Serbian cuisine ( sr, српска кухиња / srpska kuhinja) is a

Balkan cuisine Balkan cuisine is a type of regional cuisine that combines characteristics of European cuisine with some of those from Western Asia. It is found in the Balkan Peninsula of Southeast Europe, a region without clear boundaries but which is generally ...

that consists of the culinary methods and traditions of

Serbia Serbia (, ; Serbian: , , ), officially the Republic of Serbia (Serbian: , , ), is a landlocked country in Southeastern and Central Europe, situated at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin and the Balkans. It shares land borders with Hungar ...

. Its roots lie in Serbian history, including centuries of cultural contact and influence with the Greeks and the

Byzantine Empire The Byzantine Empire, also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantium, was the continuation of the Roman Empire primarily in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, when its capital city was Constantinopl ...

, the Ottomans, and Serbia's Balkan neighbours, especially during the existence of

Yugoslavia Yugoslavia (; sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=" / ", Jugoslavija, Југославија ; sl, Jugoslavija ; mk, Југославија ;; rup, Iugoslavia; hu, Jugoszlávia; rue, label=Pannonian Rusyn, Югославия, translit=Juhoslavija ...

. Historically, Serbian food develops from pastoral customs that involved the keeping of sheep in mountain highlands, in a climate and regional context that favoured animal husbandry over vegetable farming; Serbian food is therefore traditionally richer in animal products and basic grains - corn, wheat and oats, than fresh vegetable dishes. Following the abandon of widely practiced pastoral lifestyles, Serbian food emerges through the middle ages heavily dependant not on lamb or mutton, but on the keeping of pigs for the annual cull and the production of various cured meats - sausages, bacon and ham products. The

Serbian government The Government of Serbia ( sr, Влада Србије, Vlada Srbije), formally the Government of the Republic of Serbia ( sr, Влада Републике Србије, Vlada Republike Srbije), commonly abbreviated to Serbian Government ( sr, � ...

has passed laws banning the production and import of

genetically modified foods Genetically modified foods (GM foods), also known as genetically engineered foods (GE foods), or bioengineered foods are foods produced from organisms that have had changes introduced into their DNA using the methods of genetic engineering. Gene ...

, a legislative decision which has been applauded by environmentalists but caused a long-running dispute with the

World Trade Organization The World Trade Organization (WTO) is an intergovernmental organization that regulates and facilitates international trade. With effective cooperation in the United Nations System, governments use the organization to establish, revise, and ...

, preventing Serbia from being able to join the WTO.

Overview

Pita savijača (Rolled pie, Serbian cuisine)

National dishes of Serbia include sarma (a mix of ground pork or beef with rice rolled in leaves of cabbage),

gibanica Gibanica ( sr-cyr, Гибаница, ) is a traditional pastry dish popular all over the Balkans. It is usually made with cottage cheese and eggs. Recipes can range from sweet to savoury, and from simple to festive and elaborate multi-layered ...

(an egg and cheese pie made with filo dough),

pljeskavica Pljeskavica ( sr-cyr, Пљескавица, ) is a Serbian grilled dish consisting of a spiced meat patty mixture of pork, beef and lamb. It is one of the national dishes of Serbia and is very popular in the neighbouring Balkan and former Yugos ...

(a ground beef or pork patty),

ćevapi Ćevapi (, ), ćevapčići (formal: diminutive; , ) is a grilled dish of minced meat found traditionally in the countries of southeast Europe (the Balkans). It is considered a national dish of Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and is also common ...

(grilled meat), paprikaš (a soup made of paprika), gulaš ( soup of meat and vegetables usually seasoned with paprika and other spices) and

Karađorđeva šnicla Karađorđe's schnitzel ( sr, Карађорђева шницла/''Karađorđeva šnicla'') is a Serbian breaded cutlet dish named after the Serbian revolutionary Karađorđe. It is a rolled veal or pork steak, stuffed with '' kajmak,'' and the ...

(a schnitzel). The national drink is rakia (various traditional fruit brandies). With Serbia being located on the crossroads between East and West, its cuisine has gathered elements from different cooking styles across the Middle East and Europe to develop its own hearty gastronomy with an intricate balance of rich meats, vegetables, breads, cheese, fresh pastries, and desserts. It has much in common with the cuisines of neighboring Balkan countries; its flavors are mild, fresh, and natural. Seasonings are usually salt, black pepper, and paprika, while ingredients are known for being fresh and high-quality.

Seasonal food Seasonal food refers to the times of year when the harvest or the flavour of a given type of food is at its peak. This is usually the time when the item is harvested, with some exceptions; an example being sweet potatoes which are best eaten qu ...

is an important element of Serbian cuisine, thus many dishes are strongly associated with a specific time of the year. The average Serbian eats three meals a day: breakfast,

lunch Lunch is a meal eaten around the middle of the day. It is commonly the second meal of the day, after breakfast, and varies in size by culture and region. Etymology According to the ''Oxford English Dictionary'' (''OED''), the etymology ...

, and

dinner Dinner usually refers to what is in many Western cultures the largest and most formal meal of the day, which is eaten in the evening. Historically, the largest meal used to be eaten around midday, and called dinner. Especially among the elite ...

—with lunch being the largest. However, traditionally, only lunch and dinner existed, with breakfast being introduced in the second half of the 19th century. A number of foods which are usually bought in the West are often made at home in Serbia. These include

rakija Rakia, Rakija, Rachiu or Raki (), is the collective term for fruit spirits (or fruit brandy) popular in the Balkans. The alcohol content of rakia is normally 40% ABV, but home-produced rakia can be stronger (typically 50%). Etymology Fruit sp ...

, slatko,

jam Jam is a type of fruit preserve. Jam or Jammed may also refer to: Other common meanings * A firearm malfunction * Block signals ** Radio jamming ** Radar jamming and deception ** Mobile phone jammer ** Echolocation jamming Arts and ente ...

, jelly, and various

pickled foods Pickling is the process of preserving or extending the shelf life of food by either anaerobic fermentation in brine or immersion in vinegar. The pickling procedure typically affects the food's texture and flavor. The resulting food is calle ...

—notably

turšija Torshi ( fa, ترشی, lit=sourness, translit=torshi) are the pickled vegetables of many Middle Eastern and Balkan cuisines. Torshi is common in Arab, Turkish, Kurdish, Afghan, Bosnian, Armenian and Iranian cuisine. Iran has hundreds of types ...

ajvar Ajvar ( ; Cyrillic script: Ajвар, Aйвар) is a condiment made principally from sweet bell peppers and eggplants. The relish became a popular side dish throughout Yugoslavia after World War II and is popular in Southeast Europe. Homemad ...

, or

sausage A sausage is a type of meat product usually made from ground meat—often pork, beef, or poultry—along with salt, spices and other flavourings. Other ingredients, such as grains or breadcrumbs may be included as fillers or extenders. ...

s. The reasons for this range from economical to cultural. Food preparation is a strong part of the Serbian family tradition.

History

Krušedol monk of the Serbian Orthodox Church Jerotej, wrote the oldest modern Serbian cookbook in 1855. The first published cookbook in Serbia is The Big Serbian Cookbook (''Велики српски кувар''), written by Katarina Popović-Midzina in 1877. The best known Serbian cookbook is Pata's Cookbook (''Патин кувар''), written by Spasenija Pata Marković in 1907; the book remains in publication even today. An old Serbian legend says that during the time of the 14th-century Serbian Empire, under the rule of Stefan Uroš IV Dušan, meals in the Serbian palace were eaten with golden spoons and forks. Historians say that medieval Serbian cuisine mainly consisted of milk, dairy, produce, and vegetables. Not a lot of bread was eaten, but when it was, the rich ate bread made from wheat and the poor ate bread made from oats and rye. The only meat consumed was wild game, with cattle reserved for agricultural use.

Meals

Breakfast

Breakfast in Serbia is an early but hearty meal, rich in calories and carbohydrates, meant to provide one with an abundance of energy to start the day. Bread is frequently served with butter, jam, yogurt, sour cream, or cheese, accompanied by bacon, sausage, salami, eggs, or

kajmak Kaymak, sarshir, or qashta/ashta ( fa, سَرشیر ) ( ar, قشطة or ar, قيمر ) is a creamy dairy food similar to clotted cream, made from the milk of water buffalo, cows, sheep, or goats in Central Asia, some Balkan countries, som ...

. Serbians often stop by a bakery in the morning for fresh pastries such as pogačice, paštete, kifle (which in Serbian usage may or may not be crescent-shaped, and may be sweet, but may also be sprinkled with salt crystals),

kifli Kifli, kiflice, kifle or kipferl is a traditional yeast bread roll that is rolled and formed into a crescent before baking. It is a common type of bread roll throughout much of central Europe and nearby countries, where it is called by different ...

ce, perece, , pletenice, štapići, zemičke, djevreci, mekike, and uštipci. Other common breakfast dishes include burek, kačamak, and cicvara (types of polenta) and popara,

proja Proja (Cyrillic: ''Проја'', ) is a Serbian dish made of corn flour, baking powder, sunflower oil, sparkling water and salt. Proya is an alternative name used in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It has been popular in times of widespread poverty, most ...

(cornbread), and čalabrca. Before breakfast most people usually have a cup of kava, or

espresso Espresso (, ) is a coffee-brewing method of Italian origin, in which a small amount of nearly boiling water (about ) is forced under of pressure through finely-ground coffee beans. Espresso can be made with a wide variety of coffee beans a ...

, and with the breakfast itself either tea, milk,

milk coffee Milk coffee is a category of coffee-based drinks made with milk. Johan Nieuhof, the Dutch ambassador to China, is credited as the first person to drink coffee with milk when he experimented with it around 1660. Varieties Antoccino An antoc ...

, or

chocolate milk Chocolate milk is a type of flavoured milk made by mixing cocoa solids with milk (either dairy or plant-based). It is a food pairing in which the milk's mouthfeel masks the dietary fibres of the cocoa solids. Types The liquid carbohydr ...

is served. File:Proja.jpg,

Proja Proja (Cyrillic: ''Проја'', ) is a Serbian dish made of corn flour, baking powder, sunflower oil, sparkling water and salt. Proya is an alternative name used in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It has been popular in times of widespread poverty, most ...

File:Meat burek (GAK bakery, Belgrade, Serbia).jpg, Burek File:Кифле.jpg,

Kifli Kifli, kiflice, kifle or kipferl is a traditional yeast bread roll that is rolled and formed into a crescent before baking. It is a common type of bread roll throughout much of central Europe and nearby countries, where it is called by different ...

ce File:Kulesha&brunza.jpg, Kačamak File:Попара (Popara).jpg, Popara File:Kajgana (sremska kuhinja).jpg, Kajgana

Appetizers

Meze Meze or mezza (, ) is a selection of small dishes served as appetizers in the Levantine cuisine, Levant, Turkish cuisine, Turkey, Greek cuisine, Greece, the Balkan cuisine, Balkans, the Caucasian cuisine, Caucasus and Iranian cuisine, Iran. It i ...

is an assortment of small dishes and appetizers, though, unlike the Middle Eastern meze, it does not usually include cooked dishes, and is therefore more similar to Italian

antipasto Antipasto (plural antipasti) is the traditional first course of a formal Italian meal. Usually made of bite-size small portions and served on a platter from which everyone serves themselves, the purpose of antipasti is to stimulate the appeti ...

. A Serbian meze typically includes slices of cured meats and sausages, cheeses, olives, fresh vegetables, and zimnica. Meze is served either to accompany alcoholic drinks or as a starter before a soup on bigger meals. File:Antipasto 01 (RaBoe).jpg,

File:Mixed turshu.jpg, Zimnica File:Antipasto all'italiana.jpg,

File:Mixed Pickles (9370-72).jpg, Zimnica File:Srpsko predjelo.JPG,

Soups

Soups are eaten as an entrée at almost every lunch. They are considered to be very important for good health. There are two types of soups in Serbian cuisine: thin soups called ''supa'', and thicker soups with

roux Roux () is a mixture of flour and fat cooked together and used to thicken sauces. Roux is typically made from equal parts of flour and fat by weight. The flour is added to the melted fat or oil on the stove top, blended until smooth, and cook ...

or eggs called ''čorba''. The most common ones are simple pottages made of

beef Beef is the culinary name for meat from cattle (''Bos taurus''). In prehistoric times, humankind hunted aurochs and later domesticated them. Since that time, numerous breeds of cattle have been bred specifically for the quality or quantit ...

offal Offal (), also called variety meats, pluck or organ meats, is the organs of a butchered animal. The word does not refer to a particular list of edible organs, which varies by culture and region, but usually excludes muscle. Offal may also refe ...

poultry Poultry () are domesticated birds kept by humans for their eggs, their meat or their feathers. These birds are most typically members of the superorder Galloanserae (fowl), especially the order Galliformes (which includes chickens, quails, ...

with added

noodles Noodles are a type of food made from unleavened dough which is either rolled flat and cut, stretched, or extruded, into long strips or strings. Noodles are a staple food in many cultures (for example, Chinese noodles, Filipino noodles, Ind ...

. Lamb, veal, and fish soups are considered delicacies.

Main course

The main course is most commonly a meat dish. Besides ''roštilj'' (barbecue) which is very popular, braising, stewing, and roasting in an oven are the most common cooking methods.

Roštilj (barbecue)

Grilling is very popular in Serbia. Grilled meats are the primary main course dishes offered in restaurants. They are commonly served as mixed grill on large oval plates. They are often also eaten as fast food. The cities of

Leskovac Leskovac (Serbian Cyrillic: Лесковац, ) is a city and the administrative center of the Jablanica District in southern Serbia. According to the 2022 census, City of Leskovac has a 124,889 inhabitants. Etymology Leskovac was historicall ...

and

Novi Pazar Novi Pazar ( sr-cyr, Нови Пазар, lit. "New Bazaar"; ) is a city located in the Raška District of southwestern Serbia. As of the 2011 census, the urban area has 66,527 inhabitants, while the city administrative area has 100,410 inhabit ...

are especially famous for their barbecue.

Bread

Bread is a staple of Serbian meals, and it is often treated almost ritually. A traditional Serbian welcoming is to offer the guest with

bread and salt Bread and salt is a welcome greeting ceremony in some Slavic, Nordic, Baltic, Balkan and other European cultures as well as in Middle Eastern cultures. It is also shared with some non-Slavic nations— Lithuanians, Latvians (both Baltic), R ...

; bread also plays an important role in

religious rituals Religion is usually defined as a social system, social-cultural system of designated religious behaviour, behaviors and practices, morality, morals, beliefs, worldviews, religious text, texts, sacred site, sanctified places, prophecy, prophecie ...

. Many Serbs believe that it is sinful to throw away bread regardless of how old it is. Although

pasta Pasta (, ; ) is a type of food typically made from an unleavened dough of wheat flour mixed with water or eggs, and formed into sheets or other shapes, then cooked by boiling or baking. Rice flour, or legumes such as beans or lentils, ar ...

rice Rice is the seed of the grass species '' Oryza sativa'' (Asian rice) or less commonly ''Oryza glaberrima'' (African rice). The name wild rice is usually used for species of the genera '' Zizania'' and '' Porteresia'', both wild and domesticat ...

potato The potato is a starchy food, a tuber of the plant ''Solanum tuberosum'' and is a root vegetable native to the Americas. The plant is a perennial in the nightshade family Solanaceae. Wild potato species can be found from the southern Unit ...

, and similar side dishes did enter the everyday cuisine over time, many Serbs still eat bread with meals. In most bakeries and shops, white

wheat Wheat is a grass widely cultivated for its seed, a cereal grain that is a worldwide staple food. The many species of wheat together make up the genus ''Triticum'' ; the most widely grown is common wheat (''T. aestivum''). The archaeologi ...

bread loaves (typically 0.5 kg) are sold. In modern times, black bread and various

graham bread Graham bread is a name for whole wheat bread that was inspired by the teachings of famous health reformer Sylvester Graham. History Sylvester Graham was a 19th-century health reformer who argued that a vegetarian diet, anchored by bread that w ...

variations have regained popularity. In many rural households bread is still baked in cast iron ovens, usually in bigger loaves. File:Simit (rectangular).jpg, Đevrek File:Srpska pogaca.jpg,

Soda bread Soda bread is a variety of quick bread traditionally made in a variety of cuisines in which sodium bicarbonate (otherwise known as "baking soda", or in Ireland, "bread soda") is used as a leavening agent instead of the traditional yeast. The i ...

File:Baton volgograd.jpg, Bread File:Pogacha.jpg, Pogača

Salads

In Serbia, salads are eaten as a side dish with the main course. The simplest of salads consist of sliced

lettuce Lettuce (''Lactuca sativa'') is an annual plant of the family Asteraceae. It is most often grown as a leaf vegetable, but sometimes for its stem and seeds. Lettuce is most often used for salads, although it is also seen in other kinds of food, ...

, cabbage,

tomato The tomato is the edible berry of the plant ''Solanum lycopersicum'', commonly known as the tomato plant. The species originated in western South America, Mexico, and Central America. The Mexican Nahuatl word gave rise to the Spanish word ...

, cucumber or carrot,

olives The olive, botanical name ''Olea europaea'', meaning 'European olive' in Latin, is a species of small tree or shrub in the family Oleaceae, found traditionally in the Mediterranean Basin. When in shrub form, it is known as ''Olea europaea'' 'M ...

with oil, vinegar, salt, and spices.

Relishes

Dairy

Dairy products are an important part of the Serbian diet. Fermented products such as

sour milk Soured milk denotes a range of food products produced by the acidification of milk. Acidification, which gives the milk a tart taste, is achieved either through bacterial fermentation or through the addition of an acid, such as lemon juice or vin ...

yogurt Yogurt (; , from tr, yoğurt, also spelled yoghurt, yogourt or yoghourt) is a food produced by bacterial fermentation of milk. The bacteria used to make yogurt are known as ''yogurt cultures''. Fermentation of sugars in the milk by these bac ...

and pavlaka are common breakfast foods, consumed daily. White cheeses, called ''

sir ''Sir'' is a formal honorific address in English for men, derived from Sire in the High Middle Ages. Both are derived from the old French "Sieur" (Lord), brought to England by the French-speaking Normans, and which now exist in French only as ...

'' are much more common in Serbia than yellow cheeses. There are numerous varieties, some of which have been awarded for their quality, such as the white cheese with walnuts from Babine, which won the 2012 "best autochtonic cheese" award. Serbian

Pule cheese Pule cheese or magareći sir, is a Serbian cheese made from 60% Balkan donkey milk and 40% goat's milk. The cheese is produced in Zasavica Nature Reserve, as conceived by Slobodan Simić, Zasavica Special Nature Reserve Manager and former Serbia ...

, made from donkey milk, is the most expensive cheese in the world. Although less common, several yellow cheese are locally produced.

Meat products

Traditional Serbian meat products are simple

ham Ham is pork from a leg cut that has been preserved by wet or dry curing, with or without smoking."Bacon: Bacon and Ham Curing" in ''Chambers's Encyclopædia''. London: George Newnes, 1961, Vol. 2, p. 39. As a processed meat, the term "ham ...

, bacon, dry ribs, and a kind of

pork rinds Pork rind is the culinary term for the skin of a pig. It can be used in many different ways. It can be rendered, fried in fat, baked, or roasted to produce a kind of pork cracklings (US) or scratchings (UK); these are served in small piece ...

called čvarci. They are usually produced every autumn or in early winter, during an event called '' svinjokolj'', where pigs are slaughtered and meat is preserved for the winter.

Cured meat Curing is any of various food preservation and flavoring processes of foods such as meat, fish and vegetables, by the addition of salt, with the aim of drawing moisture out of the food by the process of osmosis. Because curing increases the solu ...

s, bacon,

salo Salo or Salò may refer to: Places Finland *Salo, Finland, a town in Western Finland ** Salo sub-region, a subdivision of Finland Proper and one of the Sub-regions of Finland since 2009 *An old name of Saloinen, a former municipality in Ostrobot ...

, čvarci,

s such as krvavica, and

kulen Kulen () is a type of flavored sausage made of minced pork that is traditionally produced in Croatia (Slavonia) and Serbia (Vojvodina). A regional festival of Kulen is held annually in Bački Petrovac. A kind of kulen from Syrmia has had its d ...

are produced.

Offal Offal (), also called variety meats, pluck or organ meats, is the organs of a butchered animal. The word does not refer to a particular list of edible organs, which varies by culture and region, but usually excludes muscle. Offal may also refe ...

and cheaper cuts of meat are utilized as well, and made into processed products such as švargla. Serbian meat products—especially those which attained protected designation of originСписак ОГП
/ref> status—include: * Smoked

(''šunka'') ** Beef or pork (''užička pršuta''), from

Užice Užice ( sr-cyr, Ужице, ) is a city and the administrative centre of the Zlatibor District in western Serbia. It is located on the banks of the river Đetinja. According to the 2011 census, the city proper has a population of 59,747. The C ...

** Pastrma ** Zlatibor prosciutto (''zlatiborska pršuta''), from

Zlatibor Zlatibor ( sr-cyr, Златибoр ) is a mountainous region situated in the western part of Serbia. Among the most popular places in Serbia for tourism, Zlatibor's main attractions include health tourism, skiing, and hiking and the longest p ...

** Pečenica *

Salo (food) Salo or Slanina ( Russian and Ukrainian: сало, Belarusian: сала, Hungarian: szalonna, Polish: słonina, ro, slănină, Czech and Slovak: slanina, Carpatho-Rusyn: солонина/solonyna, lt, lašiniai, Bulgarian and Serbo-Croat ...

** Užice bacon (''užička slanina''), from

* Dry ribs *

Čvarci Čvarci (singular čvarak, sr-Cyrl, чварци / чварак, , , sl, ocvirki, ro, jumări, pl, skwarki, cz, škvarky, sk, škvarky, oškvarky, german: Grammeln, uk, шкварки, shkvarky, hu, töpörtyű, mk, Џимиринки) is ...

, pork rinds ** Duvan čvarci *** Valjevo duvan čvarci (''valjevski duvan čvarci''), from

Valjevo Valjevo (Serbian Cyrillic: Ваљево, ) is a city and the administrative center of the Kolubara District in western Serbia. According to the 2011 census, the administrative area of Valjevo had 90,312 inhabitants, 59,073 of whom were urban dwell ...

Various kinds of sausages and similar more complex meat products were created under Austrian influence in Vojvodina. They include: *

Sausage A sausage is a type of meat product usually made from ground meat—often pork, beef, or poultry—along with salt, spices and other flavourings. Other ingredients, such as grains or breadcrumbs may be included as fillers or extenders. ...

(''kobasica'') ** Srem sausage (''sremska domaća kobasica''), from

Srem Syrmia ( sh, Srem/Срем or sh, Srijem/Сријем, label=none) is a region of the southern Pannonian Plain, which lies between the Danube and Sava rivers. It is divided between Serbia and Croatia. Most of the region is flat, with the ex ...

** Srem salami (''sremska salama''), from

** Požarevac sausage (''požarevačka kobasica''), from

Požarevac Požarevac ( sr-cyr, Пожаревац, ) is a city and the administrative centre of the Braničevo District in eastern Serbia. It is located between three rivers: Danube, Great Morava and Mlava and below the hill Čačalica (208m). As of 2011 ...

** Petrovac sausage (''petrovačka kobasica''), from Petrovac ** Srpska kobasica (Serbian sausage) ** Njeguški pršut **

Kulen Kulen () is a type of flavored sausage made of minced pork that is traditionally produced in Croatia (Slavonia) and Serbia (Vojvodina). A regional festival of Kulen is held annually in Bački Petrovac. A kind of kulen from Syrmia has had its d ...

*** Srem kulen, from

* Blood sausage (''krvavice'') *

Head cheese Head cheese (Dutch: ''hoofdkaas'') or brawn is a cold cut terrine or meat jelly that originated in Europe. It is made with flesh from the head of a calf or pig (less commonly a sheep or cow), typically set in aspic, and usually eaten cold, ...

(''švargla'') File:Пршут.jpg,

Smoked meat Smoked meat is the result of a method of preparing red meat, white meat, and seafood which originated in the Paleolithic, Paleolithic Era. Smoking adds Flavor (taste), flavor, improves the appearance of meat through the Maillard reaction, and ...

File:Kulin (serviran).jpg,

File:Suho Meso.jpg,

File:Feta Cheese.jpg,

Feta Feta ( el, φέτα, ) is a Greek brined white cheese made from sheep's milk or from a mixture of sheep and goat's milk. It is soft, with small or no holes, a compact touch, few cuts, and no skin. Crumbly with a slightly grainy texture, it ...

File:Sharri Cheese with Dil on Top.jpg, Šar cheese

Pies

Pies are very popular in Serbia. They are eaten either for breakfast, dinner, or as a snack. They are most commonly made with thin layers of

phyllo Filo or phyllo is a very thin unleavened dough used for making pastries such as baklava and börek in Middle Eastern and Balkan cuisines. Filo-based pastries are made by layering many sheets of filo brushed with oil or butter; the pastry is t ...

dough. There are several methods of preparation and numerous types of fillings, both sweet and savory. Serbian pies are usually named after either the preparation method or the filling. One variety of pie that is not made with

is the ''štrudla'', which, in turn, isn't similar to

strudel A strudel (, ) is a type of layered pastry with a filling that is usually sweet, but savoury fillings are also common. It became popular in the 18th century throughout the Habsburg Empire. Strudel is part of Austrian cuisine but is also comm ...

, but rather to a

nut roll A nut roll is a pastry consisting of a sweet yeast dough (usually using milk) that is rolled out very thin, spread with a nut paste made from ground nuts and a sweetener like honey, then rolled up into a log shape. This 'log' is either left lon ...

. File:Gibanica.jpg,

Gibanica Gibanica ( sr-cyr, Гибаница, ) is a traditional pastry dish popular all over the Balkans. It is usually made with cottage cheese and eggs. Recipes can range from sweet to savoury, and from simple to festive and elaborate multi-layered ...

File:Pita sa mesom (11177282814).jpg,

Meat pie A meat pie is a pie with a filling of meat and often with other savory ingredients. They are found in cuisines worldwide. Meat pies are usually baked, fried, or deep fried to brown them and develop the flavour through the Maillard reaction. M ...

File:Pita sa pečurkama (10421568176).jpg, Mushroom pie File:Bundevara.jpeg,

Pumpkin pie Pumpkin pie is a dessert pie with a spiced, pumpkin-based custard filling. The pumpkin and pumpkin pie are both a symbol of harvest time, and pumpkin pie is generally eaten during the fall and early winter. In the United States and Canada it is u ...

File:Pita sa višnjama (10421564336).jpg, Cherry pie File:Pita krompiruša .jpg, Vanilla filling pie File:Jaruša (jajuša).jpg, Egg pie (jaruša)

Sweets and desserts

Sweets are served at the end of meals. Sweets and desserts enjoyed in Serbia typically include both Middle Eastern and European ones, as well as some authentically Serbian ones. Besides the ones mentioned here, pies with sweet fruit fillings are also common.

Ritual food

Drinks

Non-alcoholic

Cup of coffee (Serbian cuisine, Grand kava)

Domestic coffee (or Serbian coffee) is the most commonly consumed non-alcoholic beverage in Serbia. It is mostly prepared at home, rather than bought in coffee shops, and preferably consumed in the company of friends or family. Slatko, ratluk, and raki may be served alongside coffee. The majority of the Serbian population starts a day with a cup of coffee in the morning.

Herbal tea Herbal teas, also known as herbal infusions and less commonly called tisanes (UK and US , US also ), are beverages made from the infusion or decoction of herbs, spices, or other plant material in hot water. Oftentimes herb tea, or the plain term ...

s are consumed as a medication, rather than a beverage.

Yogurt Yogurt (; , from tr, yoğurt, also spelled yoghurt, yogourt or yoghourt) is a food produced by bacterial fermentation of milk. The bacteria used to make yogurt are known as ''yogurt cultures''. Fermentation of sugars in the milk by these bac ...

and

kefir Kefir ( ; also spelled as kephir or kefier; ; ; ) is a fermented milk drink similar to a thin yogurt or ayran that is made from kefir grains, a specific type of mesophilic symbiotic culture. The drink originated in the North Caucasus, in p ...

are commonly consumed dairy beverages. They frequently accompany savory pastries. A beverage made from

maize Maize ( ; ''Zea mays'' subsp. ''mays'', from es, maíz after tnq, mahiz), also known as corn (North American and Australian English), is a cereal grain first domesticated by indigenous peoples in southern Mexico about 10,000 years ago. The ...

, called

boza Boza, also bosa, is a fermented beverage originating from the Middle East and made in parts of Southeast Europe, Central and Western Asia, Caucasus and North Africa. It is a malt drink made by fermenting various grains: wheat or millet in Alban ...

or kvas, was once popular, but today is rarely consumed. A number of fruit

juice Juice is a drink made from the extraction or pressing of the natural liquid contained in fruit and vegetables. It can also refer to liquids that are flavored with concentrate or other biological food sources, such as meat or seafood, such as ...

and

mineral water Mineral water is water from a mineral spring that contains various minerals, such as salts and sulfur compounds. Mineral water may usually be still or sparkling (carbonated/effervescent) according to the presence or absence of added gases. T ...

brands are produced locally. The Knjaz Milos mineral water is considered a national brand.

Alcoholic

Rakija

Rakija Rakia, Rakija, Rachiu or Raki (), is the collective term for fruit spirits (or fruit brandy) popular in the Balkans. The alcohol content of rakia is normally 40% ABV, but home-produced rakia can be stronger (typically 50%). Etymology Fruit sp ...

is a general term for distilled beverages made from fruits. There are numerous varieties, which are usually named after the type of fruit they are made from. Comparatively many people brew their own rakija. Loza, made from grapes, is considered the national drink.

Beer

Beer Beer is one of the oldest and the most widely consumed type of alcoholic drink in the world, and the third most popular drink overall after water and tea. It is produced by the brewing and fermentation of starches, mainly derived from ce ...

has become recently popular and is enjoyed in Serbia, even outpacing the traditional raki and

wine Wine is an alcoholic drink typically made from fermented grapes. Yeast consumes the sugar in the grapes and converts it to ethanol and carbon dioxide, releasing heat in the process. Different varieties of grapes and strains of yeasts are m ...

. The largest brewery in the country is Apatinska pivara.

Wine

There are nearly 110,000 hectares of vineyards in Serbia, producing about 645,000 tons of grapes annually, with South Serbia producing the most. Because of that, Serbia is internationally recognized as a great wine producer. File:Dzezva kafa fildzan.jpg, Serbian coffee being served File:Serbian 6 beers.JPG, Various Serbian beer brands File:Boza bg.jpg,

Boza Boza, also bosa, is a fermented beverage originating from the Middle East and made in parts of Southeast Europe, Central and Western Asia, Caucasus and North Africa. It is a malt drink made by fermenting various grains: wheat or millet in Alban ...

References

External links

Nigella.com
– English language recipe for Vasa's Torte (traditional birthday cake with origin from

Paraćin Paraćin ( sr-Cyrl, Параћин, ) is a town and municipality located in the Pomoravlje District of central Serbia. It is located in the valley of the Velika Morava river, north of Kruševac and southeast of Kragujevac. In 2011 the town had a p ...

, Serbia)
SerbiaTouristGuide.com
– includes Serbian recipes {{DEFAULTSORT:Serbian Cuisine Balkan cuisine Serbian culture Articles containing video clips