Albanian Recipes plus a little history

I started with looking up The Albanian Flag, which lead me to the wonderful story of the great Albanian Hero Skanderbeg – the Warrior King. Who, when besieged by the Ottomans put candles on the horns of a herd of goats and drove them into the Ottoman encampment at night. The arrival of the goats confused the Ottomans and allowed Skanderbeg and his army to escape the siege and live to fight another day. Skanderbeg and his Children of the Eagle are credited with saving Rome and Europe from Ottoman conquest and allowing the emergence of the Renaissance and the modern world. Had he and the Albanians not taken on the Ottomans the history of Europe would be completely different than it is today.

Skanderbeg’s shield – with its double eagle design black on a field of deep red – is the national shield of today’s Albania. Added to the shield is a replica of Skanderbeg’s helmet which carries the symbol of the goat and his victory over the Ottomans.

Meatballs w/ Egg & Lemon Sauce
Serves 4

This is a lot like covering your meatballs with a delicious meaty Hollandaise Sauce. What I also learned was that you don’t have to use breadcrumbs in meatballs, but if you add brown rice it will cook inside the meat and it’s delicious.

1-1/2 pounds ground lamb or beef
1/2 cup long-grain rice
1/2 cup minced onion
1 egg
2 tablespoons tomato sauce
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Salt, freshly ground pepper
2 cups beef bouillon
2 tablespoons unsalted butter - melted
3 egg yolks
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

In a large bowl combine the lamb or beef, rice, onion, egg, tomato sauce, parsley, and oregano. Season with salt and pepper.

Mix well.

Shape into 2-inch meatballs.

In a large saucepan bring the bouillon to a boil over medium-high heat.

Add meatballs.

Reduce the heat to medium-low.

Cook, covered, until meatballs are tender, about 30 minutes. Test one to see if rice is tender.
Meanwhile, in a double boiler beat the egg yolks and continue to stir until the egg yolk starts to thicken.

Add 2 tablespoons hot liquid from the meatball pan and continue to stir until the mixture thickens again. Repeat this step in 2 tablespoon increments until the hot liquid has been added.

Stir in lemon juice and melted butter.

Stir until it thickens.

Serve at once. Do not reheat.
Serves Four

Leek Caserole (Tavë me presh)

Servings: 4

2 lbs leeks
1/2 cup virgin olive oil
3/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 lb ground meat
1 tablespoon tomato sauce
Mild red pepper
SaltPepper

Cut off the green leaves from leeks; wash and cut leeks slantwise into 1-inch thick slices.

Sauté in a little oil and place in a baking pan.

Sauté onion and ground meat in remaining oil.

Add beef stock, tomato sauce, red pepper, salt and pepper, and bring to a boil.

Pour meat mixture over the Sautéed leeks.

Bake for 1 hour at 375 degrees F.

Serve hot.

Mixed Vegetables (Albanian Name: Turli perimesh)
Servings: 4

2 lbs various vegetables depending on the season (peppers, eggplant, okra, zucchini, potatoes, etc)
1/2 cup virgin olive oil, divided into two parts
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup peeled chopped tomatoes
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
SaltPepper

After cutting off inedible tips of vegetables, wash and slice them into 1-inch squares.

Sauté vegetables in half of the oil and remove them from the frying pan.

Sauté onion and tomatoes in the remaining oil, and season with parsley, salt, and pepper.

Put everything in a stockpot with a cup of water, cover tightly, and simmer until almost all moisture has cooked away.

Serve hot, accompanied by meatballs, or any other main dish.

Veal or Chicken with Walnuts (Gjellë me Arra)
Servings: 4

2 tablespoons flour
15 finely crushed shelled walnuts
2 beaten egg yokes
1 minced garlic clove
1 stick of butter (cut in half)
2-3 lbs of Veal or Chicken meat cut up in 1" cubes

Place the meat or chicken in a saucepan and cook over medium heat until tender.

Remove the meat setting it aside in a dish while leaving the remaining juices in the saucepan.

In another saucepan, add the flour and sauté over heat until it becomes light brown in color (do not overcook!) and add the half a stick of butter.

Add the finely crushed walnuts, minced garlic clove, and the two egg yokes, stirring constantly.

Add the juices from the other saucepan and sauté until all the ingredients thicken.

Immediately remove from the heat to avoid solidifying the egg yolks.

Then fold in either the meat or chicken.

Melt the remaining half stick of butter and pour over the four servings.