My kids love Imam bayildi, and I love making it for them. I wasn’t feeling that well today, but dinner still needs to get on the table whether I am feeling good or not! Since I promised that I would make it today, I made it the easy way! …
Stews or Gjellë
Green Bean Casserole
Mmmm green bean casserole with homemade mushroom soup….can it get better than that!? I love cream of mushroom soup, and I love green beans this is the first time making it into a casserole! It turned out delicious! I didn’t have any bread crumbs for the top, if you have any on hand just sprinkle some on with Parmesan for a nice crunchy topping.
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Mediterranean Style Green Bean Stew- Taze Fasulye
Mashurka in Albanian or taze fasulye for fresh green beans in Turkish. This is a very common dish around the Mediterranean, you can make it with stew meat or ground meat, or with out meat at all!
We are not big meat eaters so I don’t add much…sometimes I add ground beef, you can always make it vegetarian….its delicious in anyway you make it. I get my meat from the butcher, and pack it in the portions that are suitable for my meals. One pound of stew meat is approximately the amount you will need, use as much or less as you prefer.
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Lamb Stew
My sons dinner request tonight…lamb stew! The whole family loves this dish, especially when prepared this way…if you don’t have a cooking clay pot you can use a dutch pot, or something that is thick and heavy duty. You may also use a Crock pot, all you have to do is prepare it the same way, then add ingredients to the pot, add some water set it and leave it!:)
First I sauté the peppers and meat, too seal in the flavours then transfer to the oven….
Pras (Leek) Cooked in Olive Oil
These leeks are fresh from my garden, what a difference it makes in taste! I like this dish on its own, but my hubby likes it with yogurt on the side. It is customary to add a few spoons of cooked ground beef to the dish while cooking, it is totally optional, I do as that is what my Mother in law does.
This is a Turkish dish simply called pras meaning leeks, in Albanian it is called presh, same word with an added h in the end.…
Baked Beans with Lamb (Fasule me Mish)
Baked beans with lamb is one of the most popular Albanian dishes. In Albanian, it’s called fasule me mish, and in Macedonian it’s called tavce gravce. You can make it with beef or veal as well; I use what ever I have at the time. When I first wrote this post, I didn’t have a slow cooker, so now that I do, I use it on days that I am busy, and it turns out great. I love how soft the beans get and how meat just falls off the bone.
Make sure that you do NOT season the water with salt or else the beans will not soften; add salt in the last hour of cooking, whether you are using a slower cooker or baking them. …
Bamya (Okra)
Okra or Bamya in Albanian or Turkish, is a vegetable that is good for you and tastes good. Some people don’t like okra because of its texture, but I learned if you cook it in oil before adding the tomato sauce it helps with that, I have to admit I can be picky when it comes to okra but the way I make it is really good, I really love the taste and texture of this dish. My kids love it as well, I usually make rice with it and they enjoy it with yogurt on the side. …
Zucchini and Chickpea Stew
Bezelye – Pea Stew
Spinach and Rice – Spinaq me Oriz
Spinach and rice, spinaq me oriz in Albanian or pirincli ispanak in Turkish, was one of my favourite dishes as a kid. My mom often makes it with paprika and veal meat, but I prefer this version I am sharing with you. My daughters love this dish, which makes me happy as it is easy to make and it is good for them. …