Food-wise, North Macedonia is a very self-sufficient place – almost everything is grown locally and everyone eats super seasonally. Five hundred years of Ottoman rule has left a strong Turkish influence on the food culture, but it’s also very Slavic and classically Mediterranean: rich oils, artisan cheeses, grilled meats, big salads in the summer. These are some of the dishes you have to try when you’re there.
Veal liver wrapped in caul fat at Gostilnica Frosina
The country has about 5000 kafanas, which is what we call our local tavernas, which have a culture all of their own. It’s best to always go to the really traditional ones where you know you’re going to be getting home-cooked food. For veal liver in caul fat, the place to go is Frosina in Skopje. The dish is simple: liver wrapped in a layer of animal fat netting, which sounds pretty gruesome, but the fat keeps the meat moist as it’s grilling. And as it cooks, the fat crisps up so you get this crispy outer edge of fattiness and then really soft, delicious liver on the inside. It comes with a minced garlic, parsley and vinegar sauce which cuts through all of the richness.
Gostilnica Frosina, Kiro Krstevski – Platnik 22, Skopje
Bieno Sirenje (beaten cheese) at Staro Bure
You can buy a version of this cheese at any market in Skopje. It’s a very hard, dry, cow’s milk cheese that’s fermented naturally in the sun. And it’s native to North Macedonia; it’s not imported or exported, and it’s very much a kind of pride of the country. At Staro Bure they put it on the barbecue so you get a lovely char on it. Macedonians eat for hours at a time and every time you go to a restaurant you start with something strong to drink and something salty to ease you into the meal. This dish is perfect for that.
Staro Bure, Blvd. Partizanski Odredi, Skopje
Tulumbi in the Skopje old bazaar
You can find tulumbi in most countries that used to be part of the Ottoman Empire. They’re made from unleavened choux pastry that’s piped into hot oil. Once it’s been fried, it gets dipped in a nice light, citrusy syrup. They sound really heavy, but it’s easy to eat a million of them (in my book I have a recipe in which I make a tiramisu out of them). The best place to eat them is in the old bazaar in Skopje. You need to ask for Mustafce Dostana. Her shop doesn’t have a name but ask any local businesses and they will show you where it is.
Skopje old bazaar, MK, Skopje 1000
Mekici at the Stancia Straza Service Station on the way to Ohrid
Mekici are traditionally eaten when there’s a new baby in the family. My aunties claim that they enrich the mother’s breast milk, which may or may not be true, but either way they are delicious. They’re made by stretching out really sticky dough and then frying it on a very low heat so you’re left with these really pillowy doughnuts that are crunchy on the outside and really fluffy in the middle. Traditionally, you eat them with a bit of salty white cheese, or some sweet jam.
Everyone visiting North Macedonia should go to Lake Ohrid. It’s a two and a half hour bus journey from Skopje. The bus only stops once, in Straza, where everyone gets out and goes into these two cafés on the side of the road. One of them has totally capitalised on the idea that everyone goes there for mekici on their way to the lake, but the place you want to go to is the other one, which looks like a service station, but there’s a little kitchen at the back. You order mekici and this hatch opens and you can see a little old lady, frying away. Her mekici come in this giant greasy paper bag. They’re so cheap, about 20p each, but they are so delicious.
MVC3+HJF, Sretkovo, North Macedonia
Try Spasia’s food at Mystic Burek, 227 Dartmouth Rd, London SE26 4QY; mysticburek.com
