The clock keeps ticking, and it’s time to continue with the second country on the list; we now go from the Middle East to Southeast Europe: let’s explore Albania!

Officially known as the Republic of Albania, it is located in the Balkans, on the Adriatic and Ionian Seas, within the Mediterranean Sea. And even though on the map it may look small –compared to its neighboring countries–it has a wide range of impressive landscapes and climates. 

Since its independence in 1912, Albania has gone through several major political shifts, transitioning from a monarchy to a communist regime before becoming a sovereign parliamentary constitutional republic that it is today.

Albanian cuisine is very much Mediterranean at its core, with olive oil, fruits, vegetables, and fish playing a central role. 

The cooking traditions of the Albanian people are diverse, thanks to environmental conditions that make it ideal to cultivate nearly every kind of herb, vegetable, and fruit. Olive oil, in particular, is the oldest and most commonly used vegetable fat in Albanian cooking, produced since ancient times throughout the country, especially along the coasts.

This time, I went directly for the national dish of Albania: Tavë kosi. It’s a simple recipe of baked lamb and yogurt with rice, seasoned with oregano and garlic. The recipe originates from the Albanian city of Elbasan, and because of this, it is also known as Tavë Elbasani.

600g Diced Lamb 

20g Butter

2 Tbsp Olive Oil

70g Rice

2 Tsp Oregano

450ml (~2 cups) Water

2 Cloves Diced Garlic

Salt

Pepper

50g Butter

2 Tbsp Flour

750g Greek Yogurt 

6 Eggs

Salt

Pepper

I chose this dish in part because it’s such a representative dish of the country; because it’s not hard to prepare; and because I still had lamb left over from my Afghanistan dish and I didn’t want to throw away anything that could still be useful.

And if you read my last post you know I had trouble deboning my lamb. Well… that’s a problem no more! 

My girlfriend saw my struggle and bought me a Japanese boning knife, so this was the perfect moment to put it to the test (spoiler alert: it’s awesome!). 

For this dish, there are no essential prerequisites. Just make sure that if your lamb is not yet cut into small cubes, this is the moment to do it, since it’s used right away. 

1. Melt the butter and add the oil to a pan. 

2. Once everything is melted and warm, add the lamb. Cook for about 5 minutes, until it’s browned on all sides

3. Add the garlic, oregano, 300 ml of water, salt, and pepper. Stir, cover, and let it cook for 50 minutes. Stir every now and then to make sure the meat doesn’t stick to the pan. 

4. By now, most of the water should have evaporated. Add another 150 ml of water, then add the rice, stir, and cover again. Cook for another 10-15 minutes, or until all water has evaporated. 

5. Once the rice is cooked and no water is left in the pan, transfer the meat to a deep ovenproof dish or pan. Spread the meat evenly across the bottom and leave at least 2 inches (5 cm) of space on top for the yogurt cover.

6. In a small pan, add the butter and, as soon as it starts to melt, add the flour. Keep everything over medium heat and keep mixing continuously for about 2 minutes to make sure it combines well and cooks evenly. Once ready, set it aside in a small bowl.

7.  In a bowl, add the eggs, yogurt, salt, and pepper, and mix well. 

8.  Add the roux and keep mixing quickly for about 2 minutes to make sure everything is well incorporated. 

9. Pour the yogurt mixture over the meat and spread it evenly. Sprinkle a little oregano on top.

10. Put the pan in the oven and bake for 35 minutes at 185ºC (365ºF). 

11. The dish is ready when the top has risen slightly and formed a golden-brown crust. Let it cool for 5-10 minutes before serving. 

I have to be absolutely honest and say that it wasn’t perfect. But that’s not a bad thing, because with 197 dishes on the line, it was bound to happen sooner or later. My crust didn’t rise much, and the golden-brown color on my crust was barely noticeable, even though I turned the heat up. In the end, I took the pot out of the oven because I didn’t want to burn the rice or overly dehydrate the meat. Still, I’m not entirely sure what went wrong here. 

But… that was the only fail! Other than that, it has an amazing color, and the smell of oregano is strong and unmistakably European. 

As for salt–well, that’s still something I need to improve. It’s better than last time, but not quite there yet 🧂. 

The meat was fantastic! It was even softer than in the mastawa dish, and I feel kinda proud about that.

How to make a roux! Heck… let’s take a step back: I learned what is a roux actually is. Before this dish, I didn’t know what it was or what it was used for. The recipe I followed included instructions on how to make it, but I still searched on YouTube for a visual guide to make sure I was doing it the right way. And while I’m confident about how it turned out, I’m not 100% sure it was perfect. Still, if it shows up in a future recipe, I will at least have some experience. 

Another important thing I realized is that I need measuring cups and a kitchen scale. It’s easier to follow a recipe when it uses “cups” and “tablespoons/teaspoons”, but with this recipe–which utilizes grams and milliliters–I had to rely on my “I think that’s about right”. And I’m afraid that might have messed up my yogurt crust. Since I’m just starting, I’d better gear up, because dishes are going to keep coming. Recommendations are welcome!  

And lastly, the importance of having a tidy kitchen at every stage of the cooking process. Before cooking, so I know where everything is and don’t waste time searching and moving things around. During cooking, so I only have what I need at hand, without mixing it with tools I won’t use anymore—and so I don’t end up with a million utensils to wash. And after, again, because at that point I just want to eat what I made, I’m already tired, and a tidy kitchen is a happy kitchen. Plus, my kitchen is very, very small, so every inch of real estate matters.

With this, dish number two is complete. I’m far, far–far–from over, and I just want to keep cooking. Next? Algeria!