato concentrate and then the clear juice where the heads were boiled. Finally add the meat, a little

salt and black pepper. Serve warm.

the left-over of sheep or calf body parts that were not used much, such as legs,

parts, but the cooking times vary. In the tipe, the meat is boiled slowly to achieve the proper tenderness. Whereas when cooking the pulp bones a lot of bone

preparation in order to thicken the dish, as the marrow was very thick.


JULI ZGURO TRIBE RESTAURANT - TIRANA

PAÇE KOKEVIIN.


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Meat preparation

800 g of meat (two heads of lamb)

2-3 cloves of garlic

1 onion

50 ml of oil

4-5 laurel leaves

5-6 grains of black pepper

Salt as desired

2 tbsp tomato concentrate

For vinegar sauce

3-4 garlic cloves

1 pinch of salt

5-6 tbsp of apple vinegar


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Q ifqia is a traditional dish of Gjirokastra region. Qifqia is fried rice balls in a very special frying pan with pits. The frying pan has four or seven pits. The material of the frying pan is made of copper or aluminum and covered with a tin layer. This frying pan is prepared to this day

by the Gjirokastra tinsmiths.

This dish is associated with celebrations and birth. Tradition says that qifqi were prepared for girls who had just given birth, as it was believed to accelerate the production of breast milk. Other people claim that it was originally produced with the pilaf left over from weddings. The recipe varies from family to family.

balck pepper, whereas in the countryside kackaval cheese was added.

to melt, add the rice and fry slowly until it begins to glaze and add the warm

and leave the rice to cool. Add the eggs over the rice and mix well with it.

and leave the frying pan to warm up without bringing the oil to the smoking point. Take a tablespoon of the amount of rice prepared and pour it into the pan. After the rice balls (Qifqi) are fried on one side, with the help of a spoon, turn them on the other. Continue doing so with all the preparation. Fried Qifqi can accompanied with white Albanian cheese, yogurt or dhalle.


MONDI KIKINO CONSULTANT AND FREE LANCER

QIFQIAVIIIN.


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For 4 persons

For rice pilaf

150 g rice for pilaf

20 g butter

300 ml chicken broth or hot water

1 tsp of coarse salt

For Qifqi

3 eggs

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp dry mint

1 tsp of black pepper

100 ml olive oil


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This typical recipe from Shkodra dates back to the establishment of the city bazaar in the ottoman times.

At that time, the cooks called “akshij”developed this recipe to

in this lake.

The Carp is cleansed from the scales, the inner parts, and in particular by a carcass found in the mouth of the carp, which in Shkodra people call Peth: This bone has a triangular shape, which must be removed because it gives

wide slices,. making sure you leave a small part of the meat carp next to the head. Afterwards, wash the parts with plenty of water to remove the blood, and leave to drain. Dry the pieces with paper and deep fry the Carp chunks in

start preparing the sauce, called “Içi” by locals.

Place the tomatoes in boiling water to ease the removal of the skin.

Remove the oil from the pan, fry there the onions. After 5 minutes add some

to the point of evaporation.

Remove the skin from the tomatoes, cut them in samll pieces and cook slowly. Add some bay leaves, sugar (to low acidity), pepper and tomatoes concentrate

rather then dry one. Place Carp parts to a clay wide casserole. Add the onion and tomatoes sauce. Add the shredded parsley and place the casserole into a slow cooking oven. The Shkodra Carp casserole is ready after gelatins oily peel has covered the top ( almost after 25-30 minutes) You can accompany the dish with Kallmeti wine as it is considered to be a very important dish and a substitute of meat.


CHEF GJON DUKGILAJ GEGË E TOSKË RESTAURANT, SHKODËR

SHKODRA LAKE CARP CASSEROLE IXN.


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4-5 kg fresh Shkodra Lake Carp (male spices are considered the best for this traditional dish)

1.5 kg onions

400 gr unpeeled garlic

1 kg of roasted tomatoes or tomatoes concentrated sauce as needed(The people of Shkodra call it Nerden)

1/2 l red wine vinegar

10-15 dried plums

5-6 bay leaves

Pepper, salt, a handful of parsley

1 tsp of sugar


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If you wish to prepare tarhana from scratch, then soak the crushed wheat into goat milk for 24 hours, and when soft, spread it on a table in warm and sunny place, and let it dry out.

Marinated grapesSoak the grapes into pomegranate vinegar for about 24 hours before preparing the dish.

Purslane sauceChop the purslane and place it in a mixer, while mixing slowly add the E.V.O. oil.

3 spoons of pomegranate vinegar. The result should be a deep green sauce, slightly fresh and acid in taste.

Place a little bit of both olive oil and vinegar in a pan at medium heat and add tarhana until in becomes brownish; then slowly add hot vegetable or meat stock, as if you were preparing a “risotto”. When the tarhana reaches the right consistency, place tarhana in each dish, garnish with the purslane sauce in the

on top.


BLEDAR KOLA MULLIXHIU

TRAHANA WITH PICKLED GRAPES AND

PURSLANE SAUCE

XN.


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1 kg Crushed Wheat

150 ml Goat Milk

Grapes 70gr

200 ml Pomegranate vinegar

50 gr butter

300 gr Purslane (only leaves)

100 ml Olive Oil

Salt

10 Ice cubes


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CONTENTS

PREMISE

PREFACE BY CARLO PETRINI

WHAT IS SLOW FOOD

ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY OF GASTRONOMIC SCIENCES

ABOUT VIS ALBANIA

WHAT IS THE ARK OF TASTE?

THE SLOW FOOD COOKS’ ALLIANCE

CHAPTER 1. FRUITS AND VEGETABLES

CHAPTER 2. HONEY

CHAPTER 3. MEAT AND FISH

CHAPTER 4. PROCESSED PRODUCTS

CHAPTER 5. TRADITIONAL RECIPES

PRODUCT INDEX

REFERENCES

CONTACTS

5

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BARDHOKA SHEEPBELUSHKA FISH DRAGOBIA GOATOHRID TROUTLAKE SHKODRA CARPCEM WILD TROUT

PRODUCT INDEX

fruits and vegetablesTIRANA WHITE OLIVEBELORTAJA LEEKKALINJOTI OLIVESKRAPAR GRASS PEALEKBIBAJ CREEPING BEANLUZNI BLACK CHERRYMOUNTAIN TEAPULËZ GRAPEREÇ CHESTNUTRED OREGANOSHESH I BARDHË GRAPESHESH I ZI GRAPESTEBLEVA POTATOVLOSH GRAPE

1820222426283032343638404244

BEDUNICA HONEYSTRAWBERRY TREE HONEY

honey4850

545658606264


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processed productsBOBOSHTICA MULBERRY RAKICHERRY PLUM RAKICORNELIAN CHERRY RAKIROSHNIK DRY FIGSFERMENTED CABBAGE JUICEGENTIAN TEAGJIROKASTRA KAÇKAVALL CHEESEGJIROKASTRA OSASGORANI BOZAHARDIÇJARDUNDIBRA JUFKAKALLMET WINEKELMEND CORNBREADKELMEND DRIEDAND SMOKED PORK MEAT SOUR CHERRY BRANDYLUSHNJË MULBERRY PEKMEZMAZA E ÇAPRES

MISHAVINËOREGANO RAKIPËRMET GOAT PASTËRMAPETKAPICKLED EGGPLANTPISTILCORNELIAN CHERRY JUICEYOGURT CREAM IN A SACKTRAHANATROPOJA BLACK PLUM HOSHAFCORNELIAN CHERRY VINEGARELBASAN KOKËRRMADHEXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OILWALNUT GLIKOWILD APPLE HOSHAFWILD BLACKBERRY RAKIWILD FIG GLIKOWILD ROSEHIP WINE

6870727476788082848688909294

9698

100102

104106108110112114116118120122124

126128130132134136

traditional recipesMIRDITË WALNUT BUREKELBASANI TAVAFËRGESAFLI KUKSIJUFKA DIBRE ME PULË

KORANPAÇE KOKEQIFQIASHKODRA LAKE CARP CASSEROLETRAHANA WITH PICKLED GRAPES AND PURSLANE SAUCE

140142144146148

150152154156158


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Books and articles

1. Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH (2017). Shorezone Functionality Ohrid Lake Implementing the EU Water Framework Directive in South-Eastern Europe. Tirana: Pegi Sh.p.k.

2. Pieroni, A. (2008). Local plant resources in the ethnobotany of Theth, a village in the Northern Albanian Alps. Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution, 55(8), 1197–1214. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10722-008-9320-3

3. Pieroni, A. (2010). People and plants in Lëpushë. Traditional medicine, local foods, and post- communism in a North Albanian village. In M. PardodeSantayana, A. Pieroni, & R. Puri (Eds.), Ethnobotany in the new Europe: People, Health and Wild Plant Resources (pp. 16–50). New York/Oxford: Berghahn.

4. Pieroni, A., & Quave, C. L. (Eds.). (2014). Ethnobotany and biocultural diversities in the Balkans: perspectives on sustainable rural development and reconciliation. New York: Springer.

5. Pieroni, A., & Sõukand, R. (2017). The disappearing wild food and medicinal plant knowledge in a few mountain villages of North-Eastern Albania. Journal of applied botany and food quality, 90, 58-67. https://doi.org/10.5073/JABFQ.2017.090.009

6. Pieroni, A., Dibra, B., Grishaj, G., Grishaj, I., & Gjon Maçai, S. (2005). Traditional phytotherapy of the Albanians of Lepushe, Northern Albanian Alps. Fitoterapia, 76(3), 379–399. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fitote.2005.03.015

7. Pieroni, A., Ibraliu, A., Abbasi, A. M., & Papajani-Toska, V. (2015). An ethnobotanical study among Albanians and Aromanians living in the Rraicë and Mokra areas of Eastern Albania. Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution, 62(4), 477–500. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10722-014-0174-6

8. Pieroni, A., Sõukand, R., Quave, C. L., Hajdari, A., & Mustafa, B. (2017). Traditional food uses of wild plants among the Gorani of South Kosovo. Appetite, 108, 83–92. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2016.09.024

9. Sõukand, R., Pieroni, A., Biró, M., Dénes, A., Dogan, Y., Hajdari, A., Kalle, R., Reade, B., Mustafa, B., Nedelcheva, A., Quave, C. L., & Łuczaj, Ł. (2015). An ethnobotanical perspective on traditional fermented plant foods and beverages in Eastern Europe. Journal of ethnopharmacology, 170, 284–296. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2015.05.018

10. Topi, D., Thomaj, F., & Halimi, E. (2012). Virgin Olive Oil production from the major olive varieties in Albania. Poljoprivreda i Sumarstvo, 58(2), 87.

11. UNDP (2011). Katalogu i Prodhimeve Ushqimore Tradicionale të Qarkut të Kukësit/ Catalogue of Local Food Products of Kukes Region. Mirgeeralb

REFERENCES


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Website

1. hiip://www.volint.it/vis/albania

2. hiips://agroweb.org/

3. hiips://www.essedra.com/


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[email protected]

www.slowfood.com

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTSSlow Food

To the Slow Food network in Albania:

Pier Paolo Ambrosi, Artan Bala, Anna Carboni, Dhurata Daneri, Sulejman Dalipi, Petrit Dobi, Zef Gjeta, Preke Gjeloshaj, Gjystina Grishaj, Urim Jace,

Rigers Kacori, Flora Sali, Dorjan Meraj, Dhimiter Piligriu, Giorgio Ponti, Altin e Anton Prenga, Eftali Qerimi, Vehip Salkurti, Manjola Shehaj, Flora Sali,

Irma Tako, Drita Tanazi.

To the Slow Food International team involvedwith the Albanian Ark of Taste:

Charles Barstow, Michele Rumiz

Prof. Dr. Andrea Pieroni Rector of the University of Gastronomic Sciences

directly involved with this book:

Dauro Mattia Zocchi

CONTACTS


Alba - Fondazione Slow Food

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