Baku Kitchen! An independent reference of traditional food

Moldova

Ask what Moldova eats and the answer starts with this: wine-country cooking of polenta, stuffed flatbreads, sour zeamă and Romanian-Slavic comfort food. Look for Mămăligă (cornmeal porridge with sheep cheese, sour cream, pork cracklings), Zeamă (sour chicken-noodle soup brightened with fermented bran borș) and Plăcinte (flat round pies filled with brânză, potato, cabbage or cherries). Maize porridge that became the peasant staple of Moldova and Romania after maize spread in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. This atlas has 33 Moldova dishes catalogued below, from everyday cooking to food kept for festivals and special occasions.

33 dishes.

AlivenciAlivencicornmeal and cheese cakes baked with dill and sour creamBabă neagrăBabă neagrădense dark baked cake, northern wedding traditionBors acruBors acruSour bran ferment stirred into zeamă and other soups.Brânză de oiBrânză de oisalty sheep's-milk cheese, mămăligă's constant companionCârnați de casăCârnați de casăhome-made garlic pork sausages, smoked and hung to dryCașCașfresh unsalted sheep cheese eaten young or salted for keepingChiscaChiscaPork offal and grain sausage in natural casing, smoked and fried in slices.ColțunașiColțunașiboiled dumplings filled with cheese, potato or cherriesCușma lui GuguțăCușma lui Guguțăcrepe stack with sour cherries and cream, 'Guguță's hat'CvasCvasLightly fizzy sour drink fermented from dark rye bread, sold from barrels.DivinDivinoak-aged Moldovan grape brandyFetească NeagrăFetească Neagrănative dark-berry red wineÎnvârtităÎnvârtităcoiled pastry with cheese, pumpkin or appleJumăriJumăricrisp pork cracklings left from rendering lard, eaten with onionLapte batutLapte batutTangy cultured buttermilk drunk cold with mămăligă.MămăligăMămăligăcornmeal porridge with sheep cheese, sour cream, pork cracklingsMititeiMititeigrilled skinless garlicky sausagesMujdeiMujdeiraw garlic crushed with salt, oil and water, poured over meatMurăturiMurăturiwatermelon, cabbage, tomatoes and cucumbers soured in barrelsMustMustCloudy sweet grape juice from the crush, drunk before it ferments.Negru de PurcariNegru de Purcaridark red blend of Cabernet, Saperavi and Rara neagrăNuci umpluteNuci umpluteWalnut-shell biscuits sandwiched with sweetened condensed milk cream.PârjoalePârjoaleflattened, herbed minced-meat patties fried until darkPlăcintePlăcinteflat round pies filled with brânză, potato, cabbage or cherriesRachiu de tescovinaRachiu de tescovinaClear spirit distilled from grape pomace after pressing, drunk in small glasses.RăcituriRăcituriJellied pork set from long-boiled trotters with garlicRara neagrăRara neagrălight, spicy indigenous red grape, also known as Băbească neagrăSarmaleSarmalelittle cabbage or vine-leaf rolls, festive table centerpieceSmântânăSmântânăthick sour cream spooned onto mămăligă, soups and plăcinteTochiturăTochiturăpork stew with wine and garlic over mămăligă, fried eggVarza murataVarza murataWhole cabbage soured in brine, its leaves rolled into sarmale.Vin fiertVin fiertRed wine mulled with honey, cloves and citrus, drunk in cold months.ZeamăZeamăsour chicken-noodle soup brightened with fermented bran borș

  • Alivenci

    Cornmeal and cheese cakes baked with dill and sour cream. Ready in 25 min prep and 45 min cooking. 8…

  • Babă neagră

    Dense dark baked cake, northern wedding tradition. Ready in 30 minutes prep and 1 hour 30 minutes cooking. One cake,…

  • Bors acru

    Sour bran ferment stirred into zeamă and other soups. Ready in 20 min prep and 10 min cooking. Makes about…

  • Brânză de oi

    Salty sheep’s-milk cheese, mămăligă’s constant companion. A cheese & dairy recipe from Moldova.

  • Cârnați de casă

    Home-made garlic pork sausages, smoked and hung to dry. A charcuterie & cured recipe from Moldova.

  • Caș

    Fresh unsalted sheep cheese eaten young or salted for keeping. Ready in 40 min prep and 20 min cooking. Makes…

  • Chisca

    Pork offal and grain sausage in natural casing, smoked and fried in slices. Ready in 1 hour prep and 1…

  • Colțunași

    Boiled dumplings filled with cheese, potato or cherries. Ready in 50 min prep and 20 min cooking. 40 dumplings. A…

  • Cușma lui Guguță

    Crepe stack with sour cherries and cream, ‘Guguță’s hat’. Ready in 1 hour prep and 30 minutes cooking. Serves 10.…

  • Cvas

    Lightly fizzy sour drink fermented from dark rye bread, sold from barrels. Ready in 30 minutes prep and 20 minutes…