Yesterday we kicked off our culinary tour of Bulgaria with a look at some national favourites in mains and sides – quintessentially Bulgarian dishes. Today we take a peek inside the Bulgarian bake shop at some of the country’s most beloved baked treats…
Bulgarian Traditional Daily Bread: With the lucky coin, for special occasions…
Though they have their own signature breads and baked goods, Bulgarians also love a host of styles borrowed from or shared between its many and varied neighbours.
According to BulgarianTravel.org, “Bread bears strong symbolics in Bulgarian folklore and the culinary tradition. It is present in various rituals and customs, and it is a symbol of hospitality, family and home. Bread is baked for every holiday in Bulgaria. It is decorated in various ways, depending on the established traditions.”
There are also sweet and savoury baked treats traditionally found in the bakery rather than the supermarket…
On our menu today:
Bulgarian Daily Bread: Simple but rich… And golden! Bulgarian daily bread comes in a large, tall loaf baked in a round pan and blessed with a deeply tanned, egg-glazed top crust. The traditional recipe requires sifted flour, yeast, sugar, salt and 100 g / 3.5 oz. ‘fat of your choice’. It also calls for three eggs, which gives the crumb its golden colour and makes a major contribution to its unique flavour and texture. it’s found on literally every Bulgarian table every day.
Pohagata: Known by similar names across the Balkans and the Carpathian basin, this is perhaps the single most-travelled bread in Europe – with the possible exception of basic Rye.
The Bulgarian version is a standard yeast loaf, with butter, sugar and sour cream added. It’s always made in a round, freehand loaf baked on the hearth. There’s an authentic recipe and a nice chunk of history at this website…
Parlenka: Grilled Flat Bread (see photo, top of page). This daily bread is usually made in plate-shaped loaves and varies in specifics from baker to baker. But everybody loves it. It’s basically the same recipe as every yeast-raised bread but it’s rolled out into thin, round flat, loaves and baked a mere 5 minutes or so. It comes out with a crispy, singed crust and a fluffy, doughy interior. Parlenka can be prepared plain, or two thin layers can be stacked, stuffed with cheese. The finished loaves are usually dusted with paprika or oregano.
Mekitsi: Deep-fried Breakfast Bread. Probably the most popular breakfast across Bulgaria! Mekitsi are single-serving golden brown puffy flatbreads usually topped with powdered sugar, honey or fruit jam.
You can get them with cheese on top. In recent times, avant garde chefs have reinvented Mekitsi as afternoon coffee snacks with toppings such as ice cream and peanut butter!
Printsesa: ‘Princess’ Bread; a Bulgarian classic. A popular baked open-faced sandwich. As kashkaval-tourist.com explains, the origin of the name ‘Printsesa’ is still hotly debated, “with highly implausible explanations linking it to medieval Bulgarian rulers and ancient Thracian monarchs. Could it have been just the golden colour of the melted kashkaval cheese that inspired it?”
The sammy with the mysterious name is actually very simple to make: On a thick slice of Bulgarian Daily Bread, add shredded cheese mixed with egg and bake until; cheese is melted and golden on top for breakfast. For snacks and lunch, coat the bread with a mix of ground meat, onions, eggs and spices, and bake until the meat is cooked through.
Banitsa: A very popular snack similar to the Turkish Borek, the Banitsa is enjoyed at all times of day, sweet or savoury. It’s a simple but elegant layer of filling between two layers of crispy, puffy filo pastry.
Banitsa and Printsesa are the king and queen (or princess, if you’re a stickler for precision) of Bulgarian street foods! But there are also many other treats to chose from on the ubiquitous street vendors’ carts!
Breads for all hours of every day!
You won’t be able to eat a single meal in Bulgaria without running into a bread designed to complement it. And you’ll discover that every holiday and special occasion has it’s own traditional bread! Tomorrow, we’ll dig into the Bulgarian dessert tray and stuff ourselves with signature sweets!
~ Maggie J.