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| Kaltrina mixing the batter |
Kaltrina (also called Tina by friends and family) has chosen the most uniquely Kosovar dish to prepare for me tonight. She explains that a lot of the food eaten in Kosovo is somewhat similar to that in the surrounding countries (former Yugoslav countries like Serbia, Montenegro, Northern Macedonia as well as Albania). Turkish and Greek influences are evident as well, in this particular meal by the use of Greek yoghurt and feta cheese. Though the ingredients of fli (or flia/flija) are not that exceptional (flour, salt, oil and the aforementioned yoghurt) the preparation is like nothing I have ever seen before. It is also quite labour intensive, so Kaltrina pulls up two chairs so we can sit and chat in the kitchen right next to the stove and countertop. She gives me a quick overview of her life history in impressively idiomatic American English, especially considering she has never visited the US! Apparently, Kaltrina just has a knack for picking up accents easily. Her first language is Kosovar Albanian. She explains this is only a tiny bit different in accent and certain words and expressions to the Albanian spoken in Albania (comparable to British versus American English). Then, she also speaks English, German, Spanish, Turkish, and a bit of Polish.
Kosovo declared its independence in 2008, and the Albanian language is a big part of the national identity. Kaltrina is proud to be from Kosovo, though at the same time she and her husband have realised that their ambitions (careerwise) are more easily realised abroad. After finishing their studies in Pristina, and a whole lot of paperwork later, they have managed to get work permits for Poland, Malta, and now Germany. Not straightforward when you come from a non-EU country with very few embassies or consulates.
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| The finished fli, golden brown |
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| The first two layers of pancakes |
So how is the fli prepared, giving us so much time to talk? The batter, which is a bit like a thick pancake batter without eggs, is poured into a heated oven dish in little oval shapes in a checkerboard pattern. This is placed into the oven for a few minutes till the little 'pancakes' are done, then the open spaces are filled in with new ovals of batter and again placed in the oven. Then comes a thin layer of a yoghurt and oil mixture, a few more minutes in the oven, then another layer of batter, a few more minutes in the oven, etc. When I ask if the lower layers will not become more well done than the upper ones, Kaltrina explains that you should only turn on the top heat of the oven (grill/broil function) which ensures that the dough is cooked evenly with this method of layering. The traditional preparation is actually in a round dish, and with a metal lid (the saq or sač) which is heated in a wood fire and then placed on top of the fli to cook it from above. Using a wood fire also gives fli a smokier taste.
Kaltrina's batter actually runs out before the layers of pancakes have
reached the top of the dish, so she just makes a bit more. She shares that
the dish used to have the reputation of 'poor man's food' as the ingredients
are quite cheap. But as it takes so long to prepare, it is now seen more as a
dish for a special occasion. I feel honoured to have the chance to
enjoy this dish and to see how it is made. Kaltrina's husband Jetmir and
a friend from Kosovo get to benefit as well. The 'layered pancakes' are served
with feta cheese, and eaten with your hands. You can easily peel off the individual
pancake strips. Definitely comfort food, very hearty. Jetmir mentions you can
also have it as a sweet dish, served with honey, which sounds great as well.
After dinner, I try a tiny glass of raki, the local moonshine, of unknown (but high!) alcohol content. The Kosovar variety is not flavoured with aniseed like Turkish raki, by the way. It is interesting to me that Kosovo is a majority Muslim country, but very secular, with alcoholic beverages part of traditional culture. Kaltrina says it is quite rare to see headscarves worn in the street as well; her husband jokes that you see more women wearing hijabs in our neighbourhood in Berlin than in Pristina!
We also briefly touch on the new government in Kosovo, and the new (female) president running on an anti-corruption platform. Kaltrina is hopeful that the positive changes she has already seen in the past few months will continue in the future. It has definitely been interesting hearing about her views, to add to the stories from previous hosts who came from other parts of former Yugoslavia. It is crazy to think how much has changed in the region since I had the Slovenian meal for this blog in 2006!
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| Golden brown fli to be eaten strip by strip with your hands, with a bit of feta |
