Romanian cuisine
Encyclopedia
Romanian cuisine is a diverse blend of different dishes from several traditions with which it has come into contact, but it also maintains its own character. It has been greatly influenced by Ottoman cuisine
while it also includes influences from the cuisines of other neighbours, such as Germans
, Serbians
, and Hungarians.
Quite different types of dishes are sometimes included under a generic term; for example, the category ciorbă
includes a wide range of soups with a characteristic sour taste. These may be meat and vegetable soups, tripe and calf foot soups (shkembe chorba or iskembe
), or fish soups, all of which are soured by lemon juice, sauerkraut juice, vinegar, or traditionally borş (fermented wheat bran). The category ţuică
(plum brandy) is a generic name for a strong alcoholic spirit
in Romania, while in other countries, every flavour has a different name.
Romanian recipes bear the same influences as the rest of Romanian culture. The Turks have brought meatballs (perişoare
in a meatball soup), from the Greeks there is musaca
, from the Austrians there is the şniţel
and the list could continue. The Romanians share many foods with the Balkan area (in which Turkey was the cultural vehicle), with Central Europe (mostly in the form of German-Austrian dishes introduced through Hungary or by the Saxons in Transylvania) and, finally, Eastern Europe. Some others are original or can be traced to the Roman or other ancient civilizations. The lack of written sources in Eastern Europe makes impossible to determine today the punctual origin for most of them.
One of the most common dishes is mămăliga
, a cornmeal mush served on its own or as an accompaniment. Pork is the preferred meat, but beef, lamb, and fish are also popular.
Before Christmas
, on December 20 (Ignat's Day or Ignatul in Romanian
), a pig is traditionally slaughtered by every rural family. A variety of foods for Christmas prepared from the slaughtered pig consist of the following:
The Christmas meal is sweetened with the traditional cozonac
(sweet bread with nuts) or rahat (Turkish delight
) for dessert.
At Easter
, lamb is served: the main dishes are roast lamb and drob de miel – a Romanian lamb haggis
made of minced organs
(heart, liver, lungs) wrapped and roasted in a caul
. The traditional Easter cake is pască
, a pie made of yeast dough with a sweet cottage cheese
filling at the center.
Romanian pancakes, called clătită, are thin (like French crêpe
s) and can be prepared with savory or sweet fillings: ground meat, white cheese, or jam
. Different recipes are prepared depending on the season or the occasion.
Wine is the preferred drink, and Romanian wines have a tradition of over three millennia. Romania is currently the world's 9th largest wine producer, and recently the export market has started to grow. Romania produces a wide selection of domestic varieties (Fetească
, Grasă
, Tamâioasă
, Busuioacă), as well as varieties from across the world (Italian Riesling
, Merlot
, Sauvignon blanc
, Cabernet Sauvignon
, Chardonnay
, Muscat Ottonel
). Beer
is also highly regarded, generally blonde pilsener beer
, made with German influences. There are also Romanian breweries with a long tradition.
According to the 2009 data of FAOSTAT, Romania is the world's second largest plum
producer (after the United States
) and as much as 75% of Romania's plum production is processed into the famous palinca/ţuică
, a plum brandy obtained through one or more distillation
steps.
in Romania
is brânză and it is considered to be of Dacia
n origin. Most of the cheeses are made of cow's or sheep's milk, goat's milk is rarely used. Sheep cheese is considered "the real cheese", although in modern times some people refrain from consuming it due to its higher fat content and specific smell.
Ottoman cuisine
Ottoman cuisine is the cuisine of the Ottoman Empire and its successors in Anatolia, the Balkans, and much of the Middle East.- Description :...
while it also includes influences from the cuisines of other neighbours, such as Germans
German cuisine
German cuisine is a style of cooking derived from the nation of Germany. It has evolved as a national cuisine through centuries of social and political change with variations from region to region. The southern regions of Germany, including Bavaria and neighbouring Swabia, share many dishes....
, Serbians
Serbian cuisine
Serbian cuisine is a heterogeneous cuisine, sharing characteristics of the Balkans , the Mediterranean , Turkish, and Central European cuisines....
, and Hungarians.
Quite different types of dishes are sometimes included under a generic term; for example, the category ciorbă
Ciorba
Ciorbă , from Persian, via the Turkish word çorba is a general Romanian word describing sour soups consisting of various vegetables and meat...
includes a wide range of soups with a characteristic sour taste. These may be meat and vegetable soups, tripe and calf foot soups (shkembe chorba or iskembe
Iskembe
İşkembe çorbası is a tripe soup in the Turkish and some Balkan cuisines. It is often seasoned with vinegar or lemon juice. In the South Slavic languages, this soup is called Shkembe chorba .-Etymology:...
), or fish soups, all of which are soured by lemon juice, sauerkraut juice, vinegar, or traditionally borş (fermented wheat bran). The category ţuică
Tuica
Ţuică is a traditional Romanian spirit of somewhere in between 45%-60% alcohol by volume. It is usually made from plums.Ţuică is the official name for the drink when it is prepared only from plums...
(plum brandy) is a generic name for a strong alcoholic spirit
Distilled beverage
A distilled beverage, liquor, or spirit is an alcoholic beverage containing ethanol that is produced by distilling ethanol produced by means of fermenting grain, fruit, or vegetables...
in Romania, while in other countries, every flavour has a different name.
History
In history of Romanian culinary literature, Costache Negruzzi and Mihail Kogălniceanu are the compilers of a cookbook ″200 reţete cercate de bucate, prăjituri şi alte treburi gospodăreşti″(200 tried recipes, pastries and other household things) printed in 1841. Also, Negruzzi write in "Alexandru Lăpuşnenu": "In Moldavia at this time, fine food wasn't fashioned. Greater feast could have included few courses. After polish borş, greek dishes follow, boiled with herbs floating in butter, after that, turkish pilaf and finally cosmopolitan steaks"Description
Ciorba
Ciorbă , from Persian, via the Turkish word çorba is a general Romanian word describing sour soups consisting of various vegetables and meat...
in a meatball soup), from the Greeks there is musaca
Moussaka
Moussaka is an eggplant based dish of the Balkans, Eastern Mediterranean, and the Middle East. The best known variation outside the region is the Greek one.-Names and etymology:...
, from the Austrians there is the şniţel
Wiener schnitzel
Schnitzel is a traditional Austrian dish made with boneless meat thinned with a mallet , coated in bread crumbs and fried. It is a popular part of Viennese, Austrian cuisine and German Cuisine...
and the list could continue. The Romanians share many foods with the Balkan area (in which Turkey was the cultural vehicle), with Central Europe (mostly in the form of German-Austrian dishes introduced through Hungary or by the Saxons in Transylvania) and, finally, Eastern Europe. Some others are original or can be traced to the Roman or other ancient civilizations. The lack of written sources in Eastern Europe makes impossible to determine today the punctual origin for most of them.
One of the most common dishes is mămăliga
Mamaliga
Mămăligă is a porridge made out of yellow maize flour, traditional in Romania and Moldova. It is similar to the Italian polenta.In Transylvania and in Carpathia mămăligă is also called puliszka...
, a cornmeal mush served on its own or as an accompaniment. Pork is the preferred meat, but beef, lamb, and fish are also popular.
Before Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
, on December 20 (Ignat's Day or Ignatul in Romanian
Romanian language
Romanian Romanian Romanian (or Daco-Romanian; obsolete spellings Rumanian, Roumanian; self-designation: română, limba română ("the Romanian language") or românește (lit. "in Romanian") is a Romance language spoken by around 24 to 28 million people, primarily in Romania and Moldova...
), a pig is traditionally slaughtered by every rural family. A variety of foods for Christmas prepared from the slaughtered pig consist of the following:
- cârnaţi/cărnaţi — spicy sausages
- caltaboşi/cartaboşi — sausages made with liver
- offalOffalOffal , also called, especially in the United States, variety meats or organ meats, refers to the internal organs and entrails of a butchered animal. The word does not refer to a particular list of edible organs, which varies by culture and region, but includes most internal organs other than...
- tobă and piftie — dishes using pig's feet, head and ears suspended in aspicAspicAspic is a dish in which ingredients are set into a gelatin made from a meat stock or consommé. Non-savory dishes, often made with commercial gelatin mixes without stock or consommé, are usually called gelatin salads....
- tocătură/tochitură — pan-fried pork served with mămăligă and wine ("so that the pork can swim").
The Christmas meal is sweetened with the traditional cozonac
Cozonac
Cozonac or Kozunak is a traditional Bulgarian, Romanian and Albanian sweet bread. It is usually prepared for Easter in Bulgaria and Albania, and mostly for every major holiday in Romania....
(sweet bread with nuts) or rahat (Turkish delight
Turkish Delight
Turkish delight or lokum is a family of confections based on a gel of starch and sugar. Premium varieties consist largely of chopped dates, pistachios and hazelnuts or walnuts bound by the gel; the cheapest are mostly gel, generally flavored with rosewater, mastic, or lemon...
) for dessert.
At Easter
Easter
Easter is the central feast in the Christian liturgical year. According to the Canonical gospels, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. His resurrection is celebrated on Easter Day or Easter Sunday...
, lamb is served: the main dishes are roast lamb and drob de miel – a Romanian lamb haggis
Haggis
Haggis is a dish containing sheep's 'pluck' , minced with onion, oatmeal, suet, spices, and salt, mixed with stock, and traditionally simmered in the animal's stomach for approximately three hours. Most modern commercial haggis is prepared in a casing rather than an actual stomach.Haggis is a kind...
made of minced organs
Offal
Offal , also called, especially in the United States, variety meats or organ meats, refers to the internal organs and entrails of a butchered animal. The word does not refer to a particular list of edible organs, which varies by culture and region, but includes most internal organs other than...
(heart, liver, lungs) wrapped and roasted in a caul
Caul fat
Caul fat is the thin membrane which surrounds the stomach internal organs of some animals, such as hogs, cows, sheep, and pigs, also known as the greater omentum. It is often used as a natural sausage casing and to encase fegatelli , faggots , or pâté . Caul fat is also known as Lace...
. The traditional Easter cake is pască
Pasca
Pasca is a town and municipality in the Cundinamarca department of Colombia located over the Andes mountains. It belongs to the Sumapaz province.- Name :Pasca in the chibchan language means father's fence, according to Acosta Ortegón....
, a pie made of yeast dough with a sweet cottage cheese
Cottage cheese
Cottage cheese is a cheese curd product with a mild flavor. It is drained, but not pressed, so some whey remains and the individual curds remain loose. The curd is usually washed to remove acidity, giving sweet curd cheese. It is not aged or colored. Different styles of cottage cheese are made from...
filling at the center.
Romanian pancakes, called clătită, are thin (like French crêpe
Crêpe
A crêpe or crepe , is a type of very thin pancake, usually made from wheat flour or buckwheat flour . The word is of French origin, deriving from the Latin crispa, meaning "curled". While crêpes originate from Brittany, a region in the northwest of France, their consumption is widespread in France...
s) and can be prepared with savory or sweet fillings: ground meat, white cheese, or jam
Fruit preserves
Fruit preserves are preparations of fruits and sugar, often canned or sealed for long-term storage. The preparation of fruit preserves today often involves adding commercial or natural pectin as a gelling agent, although sugar or honey may be used, as well. Prior to World War II, fruit preserve...
. Different recipes are prepared depending on the season or the occasion.
Wine is the preferred drink, and Romanian wines have a tradition of over three millennia. Romania is currently the world's 9th largest wine producer, and recently the export market has started to grow. Romania produces a wide selection of domestic varieties (Fetească
Feteasca
Fetească can refer to* One of the following traditional Romanian/Moldovan wine grapes or wines:** Fetească Albă** Fetească Neagră** Fetească Regală* Fetească of Romania*Feteasca, a village in Leuşeni Commune, Hînceşti district, Moldova...
, Grasă
Grasa de Cotnari
Grasă de Cotnari is a Romanian wine variety associated with the Cotnari vineyard, Moldavia, where it has been grown ever since the rule of Prince Stephen the Great . With the general decline in demand for sweet wines after the second world war and bad wine making during the communist era, Grasă...
, Tamâioasă
Tamâioasa Româneasca
Tămâioasă Românească is a Romanian - Moldovan grape variety used for the production of aromatic wines, Tămâioasă are natural sweet or semi-sweet wines, with alcohol content of 12%-12.5%....
, Busuioacă), as well as varieties from across the world (Italian Riesling
Welschriesling
Welschriesling is an ancient variety of white wine grape, unrelated to the Rhine Riesling, that is grown throughout Central Europe. The origin of Welschriesling is uncertain. The German name "Welschriesling" literally means 'Romanic Riesling', and most of the synonyms in Central Europe are...
, Merlot
Merlot
Merlot is a darkly blue-coloured wine grape, that is used as both a blending grape and for varietal wines. The name Merlot is thought to derive from the Old French word for young blackbird, merlot, a diminutive of merle, the blackbird , probably from the color of the grape. Merlot-based wines...
, Sauvignon blanc
Sauvignon blanc
Sauvignon Blanc is a green-skinned grape variety which originates from the Bordeaux region of France. The grape most likely gets its name from the French word sauvage and blanc due to its early origins as an indigenous grape in South West France., a possible descendant of savagnin...
, Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the world's most widely recognized red wine grape varieties. It is grown in nearly every major wine producing country among a diverse spectrum of climates from Canada's Okanagan Valley to Lebanon's Beqaa Valley...
, Chardonnay
Chardonnay
Chardonnay is a green-skinned grape variety used to make white wine. It is originated from the Burgundy wine region of eastern France but is now grown wherever wine is produced, from England to New Zealand...
, Muscat Ottonel
Muscat Ottonel
Muscat Ottonel or Muskat-Ottonel is a white wine grape that is a member of the Muscat family of Vitis vinifera. It is most notable for its use in dessert wines from Austria, Croatia and Serbia as well as dry wines from Alsace and Hungary...
). Beer
Beer
Beer is the world's most widely consumed andprobably oldest alcoholic beverage; it is the third most popular drink overall, after water and tea. It is produced by the brewing and fermentation of sugars, mainly derived from malted cereal grains, most commonly malted barley and malted wheat...
is also highly regarded, generally blonde pilsener beer
Pilsener
Pilsner is a type of pale lager. It takes its name from the city of Pilsen , Bohemia, in today's Czech Republic, where it has been developed since 1842, when a bottom-fermented beer was first produced. The original Pilsner Urquell beer is produced there today.-Origin:Until the mid-1840s, most ...
, made with German influences. There are also Romanian breweries with a long tradition.
According to the 2009 data of FAOSTAT, Romania is the world's second largest plum
Plum
A plum or gage is a stone fruit tree in the genus Prunus, subgenus Prunus. The subgenus is distinguished from other subgenera in the shoots having a terminal bud and solitary side buds , the flowers in groups of one to five together on short stems, and the fruit having a groove running down one...
producer (after the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
) and as much as 75% of Romania's plum production is processed into the famous palinca/ţuică
Tuica
Ţuică is a traditional Romanian spirit of somewhere in between 45%-60% alcohol by volume. It is usually made from plums.Ţuică is the official name for the drink when it is prepared only from plums...
, a plum brandy obtained through one or more distillation
Distillation
Distillation is a method of separating mixtures based on differences in volatilities of components in a boiling liquid mixture. Distillation is a unit operation, or a physical separation process, and not a chemical reaction....
steps.
Soups
- ciorbăCiorbaCiorbă , from Persian, via the Turkish word çorba is a general Romanian word describing sour soups consisting of various vegetables and meat...
(soup with characteristic sour taste)- ciorbă de burtă (tripeTripeTripe is a type of edible offal from the stomachs of various farm animals.-Beef tripe:...
soup) - ciorbă de perişoare (meatballMeatballA meatball is made from an amount of ground meat rolled into a small ball, sometimes along with other ingredients, such as breadcrumbs, minced onion, spices, and possibly eggs...
soup) - ciorbă ţărănească de văcuţă (peasant beef soup)
- ciorbă de fasole cu afumătură (bean and smoked meat soup)
- ciorbă de peşte "ca-n Deltă" (fish soup prepared in the style of the Danube Delta)
- ciorbă de salată cu afumătură (green salad and smoked meat soup)
- ciorbă de legume (vegetables soup)
- ciorbă de burtă (tripe
- supăSupaSupa is a village in Tõlliste Parish, Valga County in southern Estonia. It has a population of 33 ....
(generic name for sweet (sometimes clear) soups, some times sweet variants of ciorbăCiorbaCiorbă , from Persian, via the Turkish word çorba is a general Romanian word describing sour soups consisting of various vegetables and meat...
)- supă (de pui) cu găluşte (haluškyHaluškyHalušky are a traditional variety of thick, soft noodles or dumplings cooked in the Central and Eastern European cuisines .They are irregular in shape...
, clear dumplingDumplingDumplings are cooked balls of dough. They are based on flour, potatoes or bread, and may include meat, fish, vegetables, or sweets. They may be cooked by boiling, steaming, simmering, frying, or baking. They may have a filling, or there may be other ingredients mixed into the dough. Dumplings may...
soup (with chicken broth)) - supă (de pui) cu tăieţei (clear noodle soup (with chicken broth))
- ciorbă de legume (vegetables soup)
- ciorba de praz (leek soupLeek soupLeek soup is a soup based on potatoes, leeks, broth , and heavy cream. Other things used may be salt andpepper, and various spices.Generally the potatoes are diced and cooked in broth, while the leeks...
)
- supă (de pui) cu găluşte (halušky
Meat
- caltaboş/chişcǎ - a cooked sausage made of minced pork organs and rice, stuffed in a pig casing
- cârnaţi - a garlicky sausage, as in Fasole cu cârnaţiFasole cu cârnatiFasole cu cârnaţi is a very popular Romanian dish, consisting of baked beans and sausages. A variation replaces the sausages with afumătură ....
- chifteleKoftaKofta is a Middle Eastern and South Asian meatball or meatloaf.In the simplest form, koftas consist of balls of minced or ground meat—usually beef or lamb—mixed with spices and/or onions...
- a type of large meatballMeatballA meatball is made from an amount of ground meat rolled into a small ball, sometimes along with other ingredients, such as breadcrumbs, minced onion, spices, and possibly eggs...
covered with a flour crust or breadcrumb crust - ciulama - white roux sauce used in a variety of meat dishes
- ciulama de viţel - veal ciulama
- ciulama de pui - chicken ciulama
- drob de miel - a lamb haggisHaggisHaggis is a dish containing sheep's 'pluck' , minced with onion, oatmeal, suet, spices, and salt, mixed with stock, and traditionally simmered in the animal's stomach for approximately three hours. Most modern commercial haggis is prepared in a casing rather than an actual stomach.Haggis is a kind...
made of minced organsOffalOffal , also called, especially in the United States, variety meats or organ meats, refers to the internal organs and entrails of a butchered animal. The word does not refer to a particular list of edible organs, which varies by culture and region, but includes most internal organs other than...
wrapped in a caulCaul fatCaul fat is the thin membrane which surrounds the stomach internal organs of some animals, such as hogs, cows, sheep, and pigs, also known as the greater omentum. It is often used as a natural sausage casing and to encase fegatelli , faggots , or pâté . Caul fat is also known as Lace...
and roasted like a meatloaf; a traditional Easter dish - frigăruiFrigaruiFrigărui is a Romanian dish consisting of small pieces of meat grilled on a skewer, similar to the kebab. Often, the pieces of meat alternate with bacon, sausages or lard and vegetables, such as onions, tomatoes, bell peppers and mushrooms. It is seasoned with spices such as pepper, garlic,...
- skewerSkewerA skewer is a thin metal or wood stick used to hold pieces of food together. They are used while grilling or roasting meats, and in other culinary applications....
ed meat - limbă cu măsline - cow tongue with olives
- mititeiMititeiMititei or mici is a traditional Romanian dish of grilled minced-meat rolls made from meat of beef, lamb and pork mixed, which contain garlic, black pepper, thyme, coriander, anise, savory and sometimes a touch of paprika. Sodium bicarbonate is also added to the mixture.It is best served...
(mici) - grilled minced-meat rolls - musacaMoussakaMoussaka is an eggplant based dish of the Balkans, Eastern Mediterranean, and the Middle East. The best known variation outside the region is the Greek one.-Names and etymology:...
- an eggplant/potato and meat pie - ostropelOstropelOstropel is a typical Romanian stew that is primarily made from chicken mixed with a thick tomato sauce. Additionally, garlic or spring onions can be added to the dish...
- method of cooking chicken or duck - papricaş - GoulashGoulashGoulash is a soup or stew of meat, noodles and vegetables , seasoned with paprika and other spices. Originating in Hungary, goulash is also a popular meal in Austria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Romania, Scandinavia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia and the north-eastern Italian region of Friuli Venezia...
- pârjoale - burger
- piftie - meat jelly
- Pleşcoi sausagesPlescoi sausagesPleșcoi sausages are a Romanian sausage made from mutton spiced with chilli peppers and garlic, traditionally made in and around the Pleşcoi village, in the Buzău County of Romania. If the mutton contains too much fat, it can be balanced with beef, but with no more than half of the mutton content....
- rasolRasolRasol is a Romanian dish made from meat, potatoes, and several other vegetables, boiled together. The meat can be both from a bird or may be pork or beef...
- boiled meat with garlicGarlicAllium sativum, commonly known as garlic, is a species in the onion genus, Allium. Its close relatives include the onion, shallot, leek, chive, and rakkyo. Dating back over 6,000 years, garlic is native to central Asia, and has long been a staple in the Mediterranean region, as well as a frequent...
or horseradishHorseradishHorseradish is a perennial plant of the Brassicaceae family, which also includes mustard, wasabi, broccoli, and cabbages. The plant is probably native to south eastern Europe and the Arab World , but is popular around the world today... - slănină (şuncă) - porkPorkPork is the culinary name for meat from the domestic pig , which is eaten in many countries. It is one of the most commonly consumed meats worldwide, with evidence of pig husbandry dating back to 5000 BC....
fat, often smoked - şniţelWiener schnitzelSchnitzel is a traditional Austrian dish made with boneless meat thinned with a mallet , coated in bread crumbs and fried. It is a popular part of Viennese, Austrian cuisine and German Cuisine...
- a breaded pork, veal, or beef cutlet (a variety of Viennese schnitzel)- Cordon bleu şniţel - breaded pork tenderloin stuffed with cheese and ham
- mosaic şniţel - a specialty of Western Romania, two thin layers of different meats with mushroom or other vegetable filling
- şniţel de pui - breaded chicken breast cutlet
- stufat de miel - lamb, onion and garlic stew
- tobăTobaToba may refer to:In Geography:* Lake Toba, a lake in northern Sumatra, Indonesia, and site of the volcanic Toba eruption 75,000 years ago** Toba catastrophe theory, according to which modern human evolution was affected by the Toba eruption...
- sausage (usually pig's stomach, stuffed with pork jelly, liver, and skin) - tocană/tocaniţă - stewStewA stew is a combination of solid food ingredients that have been cooked in liquid and served in the resultant gravy. Ingredients in a stew can include any combination of vegetables , meat, especially tougher meats suitable for slow-cooking, such as beef. Poultry, sausages, and seafood are also used...
- tocăniţă vânătorească - venison stew
- tochitură moldovenească - MoldaviaMoldaviaMoldavia is a geographic and historical region and former principality in Eastern Europe, corresponding to the territory between the Eastern Carpathians and the Dniester river...
n stew - tochitură ardelenească - TransylvaniaTransylvaniaTransylvania is a historical region in the central part of Romania. Bounded on the east and south by the Carpathian mountain range, historical Transylvania extended in the west to the Apuseni Mountains; however, the term sometimes encompasses not only Transylvania proper, but also the historical...
n stew - varză călită - steamed cabbage with pork ribs, duck or sausages
- sarmale - minced meat with rice, wrapped in pickled cabbage leaves
Fish
- salata de icre - roe salad
- plachie din peşte - ragoutRagout-Etymology:The term comes from the French ragoûter, to revive the taste. The etymologically related Italian ragù is a sauce such as Bolognese used typically to dress pasta.-Preparation:...
of river fish with vegetables - saramură de crap - carpCarpCarp are various species of oily freshwater fish of the family Cyprinidae, a very large group of fish native to Europe and Asia. The cypriniformes are traditionally grouped with the Characiformes, Siluriformes and Gymnotiformes to create the superorder Ostariophysi, since these groups have certain...
in brine - chiftele de peşte - fish cakes
- papricaş de peşte - fish paprikash
- crap pane - breaded carpCarpCarp are various species of oily freshwater fish of the family Cyprinidae, a very large group of fish native to Europe and Asia. The cypriniformes are traditionally grouped with the Characiformes, Siluriformes and Gymnotiformes to create the superorder Ostariophysi, since these groups have certain...
filletsFillet (cut)A fillet is a cut or slice of boneless meat or fish.- Meat :In the case of beef, in the USA, the term most often refers to beef tenderloin, especially filet mignon.- Chicken :... - ghiveci cu peşte - vegetable stew with fish
- macrou afumat - smoked mackerel fillet
Vegetables
- ardei umpluţiArdei umplutiArdei umpluţi is Romanian for "stuffed peppers". Ardei umpluţi, in the Romanian cuisine, are usually prepared with bell peppers stuffed with ground meat, usually pork, rice, onion and other vegetables and spices...
- stuffed bell pepperBell pepperBell pepper, also known as sweet pepper or a pepper and capsicum , is a cultivar group of the species Capsicum annuum . Cultivars of the plant produce fruits in different colors, including red, yellow, orange and green. Bell peppers are sometimes grouped with less pungent pepper varieties as...
s - dovlecei umpluţi - stuffed zucchiniZucchiniThe zucchini is a summer squash which often grows to nearly a meter in length, but which is usually harvested at half that size or less. It is a hybrid of the cucumber. Along with certain other squashes, it belongs to the species Cucurbita pepo. Zucchini can be dark or light green...
- gulii umplute - stuffed kohlrabi
- vinete umplute - stuffed eggplant
- sarmaleSarma (food)Sarma is a dish of grape, cabbage or chard leaves rolled around a filling usually based on minced meat. It is found in the cuisines of the former Ottoman Empire from the Middle East to the Balkans and Central Europe.-Etymology and names:...
- stuffed cabbage rollsCabbage rollA cabbage roll is a dish consisting of cooked cabbage leaves wrapped around a variety of fillings. It is common to the ethnic cuisines of England, and has also found popularity in areas of North America settled by English Settlers....
, also made with grapeDolmaDolma is a family of stuffed vegetable dishes in the cuisines of the former Ottoman Empire and surrounding regions such as Russia, Middle East and the Caucasus and Central and South Asia. Perhaps the best-known is the grape-leaf dolma. Common vegetables to stuff include onion, zucchini, eggplant,...
, dockRumexThe docks and sorrels, genus Rumex L., are a genus of about 200 species of annual, biennial and perennial herbs in the buckwheat family Polygonaceae....
leaves or many other leaves - ghiveci - vegetable stew or cooked vegetable salad similar to the Bulgarian gjuvec and the Hungarian lecsoLecsóLecsó is an originally Hungarian thick vegetable stew which features peppers and tomato, onion, lard, salt, sugar and ground paprika as a base recipe. In northern Hungary, the onions and peppers are usually sauteed in lard or bacon fat, while in the south sunflower oil is more commonly used...
- ghiveci cǎlugaresc - vegetable stew prepared by the nuns in the monasteries)
- tocana de ciuperci - mushroom stew
- iahnie - beans, spiced up, cooked until there's no more water and a soft sticky sauce binding beans together has formed
- mâncare de mazăre - pea stew
- mâncare de praz - leek stew
- pilafPilafPilaf is a dish in which rice is cooked in a seasoned broth . In some cases, the rice may also attain its brown color by being stirred with bits of cooked onion, as well as a large mix of spices...
- rice, vegetables and pieces of meat, often wings and organs of chicken - mămăligăMamaligaMămăligă is a porridge made out of yellow maize flour, traditional in Romania and Moldova. It is similar to the Italian polenta.In Transylvania and in Carpathia mămăligă is also called puliszka...
- cornmealCornmealCornmeal is flour ground from dried maize or American corn. It is a common staple food, and is ground to fine, medium, and coarse consistencies. In the United States, the finely ground cornmeal is also referred to as cornflour. However, the word cornflour denotes cornstarch in recipes from the...
mush, polentaPolentaPolenta is a dish made from boiled cornmeal. The word "polenta" is borrowed from Italian.-Description:Polenta is made with ground yellow or white cornmeal , which can be ground coarsely or finely depending on the region and the texture desired.As it is known today, polenta derives from earlier... - chifteluţe de ciuperci - chifteleKoftaKofta is a Middle Eastern and South Asian meatball or meatloaf.In the simplest form, koftas consist of balls of minced or ground meat—usually beef or lamb—mixed with spices and/or onions...
made of mushrooms instead of meat - şniţel de ciuperci - mushroom fritters - şniţel is the Romanian spelling of the German word schnitzelWiener schnitzelSchnitzel is a traditional Austrian dish made with boneless meat thinned with a mallet , coated in bread crumbs and fried. It is a popular part of Viennese, Austrian cuisine and German Cuisine...
(breaded boneless cutlet) but it may be used to mean any sort of fritter - zacuscăZacuscaZacuscă is a vegetable spread very popular in Romania. Similar spreads are found in other countries throughout, or bordering, the Balkans.-Recipe:...
- vegetable spread, made by cooking a mix of many different vegetables (eggplant—roasted and peeled, peppers—sometimes roasted and peeled, onions, tomatoes, carrots, parsley roots) with oil until they become a paste
List of salads
- borşBorsBors circa 540s-580s, is the name of two knights in the Arthurian legend, one the father and one the son. Bors the Elder is the King of Gaunnes or Gaul during the early period of King Arthur's reign, and is the brother of King Ban of Benoic. Gaunnes is the Fredemundian dynastic kingdom of Neustria...
- fermented wheat bran, a souring agent for ciorbăCiorbaCiorbă , from Persian, via the Turkish word çorba is a general Romanian word describing sour soups consisting of various vegetables and meat... - ardei copţi - roasted peppers
- murături - pickled vegetables (most often in brine but also using vinegar)
- castraveţi muraţi - pickled cucumbers
- gogonele - pickled unripe tomatoes
- varză murată - pickled cabbage
- murături asortate - pickled mixed vegetables - onions, garlic, unripe tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, kohlrabi, beet, carrots, celery, parsley roots, cauliflower, apples, quinces, unripe plums, small unripe watermelons, small zucchini, red cabbage
- mujdeiMujdeiMujdei is a spicy Romanian sauce. It is made from garlic cloves crushed and ground into a paste, salted and mixed energetically with vegetable oil . Depending on regional preferences and the dish it is served with, water, vinegar, or other ingredients may be added...
- crushed garlic sauce - salată de boeufSalata de boeufSalată de boeuf is a traditional Romanian dish, generally served during all festive and special occasions. It is a combination of finely chopped beef and root vegetables, folded in mayonnaise and finished with pickled vegetable garnishes. The dish is usually made up in large quantities for the...
- minced boiled vegetables with meat mayo and a dash of mustard - salată de vinete - roasted and peeled eggplants, chooped onion, salt, mixed with mayo
- salată orientala - potato salad with eggs, onions, olives
- salată de sfeclă - beet salad
- salată de roşii cu ceapa - tomato and onions salad
List of cheese types
The generic name for cheeseCheese
Cheese is a generic term for a diverse group of milk-based food products. Cheese is produced throughout the world in wide-ranging flavors, textures, and forms....
in Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
is brânză and it is considered to be of Dacia
Dacia
In ancient geography, especially in Roman sources, Dacia was the land inhabited by the Dacians or Getae as they were known by the Greeks—the branch of the Thracians north of the Haemus range...
n origin. Most of the cheeses are made of cow's or sheep's milk, goat's milk is rarely used. Sheep cheese is considered "the real cheese", although in modern times some people refrain from consuming it due to its higher fat content and specific smell.
- brânză de burdufBrânza de burdufBrânză de burduf is a salty type of cheese, with sheep's-milk cheese, has a strong flavour and slightly soft in texture. To obtain it, sweet caş is cut into small pieces, salted and then hand-mixed in a large wooden bowl. The mixture is then placed in a sheep’s stomach, or into a sheep’s skin that...
- sheep's milk, kneaded cheese with a strong taste and semi-soft texture, stuffed into a pig's bladder, traditional product - brânză de vaci - cottage cheeseCottage cheeseCottage cheese is a cheese curd product with a mild flavor. It is drained, but not pressed, so some whey remains and the individual curds remain loose. The curd is usually washed to remove acidity, giving sweet curd cheese. It is not aged or colored. Different styles of cottage cheese are made from...
- brânză topită - melted cheese; a generic name for processed cheeseProcessed cheeseProcessed cheese, process cheese, cheese slice, prepared cheese, cheese singles or cheese food is a food product made from normal cheese and sometimes other unfermented dairy ingredients, plus emulsifiers, extra salt, food colorings, or whey...
, industrial product only - brânză de coşuleţ - same cheese as brânză de burdufBrânza de burdufBrânză de burduf is a salty type of cheese, with sheep's-milk cheese, has a strong flavour and slightly soft in texture. To obtain it, sweet caş is cut into small pieces, salted and then hand-mixed in a large wooden bowl. The mixture is then placed in a sheep’s stomach, or into a sheep’s skin that...
, but stuffed into bellows of fir tree bark instead of pig bladder, very lightly smoked, traditional product - caşcaval - semi-hard cheese made with sheep's or cow's milk, traditional product
- caşCaşCaș , is a type of semi-soft fresh white cheese produced in Romania. It is unsalted , made out of sheep milk or cow milk and stored in brine.Caș cheese is also used to make other types of cheese such as Brânză de burduf and Caşcaval....
- semi-soft fresh white cheese, unsalted, sometimes lightly salted, stored in brine, which is eaten fresh (cannot be preserved), softer than fetaFetaFeta is a brined curd cheese traditionally made in Greece. Feta is an aged crumbly cheese, commonly produced in blocks, and has a slightly grainy texture. It is used as a table cheese, as well as in salads Feta is a brined curd cheese traditionally made in Greece. Feta is an aged crumbly cheese,...
cheese, a base for telemeaTelemeaTelemea is the name of the traditional Romanian cheese. The term encompasses cheese made out of cow milk and more often, sheep milk. As is the case in Greek feta, Bulgarian/Macedonian sirene, and Serbian sir; Telemea can have a higher water content, making it a semi-soft, white cheese with a...
, traditional, seasonal product - telemeaTelemeaTelemea is the name of the traditional Romanian cheese. The term encompasses cheese made out of cow milk and more often, sheep milk. As is the case in Greek feta, Bulgarian/Macedonian sirene, and Serbian sir; Telemea can have a higher water content, making it a semi-soft, white cheese with a...
- semi-soft white cheese (brinza) with a creamy texture and a tangy taste, matured in brine, somewhat similar to fetaFetaFeta is a brined curd cheese traditionally made in Greece. Feta is an aged crumbly cheese, commonly produced in blocks, and has a slightly grainy texture. It is used as a table cheese, as well as in salads Feta is a brined curd cheese traditionally made in Greece. Feta is an aged crumbly cheese,...
cheese but so much better, traditional product - urdăUrdăUrdă is a Romanian fresh white cheese made from whey of sheep, goat or cow. Urdă is produced by heating the whey resulting from the draining of any type of cheese. It is often made into molds to the shape of a half sphere...
- made by boiling the whey drained from cow's or ewe's milk until the remaining proteins precipitate and can be collected; almost fat-free, bland in taste; most often mixed with cream or butter and herbs or spices to prepare tasty spreads, traditional product
List of desserts
- BaklavaBaklavaBaklava is a rich, sweet pastry made of layers of filo pastry filled with chopped nuts and sweetened with syrup or honey. It is characteristic of the cuisines of the former Ottoman Empire and much of central and southwest Asia....
- phylloPhylloPhyllo, filo, or fillo dough is paper-thin sheets of unleavened flour dough used for making pastries in Middle Eastern and Balkan cuisine.-History:An early, thick form of phyllo appears to be of Central Asian Turkic origin...
pastry filled with nuts and sweetened with honey/sugar syrup - CovrigiCovrigiCovrigi is the plural form of the Romanian word covrig is the name of a type of Romanian salted pastry topped with poppy, sesame seeds or large salt grains, especially in the central area of the country, and the recipe does not contain any added sweetener...
- pretzelPretzelA pretzel is a type of baked food made from dough in soft and hard varieties and savory or sweet flavors in a unique knot-like shape, originating in Europe...
s - GogoşiGogoşiGogoşi are a sweet traditionnal pastries to Romanian cuisine similar to doughnuts but without holes. Gogoşi is the plural form of the romanian word gogoáşă....
- literally "doughnuts", but more akin to fried doughFried dough.Fried dough is a North American food associated with outdoor food stands in carnivals, amusement parks, fairs, rodeos, and seaside resorts . Fried dough is the specific name for a particular variety of fried bread made of a yeast dough; see the accompanying images for an example of use on... - HalvaHalvaHalva refers to many types of dense, sweet confections, served across the Middle East, South Asia, Central Asia, West Asia, North Africa, the Horn of Africa, the Balkans, Eastern Europe, Malta and the Jewish world.The term halva ,...
- Rahat - Turkish delightTurkish DelightTurkish delight or lokum is a family of confections based on a gel of starch and sugar. Premium varieties consist largely of chopped dates, pistachios and hazelnuts or walnuts bound by the gel; the cheapest are mostly gel, generally flavored with rosewater, mastic, or lemon...
- PlăcintăPlăcintăPlăcintă is a Romanian traditional pastry resembling a thin, small round or square-shaped cake, usually filled with a soft cheese such as Urdă or apples.- History :...
- piePieA pie is a baked dish which is usually made of a pastry dough casing that covers or completely contains a filling of various sweet or savoury ingredients.... - ColivăKolivaKoliva is boiled wheat which is used liturgically in the Eastern Orthodox and Greek-Catholic Churches.This ritual food is blessed after the memorial Divine Liturgy performed at various intervals after a death; after the...
- boiled wheat, mixed with sugar and walnuts (often decorated with candy and icing sugar; distributed at funerals and/or memorial ceremonies - CozonacCozonacCozonac or Kozunak is a traditional Bulgarian, Romanian and Albanian sweet bread. It is usually prepared for Easter in Bulgaria and Albania, and mostly for every major holiday in Romania....
- a kind of StollenStollenA Stollen is a loaf-shaped cake containing dried fruit, and covered with sugar, powdered sugar or icing sugar. The cake is usually made with chopped candied fruit and/or dried fruit, nuts and spices. Stollen is a traditional German cake, usually eaten during the Christmas season, when called...
made with leavened dough, into which milk, eggs, sugar, butter, and other ingredients are mixed - Pandişpan - sponge cakeSponge cakeSponge cake is a cake based on flour , sugar, and eggs, sometimes leavened with baking powder which has a firm, yet well aerated structure, similar to a sea sponge. A sponge cake may be produced by either the batter method, or the foam method. Typicially the batter method in the U.S. is known as a...
- Orez cu lapte - rice puddingRice puddingRice pudding is a dish made from rice mixed with water or milk and sometimes other ingredients such as cinnamon and raisins. Different variants are used for either desserts or dinners. When used as a dessert, it is commonly combined with a sweetener such as sugar.-Rice pudding around the world:Rice...
- Griş cu lapte - cream of wheatCream of WheatCream of Wheat is a porridge-type breakfast food invented in 1893 by wheat millers in Grand Forks, North Dakota. The cereal is currently manufactured and sold by B&G Foods. Until 2007, it was the Nabisco brand made by Kraft Foods. It is similar in texture to grits, but made with farina instead...
, semolina with milk - Lapte de pasăre - literally "bird's milk", vanilla custard garnished with "floating islands" of whipped egg whites
- Cremă de zahăr ars - crème caramel/crème brûléeCrème brûléeCrème brûlée , also known as burnt cream, crema catalana, or Trinity cream is a dessert consisting of a rich custard base topped with a contrasting layer of hard caramel...
- Clătite - crêpeCrêpeA crêpe or crepe , is a type of very thin pancake, usually made from wheat flour or buckwheat flour . The word is of French origin, deriving from the Latin crispa, meaning "curled". While crêpes originate from Brittany, a region in the northwest of France, their consumption is widespread in France...
- Turtă dulce - gingerbreadGingerbreadGingerbread is a term used to describe a variety of sweet food products, which can range from a soft, moist loaf cake to something close to a ginger biscuit. What they have in common are the predominant flavors of ginger and a tendency to use honey or molasses rather than just sugar...
- ChecCHECCHEC may refer to:* Cape Higher Education Consortium* Christian Higher Education Canada...
- a sort of coffee cakeCoffee cakeThe term coffee cake can refer to either of the following:* A class of cakes intended to be eaten alongside coffee. Under this definition, a coffee cake does not contain coffee. They are typically single layer cakes that may be square or rectangular like a Stollen or loaf-shaped rectangular cakes.... - PapanaşiPapanașiPapanași is a Romanian traditional fried pastry resembling a small round, usually filled with a soft cheese such as urdă and cherry jam.The word papanași may come from the latin papa or pappa who means food for kids....
- a kind of doughnutDoughnutA doughnut or donut is a fried dough food and is popular in many countries and prepared in various forms as a sweet snack that can be homemade or purchased in bakeries, supermarkets, food stalls, and franchised specialty outlets...
made from a mixture of sweet cheese, eggs, and semolina, boiled or fried and served with fruit syrupFruit syrupFruit syrup as a food ingredient is a concentrated juice made from a less expensive fruit and used to sweeten more expensive products and to extend their quantity . A typical use would be for an "all-fruit" strawberry spread that contains apple juice as well as strawberries. It is regularly in...
or jamFruit preservesFruit preserves are preparations of fruits and sugar, often canned or sealed for long-term storage. The preparation of fruit preserves today often involves adding commercial or natural pectin as a gelling agent, although sugar or honey may be used, as well. Prior to World War II, fruit preserve...
and sour creamSour creamSour cream is a dairy product rich in fats obtained by fermenting a regular cream by certain kinds of lactic acid bacteria. The bacterial culture, which is introduced either deliberately or naturally, sours and thickens the cream. Its name stems from the production of lactic acid by bacterial... - Şarlotă - a custard made with milk, eggs, sugar, whipped cream, gelatin, fruits, and lady fingers; from the French charlotteCharlotte (dessert)A charlotte is a type of dessert that can be served hot or cold. It can also be known as an "ice-box cake". Bread, sponge cake or biscuits/cookies are used to line a mould, which is then filled with a fruit puree or custard...
- Prăjituri - assorted pastries:
- Savarine - savarina)
- Amandine - chocolate sponge cake filled with almond cream
- Joffre cakeJoffre cakeA Joffre cake is a chocolate buttermilk layer cake filled with chocolate ganache and frosted with chocolate buttercream originally created at Bucharest's famed Casa Capşa restaurant, in honor of a visit by French General Joseph Joffre, shortly after World War I....
- invented at the Casa CapşaCasa CapsaCasa Capşa is a historic restaurant in Bucharest, Romania, first established in 1852. At various times it has also included a hotel; most recently, it reopened as a 61-room hotel 17 June 2003....
restaurant in BucharestBucharestBucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River.... - MuceniciMuceniciMucenici is a Christian feast of the 40 Martyrs of Sebaste, a traditional holiday in Romania and Moldova. It coincides with the start of the agricultural year...
- sweet cookies (shaped like "8", made of boiled or baked dough, garnished with walnuts, sugar or honey, eaten on a single day of the year, on 9 March)
List of drinks
- socatăSocataSocată is a traditional Romanian soft drink made from the flowers of the European elder shrub, Sambucus nigra . The European elderberry also grows spontaneously in North America....
- Elderflower Champagne - bereRomanian beerBeer in Romania comes from the long tradition of Romanian brewing, being introduced in Transylvania by the German colonists and in Moldavia by cultural connections with Poland....
- beerBeerBeer is the world's most widely consumed andprobably oldest alcoholic beverage; it is the third most popular drink overall, after water and tea. It is produced by the brewing and fermentation of sugars, mainly derived from malted cereal grains, most commonly malted barley and malted wheat... - ţuicăTuicaŢuică is a traditional Romanian spirit of somewhere in between 45%-60% alcohol by volume. It is usually made from plums.Ţuică is the official name for the drink when it is prepared only from plums...
- plum brandy - horincă - plum brandy, produced near the border with UkraineUkraineUkraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
- şliboviţăSlivovitzSlivovitz or Slivovitsais a distilled beverage made from Damson plums. It is frequently called plum brandy, and in the Balkans is part of the category of drinks called rakia...
- similar to horilcă, produced near the border with SerbiaSerbiaSerbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans... - rachiu - fruit brandy
- secărică - caraway seed brandy
- turţTurtTurţ is a commune of 6,579 inhabitants situated in Satu Mare County, Romania. It is composed of three villages: Gherţa Mare , Turţ and Turţ-Băi . It is a large gypsy village....
- strong plum brandy (named after the village of TurţTurtTurţ is a commune of 6,579 inhabitants situated in Satu Mare County, Romania. It is composed of three villages: Gherţa Mare , Turţ and Turţ-Băi . It is a large gypsy village....
in northwestern Romania) - afinată - bilberry liqueur
- zmeurată - raspberry liqueur
- vişinatăVisinataVişinată is a Romanian alcoholic beverage produced from sour cherries , sugar and alcohol.It is very flavorful and sweet, and most often home-made. As a consequence, there is no "official" recipe for it...
- sour cherry liqueurLiqueurA liqueur is an alcoholic beverage that has been flavored with fruit, herbs, nuts, spices, flowers, or cream and bottled with added sugar. Liqueurs are typically quite sweet; they are usually not aged for long but may have resting periods during their production to allow flavors to marry.The... - vinRomanian wineRomania is one of the world's largest wine producers, producing around 610,000 tons of wine. In recent years, Romania has attracted many European business people and wine buyers, due to the affordable prices of both vineyards and wines compared to other wine producing nations such as France,...
- wineWineWine is an alcoholic beverage, made of fermented fruit juice, usually from grapes. The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, or other nutrients. Grape wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast... - vodcă - vodkaVodkaVodka , is a distilled beverage. It is composed primarily of water and ethanol with traces of impurities and flavorings. Vodka is made by the distillation of fermented substances such as grains, potatoes, or sometimes fruits....
Personalities
- Radu Anton Roman - author of Romanian cookbooks
- Sanda Marin - author of a famous Romanian cookbook
- Alexandru O. “Păstorel” Teodoreanu - Romanian writer between the two World Wars, connoisseur of wines and food
Other sources
- Nicolae Klepper, Taste of Romania, Hippocrene, New York, 1999, ISBN 978-0-7818-0766-1, ISBN 0-7818-0766-2