The classic recipe for the famous Bulgarian salad "Shopsky"

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

Absolutely every nation today is able to boast of some kind of national dish, a kind of pride of the whole country. So, the most recognizable in Bulgaria is the salad "Shopsky". Although now this wonderful dish is already known far beyond the borders of the country. This easy-to-prepare, very unpretentious appetizer of cheese and fresh vegetables has won the hearts of many Eastern European peoples. Domestic culinary specialists were no exception, among whom the recipe for the Shopsky salad has been kept for many decades.

A few words about the snack

The Shopska salad owes its origin and name to the Western Bulgarian ethnic group - the Shops. For residents of Bulgaria, this is a side dish, a main course, and a cold appetizer on one plate. They practically cannot imagine a meal without a fresh "Shopska" salad. The only pity is that the traditional recipe for this dish cannot be used at any time of the year. After all, most of the ingredients of the Bulgarian dish are seasonal.

In general, this simple appetizer is not much different from the classic summer salad fromvegetables, which is always on the table of domestic families at the appropriate time of the year. A dietary, low-calorie dish, which will certainly appeal to those who take care of their own he alth and figure.

The classic Shopsky salad recipe became known in the middle of the 20th century, or rather, in 1956. It was during this period that tourism began to develop intensively in the vastness of Bulgaria. So, at one of the resorts, culinary specialists began to offer city guests a simple snack of cheese and seasonal vegetables. After that, the popularity of the salad increased significantly: the recipe began to be published in culinary publications, as well as used in restaurant menus in nearby countries. In Bulgaria, this appetizer is known by another name - "Balkan Star".

Classic "Shopsky" salad implies the placement of all components in layers: first, tomatoes are placed, then cucumbers, and at the end - cheese. By the way, the red, green and white ingredients symbolize the flag of Bulgaria.

In a traditional salad, only cheese is put, which can give the dish a real Bulgarian taste. That is why the choice of cheese should be approached with the utmost responsibility.

Required Ingredients

To prepare the classic Shopska salad you will need:

• 400g tomatoes;
• 250g cucumbers;
• 100g onion;
• 150 g cheese;
• 60g pitted olives;
• 2 bell peppers: red and green;
• a small bunch of greens;
• lemon or vinegar;
• olive oil for dressing.

Preparing a national Bulgarian snack is extremely easy, only one thing is important - to use only fresh, high-quality products. Try to give preference not to tasteless vegetables from the greenhouse, but to ground ones. Of course, it is easiest to find all the necessary components in the summer.

Cooking

The recipe for this salad is sure to come in handy for every housewife. After all, this is a very simple to prepare, but extremely tasty and refreshing dish that can be served both as an appetizer and as a side dish for fish or meat. This salad is very bright, so there will certainly not be any problems with its beautiful serving. Such an appetizer will be indispensable on hot summer days.

First of all, wash the vegetables thoroughly. Remove stems from tomatoes and cut into thin slices. Peel cucumbers and chop into large half rings. Remove the seeds from the sweet pepper and cut into thin strips.

Peel the onion and chop into half rings. By the way, for this salad it is best to use sweet varieties of vegetables. If you come across a very bitter onion, pre-scald it with boiling water.

"Shopska" salad is always seasoned with a special sauce, which is very easy to prepare. To do this, in a separate container, mix olive oil with a pinch of s alt and a few tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice. If the lastyou don’t have an ingredient, you can safely replace it with any kind of vinegar: apple, table or wine.

Appetizer decoration

Now you can start serving the dish. On a large plate or in portioned bowls, first place tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers, then onion slices, pour dressing over it all and, at the end, put cubes of chopped cheese. Although, if desired, the cheese can be grated on a coarse grater. Garnish the salad with whole olives and sprigs of herbs. And don't forget to s alt your culinary masterpiece.