Pizza Albanian Style Recipes

ALBANIAN PIZZA FOR HANIFE

Steps:

• 1. pour about half bag of flour in a bowl, add about 2 tsp salt and mix, add enough warm water to make a soft smooth dough, set aside about 10 minutes , then pinch off and shape into 3" balls, set aside on floured surface. you should have about 10 balls of dough.
• 2. heat a large frying pan add 3tbs butter, the onion and garlic cook about 2 minutes, add tomatoes and spinach cook about 2 minutes, add feta and cottage cheese, continue to cook stirring constantly about 5 minutes, set aside.
• 3. lightly grease a large round cake pan with olive oil.
• 4. roll each ball into a thin disk, set aside on floured surface as you finish rolling out all the disks. the dough will be very elastic, as you stretch it out to about the size of the pan you are using, brush each disk with melted butter, . continue to stack with 4 more layers , then stack this in the pan, add the spinach and cheese filling.
• 5. roll out and butter and stack the next 5 layers, place on top of filling and scrunch top and bottom dough together to seal, brush top with butter or olive oil and bake at 350 until lightly golden brown and puffy.
• 6. when you remove it from the oven it will be kind of puffy take a spoon and smash it down to break the top all over, brush with melted butter, then sprinkle with a little water all over the top, cover with a towel for 5 minutes. Then cut and serve with a salad of feta cheese and slices of cucumber, onion and tomatoes.

PIZZA

Steps:

• Mix together the yeast and sugar with 250ml warm water and leave to sit for 10 mins. Place half the flour in a table-top mixer with a dough hook, pour in the yeast mixture and beat at medium speed for 10 mins (or mix in a bowl, then knead with oiled hands in the bowl for 5-10 mins).
• Leave somewhere warm for 10 more mins, then add the remaining flour and oil. Beat or knead to a dough for a further 5 mins. Put in a well-oiled bowl, cover with a cloth and place somewhere warm to double in size - about 1½ hrs.
• For the sauce, heat the oil in a pan over a moderate heat. Add the onion and cook for 3 mins, stirring constantly. Add the garlic, 1 tsp sea salt and 1 tsp ground black pepper and cook for 2 mins more. Add the tomatoes and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for a good 20 mins, stirring occasionally.
• Once your dough has doubled in size, slap it down on a lightly floured surface and knead for 4 mins until soft but not too elastic. Divide into 6 pieces, roll into balls and leave to rest for 10 mins. Heat oven to the highest temperature possible (270C fan in the Good Food test kitchen) and place a flat baking sheet in the oven.
• With a well-floured rolling pin, roll out each ball of dough as thinly as possible. Remove the baking sheet from the oven, oil or dust with flour, then carefully transfer the dough base onto it. Spread over some of the tomato sauce (I like to apply it in the quantity that you would spread Marmite on toast, or the base will be soft and fall to bits), then the cheese and any toppings you desire.
• Cook for between 5-10 mins depending on your oven temp, until the base is crisp and the cheese melted. Scatter with basil.

ALBANIAN SPINACH PIE (BYREK ME SPINAQ OR PITE)

Steps:

• (NOTE: A round cake or pie pan is recommended because it's more authentic but any similar sized pan will do).
• Brush the pan with some of the oil, and start laying the filo leaves inside. First, lay two leaves, sprinkle or brush with oil, then lay two other leaves, and repeat the procedure until HALF of the leaves are laid. Make sure that they cover the pan by hanging them about one inch over the edges of the pan. Change directions, so that the entire pan is evenly covered.
• Sprinkle spinach with salt, then mix well by hand. Let sit for a minute.
• Add the feta cheese, onions, eggs and stir.
• Spread spinach mixture over the filo leaves in the pan.
• Cover the spinach with the rest of the pastry leaves repeating the first-half procedure.
• Roll the hanging edges of the bottom leaves over the pie (think of a pizza crust), sprinkle top with oil.
• Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve hot.

PIZZA - ALBANIAN STYLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 F. Put a frying pan on medium heat and add 2 tbsp of olive oil. Once the oil is warm add the onions and cook on low for about 1 hour until they are caramelized.
• Break the tomatoes into rustic coarse pieces and then add to the onions. Next add the herbs and remove the pan from heat. Stir well and set aside until needed.
• Grease a 13x9 pan with olive oil and set aside until you are ready.
• Cover your phyllo with a slightly damp tea towel. This will keep the phyllo from drying out, while you are quickly assembling the pizza.
• Place one sheet of phyllo dough at a time across the bottom of the baking dish, allow the phyllo to drape over the sides of the baking dish.
• Now brush the entire sheet with olive oil. Continue to do this until you have 5 sheets on the bottom of the dish.
• Next, add 1/3 cup of the tomato and onion mixture evenly over the phyllo dough in the baking dish. Then add another 3 sheets of phyllo dough, that have been brushed all over with olive oil. And again, add 1/3 cup of the tomato and onion mixture evenly over the phyllo dough in the baking dish. And now add another 3 sheets of phyllo dough, that have been brushed all over with olive oil. Next, add 1/3 cup of the tomato and onion mixture evenly over the phyllo dough in the baking dish. Then add another 3 sheets of phyllo dough, that have been brushed all over with olive oil. Lastly, add 1/3 cup of the tomato and onion mixture evenly over the phyllo dough in the baking dish. Then add your last layer of 3 sheets of phyllo dough, that have been brushed all over with olive oil.
• You can now fold the draped sides of the phyllo dough, rolling inward to form a crust for the pizza.
• Bake for 20-30 minutes, don't forget to check the pie as phyllo burns quickly. Once the pie has a beautiful golden crust, take it out of the oven and cool slightly before enjoying.