"Learning about our countries
We are united in Europe
Our national cuisines"
Similarities and Differences
Souzana Ioakeimidou
Dietitian – Nutritionist
Most of the recipes in Europe and in Balkans are
greatly influenced by the 500 year invasion
when they were forced to become part of the
Byzantine Empire and before that the Roman
Empire.
Bulgarian haricot bean salad
with sweet and crunchy red
peppers and onions, beans
and oil.
Similar Popular dishes in our countries
Greek Mavromatika or Black-Eyed
bean salad with Red Onions and Dill
Fasolada
(optionally added ham or smoked sausage)
A popular bean soup
considered the traditional
Greek dish. It is typically
made from various beans,
tomatoes, carrot, onion,
celery, dried herbs, and
plenty of olive oil.
Latvian bean soup with ham
Bulgarian Bob chorba (optionally added ham
or smoked sausage) usually with mint and
paprika
Polish White Bean Soup Recipe (Zupa
Fasalowa)
An oven-baked ratatouille of summer vegetables
based on sliced potatoes and zucchini in olive
oil. Usually includes eggplant, tomatoes,
onions, and aromatic herbs and seasonings.
Optionally served with yogurt or cheese feta
Greek Mpriam
Turkish Türlü
Türlü
Greek Yemista Baked
stuffed vegetables.
Usually tomatoes,
peppers, or other
vegetables such as
potato and zucchini,
hollowed out and
baked with a rice and
herb filling. Minced
meat is also
commonly used in the
filling.
Latvian stuffed peppers are usually made with
green Hungarian paprika. Fillings can include
pork mince mushrooms, broccoli, herbs,
beans, and corn.
Stuffed Vine Leaves with egg-lemon sauce
Greeks Ntolmades, Bulgarian sarma or
sarmi, Turkish Sarmak
Popular dish across the
Balkans.
The two main categories
concern the stuffing, which
could be meat mixture or rice
mixture.
Lithuanian Potato
Pancakes comprising
grated potatoes,
onion, and eggs
mixed together and
fried in oil.
Rhodian savoury chickpea
patties called pitaroudia,
with chickpeas, onion, dill
and tomatoes, eggs fried in
oil.
Greek spanakopita a grispy pastry pie
stuffed with spinach, onions, cheeses
and herbs that are all enfolded by
crispy, flaky phyllo dough
Polish spinach pierogi with spinach
and potato filling. Could be served
boiled on fried
A savory Bulgarian pastry made with filo dough
and stuffed with a light filling of spinach,
cheese and eggs
Casserole made of (typically fried) aubergine,
potato, and spiced minced meat. There are
other, less common variations besides
eggplant, such as zucchini.
Mousaka
is a common Balkan dish
Bulgarian includes potatoes, eggs
and minced pork meat and
traditional yoghurt on top
Greek includes eggplants, and
minced meat and béchamel
sauce on top
Mousakas
Food brings people together

Similarities and differences about our "National cuisines"

  • 1.
    "Learning about ourcountries We are united in Europe Our national cuisines" Similarities and Differences Souzana Ioakeimidou Dietitian – Nutritionist
  • 2.
    Most of therecipes in Europe and in Balkans are greatly influenced by the 500 year invasion when they were forced to become part of the Byzantine Empire and before that the Roman Empire.
  • 3.
    Bulgarian haricot beansalad with sweet and crunchy red peppers and onions, beans and oil. Similar Popular dishes in our countries Greek Mavromatika or Black-Eyed bean salad with Red Onions and Dill
  • 4.
    Fasolada (optionally added hamor smoked sausage) A popular bean soup considered the traditional Greek dish. It is typically made from various beans, tomatoes, carrot, onion, celery, dried herbs, and plenty of olive oil. Latvian bean soup with ham Bulgarian Bob chorba (optionally added ham or smoked sausage) usually with mint and paprika Polish White Bean Soup Recipe (Zupa Fasalowa)
  • 5.
    An oven-baked ratatouilleof summer vegetables based on sliced potatoes and zucchini in olive oil. Usually includes eggplant, tomatoes, onions, and aromatic herbs and seasonings. Optionally served with yogurt or cheese feta Greek Mpriam Turkish Türlü Türlü
  • 6.
    Greek Yemista Baked stuffedvegetables. Usually tomatoes, peppers, or other vegetables such as potato and zucchini, hollowed out and baked with a rice and herb filling. Minced meat is also commonly used in the filling. Latvian stuffed peppers are usually made with green Hungarian paprika. Fillings can include pork mince mushrooms, broccoli, herbs, beans, and corn.
  • 7.
    Stuffed Vine Leaveswith egg-lemon sauce Greeks Ntolmades, Bulgarian sarma or sarmi, Turkish Sarmak Popular dish across the Balkans. The two main categories concern the stuffing, which could be meat mixture or rice mixture.
  • 8.
    Lithuanian Potato Pancakes comprising gratedpotatoes, onion, and eggs mixed together and fried in oil. Rhodian savoury chickpea patties called pitaroudia, with chickpeas, onion, dill and tomatoes, eggs fried in oil.
  • 9.
    Greek spanakopita agrispy pastry pie stuffed with spinach, onions, cheeses and herbs that are all enfolded by crispy, flaky phyllo dough Polish spinach pierogi with spinach and potato filling. Could be served boiled on fried A savory Bulgarian pastry made with filo dough and stuffed with a light filling of spinach, cheese and eggs
  • 10.
    Casserole made of(typically fried) aubergine, potato, and spiced minced meat. There are other, less common variations besides eggplant, such as zucchini. Mousaka is a common Balkan dish
  • 11.
    Bulgarian includes potatoes,eggs and minced pork meat and traditional yoghurt on top Greek includes eggplants, and minced meat and béchamel sauce on top Mousakas
  • 12.

Editor's Notes

  • #8 which has Turkish origins - sarmak means 'to wrap' in Turkish. The meat varieties are eaten warm and the vegetarian ones - at room temperature In Greece dolmades are part of the Meze platter, in Bulgaria Sarmi is a main dish.