There are many things that people love about September, but if you are a Macedonian from Shtip there is one thing about September that you may love the most – the Pastramajlijada.
For people who don’t know what it is, here is some brief definition: Pastramajlijda is an annual festival that occurs every September in Shtip, Macedonia. This annual festival is organized in honor of Shtip’s most popular specialty – pastramajlija which could be even considered to be the Macedonian type of pizza.
And since I happened to be a Macedonian from Shtip, I simply can’t let September slide without sharing with you the ‘secret’ recipe of our beloved pastramajlija, especially when I see how many people from all over the country came to enjoy our Pastramajlijada in the last three days!
So here we go!
What do we need to prepare pastramajlija?
- 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon instant yeast
- 1/2 cup lukewarm water
- Large boneless pork/chicken loin chops
- 2 teaspoons Olive oil
- Salt Black Pepper and Cayenne Pepper
You already got that all? Awesome! Now let’s get that started:
Step 1. In a large bowl, combine the flour, yeast, salt, and lukewarm water and prepare a simple pita dough.
Step 2. Cover the dough with a cloth and let it rest in a warm spot for around 2 hours.
Step 3. Preheat a pizza stone in the oven at 400F.
Step 4. Cut the pork/chicken meat and spice it with olive oil, salt, cayenne pepper, and black pepper.
Step 5. Roll the dough on the pizza stone in an oval shape.
Step 6. Put the pork/chicken chops all around the dough.
Step 7. Put olive oil all over the dough and the meat chops once again.
Step 8. Bake it for around 15-20 minutes.
Step 9. Serve it with pepperoncini and a glass of Macedonian red wine.
Final ThoughtsÂ
Macedonian food is always rich in flavors and if you are not visiting Macedonia anytime soon, you can definitely prepare this dish at home. This is highly recommended especially for those who enjoy pizza and meat.
If you want to learn more about Macedonia, check out the following blog post:
Before you go to Macedonia: Learn how to act like a born and raised Macedonian
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