Fried small pita -Albanian petulla me veze

Ingredients:

• 1 1/3 warm water
• 1/2 Tbs salt
• 1Tbs yeast
• 3 1/3 cups of flour
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup of canola or any vegetable oil for frying                                                                                                                                                                 

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 Preparation:
Mix  the first tree ingredients in a large bowl in the same order as they appear in the list with a wooden spoon. Gradually stir in the 3 cups of flour and continue stir in until you get a smooth batter. Meanwhile whisk eggs in a small bowl for few few seconds and add this to the batter. At this moment stir in the 1/3 of the flour left and beat the butter for 2-3 minutes.The batter should be more to the thicker side. Cover the bowel and let sit for 15-20 minutes. In a skillet heat 1/2 cup of oil over medium high and scoop one spoon of batter after the other leaving space enough from each other. Fry for one minute on each  side or until you see golden brown. Keep adding oil until needed. The skillet should not be with out oil during frying the batter or small pita or petulla.

Note: When you get a scoop of the batter it should not droop of the spoon as easily .
          The heat should be always constant to medium high
          Always leave space between spoonful butter to the other on frying skillet

Baked spaggeti with milk and eggs-Pasticio

Ingredients:

•  2 cups of 2 % milk 
•  3/4 of a package of spaghetti
• 3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese ( goat , cow or sheep )
• 4 Tbs of stick butter cut in cubes
• 1 Tsp salt
• black pepper as desired
• 4 eggs 

Preparation:
Level: very easy
Serving: 4to 6

Preheat oven on 385 degrees F
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti to the boiling water and cook for half of the amount what it says on the package label. Example if the label says 11to 12 min then our  spaghetti has to be cooked for 6 min. After boiling  for half the amount of time drain them in a colander, and pour them into a baking pan. Spread the pasta evenly throughout the pan, then add crumbled cheese and butter all over it. Meanwhile in a medium bowl whisk eggs, milk, salt and black pepper, and pour this mixture on the top of the pasta on the baking pan.The mixture has to be covering the pasta on the baking pan, if not you can add some more milk. Bake for 1to 1 1/2 hour or until lightly brown to reddish color and serve immediately.

Note: You also can use bechamel sauce to pour on top before baking the dish.
 

 

Oven Baked Lamb with Yogurt Sauce

This recipe in Albanian is called Tave Kosi, Tave Elbasani or in English Lamb Yogurt Sauce. There are two ways of  make it depending on where you live and what kind of meat you use. I am trying to publish this old authentic recipe mostly for Albanians that live in America or other countries, so they can enjoy their authentic cuisine. Albanian cooking is influenced a lot from years under Ottoman occupation. Lamb or sheep meats are widely used in my country in many different recipes. Here is the way my mom made it. I will try to preserve her way of making it.

Level: Very Easy 
Serving: 4

Ingredients:

• 2 lb of lamb leg with bone, roasted lamb shoulder or leg steaks
• 3 Tbsp. of flour
• 1 Tbsp. of salt divided between the meat and the yogurt sauce
• 1/2 Tsp. of black pepper
• 5 cups of yogurt
• 4 eggs
• 4 Tbsp. of butter cubed

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 385 degrees F. Cut the lamb in small pieces and place them in a 4 quart pot.  Add water until the meat is covered. Boil the lamb on medium heat until the broth reduces to 1 cup. Right before the broth reaches reducing point, season it with 1/2 Tsp. of salt and 1/2 Tsp. of pepper. Remove the pot from the heat and let it cool for 10 minutes. After the lamb is cooled put it in a baking pan. In a separate bowl whisk together the broth and the flour until the mixture is smooth. Meanwhile, in a large bowl whisk together the eggs, 1/2 Tsp. salt and yogurt. Continue to whisk them together to a yogurt sauce consistency. Pour the yogurt sauce on the top of the meat and add the butter cubes. Season it with black pepper and bake it in a preheated oven on 385 degree for 1 and 1/2 hour.

Before baking

After baking