Ghivetch ( bg, гювеч, , ro, ghiveci, , fa, دیزی٫ tr, güveç, bs, đuveč, , mk, ѓувеч, , sr, ђувеч, ) is a traditional

Balkan The Balkans ( ), also known as the Balkan Peninsula, is a geographical area in southeastern Europe with various geographical and historical definitions. The region takes its name from the Balkan Mountains that stretch throughout the who ...

autumn vegetable stew most closely associated with Romania, where it is a

national dish A national dish is a culinary dish that is strongly associated with a particular country. A dish can be considered a national dish for a variety of reasons: * It is a staple food, made from a selection of locally available foodstuffs that can be ...

, and Bulgaria. It is traditionally cooked in an earthenware pot called a güveç. It is often made only with vegetables, though some versions include meat, fish, or poultry. The ''Washington Post'' in 1985 called it "one of the world's great vegetable melanges". Mimi Sheraton called it "really the last word in vegetable stews".

Origins

Ghivetch is known throughout the Balkans as a traditional autumn vegetable stew, but it is most closely associated with Romania and Bulgaria. It is a national dish of Romania, where it is called ''ghiveci''.

Ingredients

Ghivetch is often made only with vegetables, sometimes as many as 40, but versions exist that include meat, fish, poultry and dairy. In the Western Balkans it is often consumed with rice. Mimi Sheraton, writing in the ''Wall Street Journal'', described it as traditionally including "some pleasing pucker" from the inclusion of grape leaves or other sour ingredients such as

sour salt Citric acid is an organic compound with the chemical formula HOC(CO2H)(CH2CO2H)2. It is a colorless weak organic acid. It occurs naturally in citrus fruits. In biochemistry, it is an intermediate in the citric acid cycle, which occurs i ...

, and

paprika Paprika ( US , ; UK , ) is a spice made from dried and ground red peppers. It is traditionally made from ''Capsicum annuum'' varietals in the Longum group, which also includes chili peppers, but the peppers used for paprika tend to be milder an ...

, either hot or sweet.

Preparation and serving

Traditionally the stew is prepared in a clay pot called a güveç, duvech, or gyuvech; in Greece the pot is called yiouvetsi. According to Paula Wolfert the pot is "beloved for its ability to impart a great earthy taste and aroma". Traditionally the dish is assembled at home, then taken to a local bakery, and delivered to the customer by a delivery boy wearing a cushion on his head. Truck delivery has replaced the delivery boys. Some specialty bakeries allow customers to order ghivetch to be assembled by the bakery rather than by the customer at home; customers return the empty pot to the bakery. Ghivetch can be served hot or cold. It is sometimes pureed. It is often garnished with sour cream or yogurt.

Importance

The ''Washington Post'' in 1985 called it "one of the world's great vegetable melanges", along with Buddha's delight, ratatouille, and moussaka. ''The New York Times'' in 1977 specifically distinguished it as one of the mixed-vegetable stews characteristic of various cuisines. Sheraton called it "really the last word in vegetable stews" and included it in her book ''1000 Foods to Eat Before You Die''.

Similar and related dishes

Other mixed-vegetable dishes

* Buddha's delight * Lecsó * Leipziger allerlei * Locro de choclo * Maque choux * Moussaka * Succotash * Ratatouille

References

{{Reflist Bulgarian cuisine Romanian cuisine Vegetable dishes National dishes