ROMANIAN TRADITIONAL FOODScoala Baneasa Giurgiu

APETIZERS:

Eggplant salat (it can be used as a

filling for stuffed tomatoes)

Cooking time: about 1 hour 20 minutes ( roasting: 40-45 minutes, straining 30 minutes, preparing the salad: 10 minutes)

 Makes: 6-8 servings Ingredients: 4 middle sized eggplants

4-5 tablespoons olive oil 

1 medium onion  1 teaspoon lemon juice   salt

Dress a large baking sheet with aluminum foil. (This will greatly help with the cleaning process).

Preheat the oven and roast the eggplants for about 40-45 minutes turning periodically such that all sides become roasted black.

Peel the eggplants while they are still warm, then drain using a strainer for at least half an hour.

Mash the strained eggplants with a mixer and continue mixing while adding the olive oil one tablespoon at a time.

Chop the onion very finely or grated into a paste (you can use a food chopper on a finest setting).

Add the onion into the mix, and season with salt and lemon (taste and adjust the seasoning). Note that adding a bit more salt always enhances all the other flavors.

Serve in a serving bowl. You can decorate with olives, and thin slices of tomatoes or red pepper.

SOUPS: TRIPE SOUP

Tripe soup or ciorba de burta is one of the classic Romanian dishes

Cooking time: 2 hours and 15 minutes (preparation: 15 minutes; boiling: 2 hours)

 Makes: 6 servings Ingredients:  2 pounds tripe  1 carrot  1 celery root  1 parsley root  1 onion  peppercorns (black pepper) 4-5 tablespoons sour cream  4-5 garlic cloves  3 tablespoons apple vinegar

Scrub and wash three times the tripe (two times with hot water and last time with cold water).

Put the vegetables and the tripe in a large pot with cold salted water. Simmer for 2 hours at low heat.

Drain the tripe and let it cool. Set aside the vegetables.  Cut the tripe into thin stripes and put it back in the

broth. Add the sour cream and some minced garlic. Season it with more sour cream, vinegar, salt or

minced garlic (taste and adjust the seasoning). Serve with hot peppers on the side.

LAMB STEW

Stufat de miel in Romanian.

It’s a traditional food for Easter.

Cooking time: 30-40 minutes (preparation: 10 minutes; cooking: 20-30 minutes)

Makes: 6 servings Ingredients: 2 pounds lamb ribs 4 fresh scallion bunches

2 fresh green garlic bunches

2-3 tablespoons tomato paste salt for seasoning

2-3 tablespoons olive oil

Wash and chop the onions and the garlic.

Heat the olive oil in a big pot and saute together the meat with the onion and garlic.

Add water and simmer for about 20 minutes.

Add the tomato paste and simmer a couple more minutes.

Season with salt and (optionally - if you like more spicy foods) with ground black pepper.

DESSERT: BIRDS MILK LAPTE DE PASARE

It has a funny name but it’s good!

Preparation time: 1 hour

Makes: 8 servings Ingredients: 1 quart  milk 6 large eggs 200 g sugar vanilla extract 1 teaspoon flour Preparation: Separate the yolks from the egg whites in different bowls.  Beet the egg whites until they become stiff and fluffy. Add half of the sugar and beet again with the mixer. Bring to a boil the milk in which you added couple of drops of vanilla extract. Reduce heat and simmer. With a tablespoon, place the egg whites in the milk, leave for 1 1/2 minute then turn on the other side

and leave again for 1 1/2 minutes. Remove the whites with a strainer on a separate bowl and skim the milk.

Mix yolks with the rest of the sugar and 1 teaspoon flour.  Pour slowly the vanilla milk on the mixture stirring continuously.  Bring the mixture to a boil for 1 minute. Set aside and add the egg whites on top of the milk. Let it cool and refrigerate. Serve cold.

Pofta buna!!!