Zeljanica

I had a hard time choosing my third Bosnian recipe, mainly because they ones I found take a lot of time to make, which I'm kind of short on these days. Eventually, I settled on a spinach and cheese zeljanica burek that reminds me very much of Greek spanakopita.

I found a slightly different version of this pie that used feta cheese, so my version is actually a blend of the two. It does take a while to make - I think that's a given with any recipe that uses filo - but it's definitely worth the effort. I'll spare you the mechanics of dealing with filo and leave that fun for you to discover if you aren't already familiar with it. Once you've got the knack for it, you end up with a creamy and tangy and truly satisfying meal.

Here's how I made it:

olive oil
1/2 package filo pastry
2 bags washed fresh spinach, blanched
2 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream, divided
1/2 lb ricotta cheese
7 oz feta cheese
1/4 cup milk

Preheat the oven to 350. In a medium bowl, blend the eggs, 1/4 cup sour cream, ricotta and feta till smooth. Add in the spinach (squeeze out any excess water).

Layer about 5-6 sheets of filo in the bottom of a 13x9 pan and brush them with olive oil. Spread some of the spinach mixture over the filo. Repeat until the mixture is gone and end with filo on top.

Bake for 30 minutes. mix together the remaining 1/4 cup of sour cream with the milk, pour it over the top of the pie and bake for another 10 minutes.

The Secret Garden

If you're in the Utica area and want to sample some of the local Bosnian cuisine, stop by The Secret Garden restaurant on Culver Ave. It's highly recommended by one of the Bosnian nurses to whom this week's cooking is dedicated!

Coincidentally, she dined there just the other day and ordered cevapi, my first Bosnian creation! Glad to know my traditional selection was legit!

You'll enjoy recipes from Italy, Germany and other eastern European countries at Secret Garden, so next time you're not in the mood to cook, head there instead!

Cevapi with Ajvar, Yogurt & Shopska Salata

Drawing upon Middle Eastern influences in Bosnian cuisine, tonight's dinner features grilled meat kabobs with some traditional garnishes and sides.

Cevapi are a mixture of beef, pork and lamb mixed with simple seasonings that don't overpower the flavors of the meats. Ajvar is a puree of roasted eggplant and red bell peppers, with garlic, lemon, parsley and other spices. The chopped shopska salad is made with 4 fresh Roma tomatoes and 2 green bell peppers. And, I drained some plain Chobani yogurt, just to remove any excess water and make it extra thick. We enjoyed all that goodness with some naan bread.

It took me a while to get my act together and cook, and still I was eating by 6:30 - not bad! Even if you're only slightly adept at multi-tasking in the kitchen, you too can pull this dinner together quickly and easily.

Here's how I made it:

Ajvar:
1 large purple eggplant
3 red bell peppers
1 small onion
1 head of garlic (but only use 3 cloves for this recipe)
1 lemon, juiced
3 Tbsp olive oil
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

Cevapi:
3 lbs ground meat (I used lamb, beef and pork)
2 slices bacon, rolled together, frozen and grated
1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
2 cloves roasted garlic, minced
1/2 cup seltzer
1 Tbsp baking powder
2 tsp smoked paprika
3 tsp dried parsley
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

For the ajvar, grill the eggplant, peppers, onion (rubbed with a little olive oil) and garlic (put the skinned cloves in a foil pouch with a little olive oil) over high flame till the skin is blackened and they're very soft. Cook's Note: The garlic won't take nearly as long to roast as the veggies, so put the pouch over indirect heat to prevent burning. When done, put the veggies in a bowl and cover with cling wrap till they cool enough to handle. Then, remove the charred skin and seeds and place the cooked flesh into a food processer. Add the remaining ingredients and blend till smooth.

Meanwhile, combine all the cevapi ingredients in a large bowl and mix well by hand. Shape the mixture into oblong patties about an inch in diameter. Grill over medium flame till nicely browned on all sides and cooked through.

Week #22: Bosnia and Herzegovina



In honor of the wonderful Bosnian nurses from Utica, NY, who helped my family recently, we're taking our tasty travels to the Balkans this week!

According to Wikipedia, "Bosnian cuisine is balanced between Western and Eastern influences. The food is closely related to Turkish, Middle Eastern, and other Mediterranean cuisines. However, due to years of Austrian rule, there are also many culinary influences from Central Europe.

"Bosnian cuisine uses many spices, but usually in moderate quantities. Most dishes are light, as they are cooked in lots of water; the sauces are fully natural, consisting of little more than the natural juices of the vegetables in the dish."

Sounds good to me! I'm on the road and away from my kitchen, so I won't be cooking till Tuesday or Wednesday, but I'll still try to prepare three dinners by Saturday.

Stay tuned!