6 unique dishes to try on a holiday in Albania

If you have been to India and enjoyed cooling raita with a curry or feasted on a kebab with a dollop of tzatziki in Turkey, you might just love tarator. In Albania, you can enjoy this refreshing, cold soup - made up of yoghurt, shredded cucumber, dill, and salt - before tucking into a tasty meaty starter.

If you have never been able to say no to doughnuts for dessert, then you’ll be a fan of petulla. This tasty snack is very simple, bite-sized pieces of fried dough, but it packs a punch depending on what you pair it with. Locals usually opt for cheese or honey, so it depends on what you’re feeling like.

Flija is the kind of dish you could enjoy as a hearty breakfast or an easy, fuss-free dinner. These Albanian layered pancakes, made with flour, eggs, salt, and are stacked on top of each other and baked on an open fire. You can enjoy it with pickles or ajvar (a roasted pepper spread) or jam or honey if you’re craving something sweet.

One of the most common traditional meals you might come across on your Albanian holiday is fërgesë, which is made from ingredients including garlic, green peppers, tomato, and feta. It’s usually enjoyed cold in the summer months. Make sure you try it with some fresh Albanian bread.

Also enjoyed in the neighbouring countries of Greece and Macedonia, Tavë kosi is a hearty, rich mixture of lamb, rice, yoghurt, and eggs baked. It’s the perfect comfort meal if you need some slow moments on your trip.

As peppers grow abundantly in Albania, they factor into a lot of the national dishes. One of the tastiest pepper-based dishes to try is speca te mbushur, which are peppers filled with onions, mixed herbs, tomato, and beef, and then roasted.