Most cultures have their special version of the humble crépe, in the Balkans they’re called palachinki. Like other traditional recipes this one calls for a couple of basic ingredients, so you can make them at any time. Unlike the French who like their’s Suzette, I like my baba’s unique garlic and walnut dipping sauce.

If your not up for the robust taste of raw garlic, you can always opt to eat them plain with homemade jam or perhaps smothered with nutella and rolled up. Occasionally I go for ajvar (chilli spread) and a generous amount of crumbled feta…yum!!! However you like to eat your palachinki I encourage you to try this recipe, the combination of garlic and walnuts is really interesting and delicious too.

With lent in full swing, many Christians are fasting and eliminating all meat and dairy for a vegan diet. The last week of lent calls for leaving oil out too! Palachinki are a common staple during this period. Simply leave out the egg and milk (and the oil during the final week) and add a little more water.

Continue reading Balkan-style Crépes (Palachinki)

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Unfortunately, I don’t have a traditional Irish recipe to share with you today, but as it is my Dad’s birthday, I thought I would share one of his favourite meals.

Polneti Piperki are dear to the hearts of many, including my husband who just can’t seem to get enough of them. In fact, they are so popular that they could almost be considered a national dish in Macedonia.

I have been religiously perfecting my way of cooking Polneti Piperki for the last three years. This recipe is based on variations from three very dear women in my life, my baba (grandmother), mum and mother-in-law. What I have tried to do is take the best from all three recipes and add a couple of my own additions too.

I like to serve Poneti Piperki for dinner parties in the middle of the table with a garden salad and fresh crusty bread. Friends always love how rustic it looks and can’t wait to dig into this old favourite. Polneti Piperki also make an easy weeknight re-heat meal when made on a Sunday night.

Continue reading Stuffed Capsicums (Polneti Piperki)

I was wondering how many recipes exist with feta as the hero ingredient. My family alone has over a dozen favourites. Enter, new favourite feta recipe from Rasht, north of Iran. This pancake recipe, which is more like a cheese slice is quick and easy to prepare and seriously tastes heavenly.

I made this pancake before heading over to see a friend, she has a young baby and is way too busy to prepare lunch so I took along a couple of slices. We enjoyed it with a garden salad and my homemade lutenka and it was sensational!

Traditionally served as an apetiser, it also makes a delightful light lunch.

Continue reading Heavenly Cheese Pancake (Kookooye Panir)

I’ve mentioned lutenka as an accompaniment in many recipes (chevapi, kjofte, maznik, pitulici) so I thought it was fitting to share my baba’s (grandmother) recipe.

There are oodles of mass produced options available in select delis, as lutenka, or lutenica as it is also referred to is popular across the Balkans, but nothing beats this homemade version.

Traditionally made with only red banana chillies, I had a heap of green ones lying around that I decided to put to good use and it tasted just as good. If you don’t have banana chillies, you can always use capsicums.

Continue reading Rustic Tomato and Chilli Spread (Lutenka)

Thanks to the popularity of 5 Minute Tiramisu, here’s another super-quick 5 minute recipe.

Seeing I still have an abundance of fresh figs from my parents fruitful fig tree, I thought I’d share one of my favourite ways to enjoy this ancient fruit.

Some prefer figs raw, but in my opinion the best way to enjoy them is cooked, as it only takes a few minutes for the flesh to collapse and caramelise into heavenly goodness.

Although this salad looks fancy, you can almost prepare it with your eyes closed. It’s simply a matter of assembly, however the secret to it tasting amazing is using top quality extra virgin olive oil, balsamic and goats cheese. Adding toasted walnuts/pine nuts is optional and takes a few extra minutes, but if you’re out to impress it’s well worth it!

Continue reading 5 Minute Fancy Fig Salad

It’s likely this recipe is hundreds, even thousands of years old as there is nothing complicated about the ingredients. I guess that’s what I love most about traditional recipes, basic kitchen staples are magically transformed into the most exotic meals.

Ashe Mast originates from the Middle East, it translates as “Thick Yoghurt Soup” and is widely popular throughout Iran. Traditionally, Ashe Mast is served as an entree, although I think it makes a delightful main.
Curious about how yoghurt and rice would work in soup, I was pleasantly surprised. The best way I can describe this stew is as a creamy risotto with a tangy Middle Eastern feel. And like any good stew the flavour seems to improve overnight.

As a family recipe there are many variations. The version I made included all three herbs, coriander, dill and mint, plus leek. However it can be made with just dill and no leek, you can even leave out the meat for a vegetarian soup. If you’re not a fan of coriander you could try replacing with parsley, I think it’d still taste delicious.

This soup transported me to the Middle East, it’s like nothing I have ever tried before, but there was something familiar and comforting about it, I loved it!

Continue reading Persian Yoghurt Soup (Ashe Mast)

With summer on the way out, the supply of garden chillies is slowly dwindling. A really quick and yummy way to enjoy them is this no fuss vegetarian recipe of baked chillies stuffed with feta.

The delightful combination oozy egg, feta and cottage cheese makes for a tasty light lunch or appetiser.

Continue reading Baked Chillies Stuffed with Feta (Polneti Piperki so Sirenje)

You may have noticed changes taking place at Village Feast. Thanks to feedback received this year, some very exciting improvements are being made to the Village Feast home page. A recipe star rating has been included so that you can rate your favourite recipes.

Additionally, the ‘Share a Recipe’ function will make it even easier for you to record your family recipes. The changes are still in progress and there are still a couple of issues which should be ironed out in the coming weeks

Thanks again for your ongoing support and patience.

Continue reading Times are a changin’

The secret to beautiful tasting eggplant is two-part. Firstly, select firm, medium sized fruit with unblemished skin, rather than extra large ones with wrinkly skin. Secondly, it must be cooked until the flesh collapses and is soft and mushy, under-cooking it will result in spongy and flavourless eggplant.

Grilling eggplant is a perfect way to enjoy its flavour. Team with thinly sliced garlic and a scattering of fresh parsley for a quick and delicious summer side dish.

Continue reading Summertime Grilled Eggplant

So you’ve just found out that people are coming over for afternoon tea and you have nothing to give them. What you do have are some kitchen staples; flour, sugar, eggs, milk and vegetable oil.

So in the 20 minutes it would take you to get in your car, find a park, pick a cake and get back home you could already have one baking away in the oven and at a fraction of the cost.

Here’s a really quick and yummy Eastern European teacake everyone should try. The recipe comes from my mum’s neighbour, who inherited it from a friend some 29 years ago, so it’s great that her recipe can be shared here at Village Feast.

It’s quite a dense and doughy cake which smells and tastes a little like doughnuts; thanks to the cinnamon sugar. The good thing is that it’s relatively low in fat (there’s no butter!) and there are tons of variations, you can add lemon rind, drizzle with syrup or sprinkle with icing sugar, you could even try making little cupcakes for the kids.

Continue reading Quick Euro Teacake