Gjelle Me Zarzavata Albanian Casserole Recipes

GJELLE ME ZARZAVATA (ALBANIAN CASSEROLE)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a large skillet.
• Add meat and brown on all sides. Remove and set aside.
• Place potatoes in a greased baking dish large enough to hold all ingredients.
• Spread meat over potatoes.
• Combine tomatoes, carrots, celery, onion, pepper, garlic, parsley, salt and pepper.
• Spread mixture over meat.
• Pour in broth.
• Cover and bake for 45 minutes.
• Uncover, pour remaining oil over top, and bake 20 minutes more.

ALBANIAN VEGETABLE CASSEROLE (GJELLE ME ZARZAVATA)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F
• Lay potatoes in the bottom of a greased baking dish.
• Combine tomatoes, carrots, celery, onions, garlic. parsley, salt and pepper, and mix well.
• Spread this mixture over the potatoes.
• Add the water.
• Bake for 45 minutes.
• Pour oil over vegetables.
• Bake 15 minutes more.

ALBANIA: GJELLë ME ARRA (CHICKEN WITH WALNUTS)

Steps:

• Cook the chicken breasts in olive oil until they are done.
• When the chicken is done (I use a meat thermometer to make sure), take it out of the pan and add the flour. Keep stirring until brown (don't overcook!), then add half of the butter, garlic, walnuts and egg yolks. Continue to stir--you don't want the yolks to solidify.
• If your recipe turns out like mine did, you will end up with a kind of lump of walnuts. Although the original recipe did not call for chicken stock, I found I had to add some just to get it to a sauce-like consistency. Just use as much as it takes to make the sauce smooth -- more if you like a watery sauce. When it's ready, remove from the heat and add the chicken, stirring to coat.