Best 2 Albanian Pizza Recipes

Albanian pizza, a beloved dish in Albanian cuisine, captivates taste buds with its unique flavors and textures. It's a delightful blend of traditional Albanian ingredients and culinary techniques, resulting in a delectable treat enjoyed by locals and visitors alike. This flavorful dish showcases a crispy, golden crust topped with a savory combination of fresh tomatoes, tangy feta cheese, and aromatic oregano. Perfectly seasoned ground beef adds a hearty touch, while juicy bell peppers and flavorful onions contribute pops of color and sweetness. Whether you prefer a classic vegetarian version or one loaded with succulent meats, Albanian pizza promises a satisfying culinary experience. With various recipes available, from the basic to the extraordinary, there's an Albanian pizza to suit every palate. Dive into the rich tapestry of Albanian cuisine and discover the culinary wonders that await.

Here are our top 2 tried and tested recipes!

ALBANIAN PIZZA FOR HANIFE

Albanian pizza for Hanife image

This is a bit different from what we're use to as far as pizza goes, this is my friends family recipe, that they shared with us, I have added onion, garlic and feta to it.

Provided by Sandy Mika

Categories Pizza

Time 2h

Number Of Ingredients 11

Ingredients

flour
salt
warm water, as needed
1 large bag of spinach, fresh
1 large onion thinly sliced
4 clove garlic minced
1 lb bulgarian feta
16 oz cottage cheese
1 medium tomatoe diced
butter, about 3 tbs to cook onion and garlic and about 1stick or maybe more melted to brush layers with
you can sprinkle a little garlic and onion powder between layers to give a little more flavor to each layer

Steps:

1. pour about half bag of flour in a bowl, add about 2 tsp salt and mix, add enough warm water to make a soft smooth dough, set aside about 10 minutes , then pinch off and shape into 3" balls, set aside on floured surface. you should have about 10 balls of dough.
2. heat a large frying pan add 3tbs butter, the onion and garlic cook about 2 minutes, add tomatoes and spinach cook about 2 minutes, add feta and cottage cheese, continue to cook stirring constantly about 5 minutes, set aside.
3. lightly grease a large round cake pan with olive oil.
4. roll each ball into a thin disk, set aside on floured surface as you finish rolling out all the disks. the dough will be very elastic, as you stretch it out to about the size of the pan you are using, brush each disk with melted butter, . continue to stack with 4 more layers , then stack this in the pan, add the spinach and cheese filling.
5. roll out and butter and stack the next 5 layers, place on top of filling and scrunch top and bottom dough together to seal, brush top with butter or olive oil and bake at 350 until lightly golden brown and puffy.
6. when you remove it from the oven it will be kind of puffy take a spoon and smash it down to break the top all over, brush with melted butter, then sprinkle with a little water all over the top, cover with a towel for 5 minutes. Then cut and serve with a salad of feta cheese and slices of cucumber, onion and tomatoes.

ALBANIAN SPINACH PIE (BYREK ME SPINAQ OR PITE)

Albanian Spinach Pie (Byrek Me Spinaq or Pite) image

Albanians love savory pies and I do too. They make theirs with filo dough. Any combination of greens can be used in this recipe. You can even add other vegetables as well, such as mushrooms. If the additional vegetables used will be watery, towards the end of baking you might want to cut steam vents in the filo dough. Albanians eat this pie hot accompanied by buttermilk or beaten yogurt thinned down with cold water, or with chilled stewed prunes.

Provided by alvinakatz

Categories Savory Pies

Time 1h

Yield 1 pie, 4 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 7

Ingredients

3/4 cup oil, preferably olive oil
30 sheets phyllo dough
1 1/2 lbs spinach, chopped
1 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1/2 cup green onion, chopped
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 teaspoon salt

Steps:

(NOTE: A round cake or pie pan is recommended because it's more authentic but any similar sized pan will do).
Brush the pan with some of the oil, and start laying the filo leaves inside. First, lay two leaves, sprinkle or brush with oil, then lay two other leaves, and repeat the procedure until HALF of the leaves are laid. Make sure that they cover the pan by hanging them about one inch over the edges of the pan. Change directions, so that the entire pan is evenly covered.
Sprinkle spinach with salt, then mix well by hand. Let sit for a minute.
Add the feta cheese, onions, eggs and stir.
Spread spinach mixture over the filo leaves in the pan.
Cover the spinach with the rest of the pastry leaves repeating the first-half procedure.
Roll the hanging edges of the bottom leaves over the pie (think of a pizza crust), sprinkle top with oil.
Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve hot.

Tips:

Use high-quality ingredients: Fresh, flavorful ingredients will make a big difference in the taste of your pizza. Look for high-quality cheese, fresh vegetables, and a flavorful sauce.
Make your own dough: Homemade pizza dough is easy to make and tastes much better than store-bought dough. If you don't have time to make your own dough, you can use a good quality store-bought dough.
Don't overload the pizza: Too many toppings will make the pizza soggy and difficult to cook. Stick to a few simple toppings that will complement each other.
Bake the pizza at a high temperature: This will help to create a crispy crust and prevent the pizza from becoming soggy. The ideal baking temperature for pizza is around 500 degrees Fahrenheit.
Let the pizza cool for a few minutes before slicing: This will help to prevent the toppings from sliding off the pizza.

Conclusion:

Albanian pizza is a delicious and versatile dish that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. With its crispy crust, flavorful sauce, and variety of toppings, Albanian pizza is sure to be a hit at your next party or gathering. So next time you're looking for a quick and easy meal, give Albanian pizza a try. You won't be disappointed!