The Sofra Kitchen

The Sofra Kitchen is the editorial byline of an independent food publication about Albanian, Balkan and Mediterranean home cooking.

Our recipes are written for everyday kitchens: ingredients you can find in a normal supermarket, clear steps, honest timings, and notes on the traditional way of doing things where it differs.

Recipes by The Sofra Kitchen

Spaghetti topped with a fresh heirloom tomato and basil sauce

Italian

Simple Pasta al Pomodoro

Spaghetti in a glossy tomato, garlic and basil sauce. Proof that simple is best.

35 minEasy

A slice of vanilla yogurt loaf cake with a golden crust on a plate

Balkan

Easy Yogurt Cake (Kek me Kos)

A soft, moist one-bowl loaf with lemon and vanilla. No mixer, no fuss.

1 hr 35 minEasy

Roasted zucchini, yellow squash and red and yellow bell peppers on a baking tray

Mediterranean

Mediterranean Roasted Vegetables

Colorful vegetables roasted until sweet and caramelized. A side, a salad or a main.

50 minEasy

Balkan

Balkan Bean Stew (Pasul / Fasule)

Slow-simmered beans with paprika and bay — thrifty, hearty and even better the next day.

10 hrs 20 minEasy

Menemen — eggs scrambled into tomatoes and peppers — in a small copper pan next to a glass of ayran

Turkish

Turkish Menemen (Eggs with Tomatoes and Peppers)

Soft eggs in a jammy tomato and pepper sauce. Serve it in the pan with lots of bread.

20 minEasy

Greek

Greek-Style Village Salad (Horiatiki)

Tomatoes, cucumber, olives and a whole slab of feta. The real thing has no lettuce.

15 minEasy

Plate of lemon and oregano chicken pieces with salad, olives and a pepper

Mediterranean

Easy Mediterranean Chicken with Lemon and Oregano

Lemon, garlic and oregano chicken seared until golden. A weeknight winner in 30 minutes.

52 minEasy

Shopska salad of diced tomato, cucumber and pepper topped with finely grated white cheese

Balkan

Traditional Balkan Salad (Shopska Salad)

Tomato, cucumber and pepper under a snowfall of grated white cheese. Ready in 15 minutes.

15 minEasy

A baked pepper stuffed with minced meat and rice, served on a white plate with its cooking juices

Albanian

Albanian Stuffed Peppers with Meat and Rice

Peppers filled with beef, rice and mint, baked slowly in tomato broth. Best with cold yogurt.

1 hr 50 minMedium

Fërgesë in a clay dish: peppers, tomatoes and melted gjizë cheese with pieces of meat

Albanian

Albanian Fërgesë with Peppers and Cheese

Roasted peppers, tomatoes and creamy cheese baked until bubbling. Scoop it up with warm bread.

1 hr 5 minEasy

Albanian

Albanian Qofte (Meatballs with Mint and Feta)

Juicy, crisp-edged meatballs with mint and feta. Great with yogurt, salad and fries.

1 hr 15 minEasy

Tavë kosi in a clay dish — lamb baked under a golden, puffed yogurt and egg topping

Albanian

Tavë Kosi — Traditional Albanian Lamb & Yogurt

Tender lamb under a puffed, golden yogurt custard — Albania's much-loved national dish.

2 hrs 15 minMedium

Homemade spinach and cheese byrek in a round baking pan, with one slice cut to show the green filling between golden layers of pastry

Albanian

Authentic Albanian Byrek with Spinach and Cheese

Buttery, flaky layers around a spinach, feta and gjizë filling — the classic Albanian savory pie.

1 hr 35 minMedium

Articles by The Sofra Kitchen

A table set with many small Mediterranean mezze dishes, including stuffed vine leaves, hummus and salads

Guides

15 Mediterranean Foods That Are Easy to Make at Home

Fifteen simple, everyday Mediterranean dishes — no special equipment, no hard-to-find ingredients.

2 min read

Round tray of layered byrek cut into wedges

Food History

The History Behind Albanian Byrek

From Ottoman kitchens to the corner byrektore: how a layered pastry became part of everyday Albanian life.

2 min read

Albanian Food

What Is Tavë Kosi? Albania's Baked Lamb and Yogurt, Explained

Lamb, yogurt, eggs and a clay dish: what tavë kosi is, where it comes from, and why it's called Albania's national dish.

2 min read

A plate of traditional Albanian dishes served at a restaurant in Krujë, Albania

Albanian Food

10 Traditional Albanian Foods You Need to Try

Byrek, tavë kosi, fërgesë, flija and more: a friendly guide to the dishes that define Albanian home cooking.

3 min read