FLIJA
A Traditional Albanian Recipe Made Of Crepe-Like Layers, Traditionally Cooked Using A Saç Lid
Takes 2-3 hours, Makes 1 40cm tray
Serving traditional Albanian flija
This is one of my favourite traditional Albanian recipes! It’s made up of crepe-like layers of batter that are cooked, one by one, using heat from above.
However it is also very time and labour intensive and it’s really hard to find the traditional cooking utensils outside of Albania so I’ve included two cooking methods in this recipe; one using a traditional saç lid and another using the grill setting on your oven.
INGREDIENTS
2kg Plain flour
1L Water
A pinch of salt
x10 Eggs, beaten
1 cup Oil
200g butter, melted
You will also need;
A pastry brush for your eggs.
A ladel to spoon out your batter A large, round stainless steel oven tray
METHOD 1- TRADITIONAL SAÇ LID
Mix the flour, water and salt together in a large mixing bowl and set aside.
Then whisk together the eggs, oil and butter and set aside.
While you’re heating your saç lid using your fire pit or outdoor fire, set all of your ingredients close by and brush the oven tray with a little oil.
Place the first light layer of batter in your oven tray. (The trick to this recipe is to do many, thin, crepe-like layers so don’t be tempted to put too much batter on at once.)
Carefully lift the hot saç lid on top of the oven tray for a few seconds until the batter is gently cooked and golden.
Return the saç lid to the heat while you prepare your next layer, this time you’ll be brushing over some of the egg mixture. Then hold the saç lid over the tray again to cook this layer.
Repeat this process until all of the batter has been used up, cooking one layer of batter, followed by one layer of the egg mixture.
Leave the flija to cool a bit before slicing into traingles and serving warm.
METHOD 2- OVEN GRILL
Mix the flour, water and salt together in a large mixing bowl and set aside.
Then whisk together the eggs, oil and butter and set aside.
While you’re heating your grill, set all of your ingredients close by and brush the oven tray with a little oil.
Place the first light layer of batter in your oven tray. (The trick to this recipe is to do many, thin, crepe-like layers so don’t be tempted to put too much batter on at once.)
Carefully place the oven tray under the grill for a few seconds until the batter is gently cooked and golden.
Remove the oven tray from the grill to add your next layer, this time you’ll be brushing over some of the egg mixture.
Return the pan back under the grill to cook the egg layer.
Repeat this process until all of the batter has been used up, cooking one layer of batter, followed by one layer of the egg mixture.
Leave the flija to cool a bit before slicing into traingles and serving warm.