Glossary

 

Ajvar - Typical Balkan sweet pepper chutney. See p. 99 for recipe

Çardak - The elegant conservatory-like room extending from the first floor of Ottoman-era houses

Fli - A dish made by repeated layers of batter, interspersed with cream. See p. 24 for recipe

KLA - The Kosovo Liberation Army, established in 1998 as a guerrilla force to counter Serbian establishment repression of ethnic Albanians in Kosovo. The KLA was officially dis- banded as part of the negotiations which ended the NATO bombing campaign against the Milošević regime in June1999

Kulla - A Turkish word meaning ‘tower’ but used specifically to refer to the fortified three- or four-storey houses seen only in Kosovo and northern Albania

Mangall - A brazier which formed part of the furniture of the well-to- do home in Kosovo in the past

Minder - The integral cushioned seating running round the edge of the guest sitting room in traditional Kosovan homes

Oda - Turkish word meaning ‘room’, used in Kosovo specifically for the room where male members of the household and guests hung out

Pite - A pastry dish made of layers of filo pastry with filling which is usually savoury – cheese, spinach, nettles, pumpkin and others. See p. 109 for recipe

Raki - Spirits made, typically in a home still, from distilled juice (usually grape or plum though it can be as exotic as apricot or quince) – similar to Italian grappa

Tepsi - A round, deep baking tray which can be as small as 30cm diameter, or as large as 100cm diameter. It is used for baking many traditional Kosovan dishes including fli, pite, and baklava

UNMIK - The United Nations Mission in Kosovo, the mission which took over the administration of Kosovo in accordance with United Nations Resolution 1244 in 1999