Sufllaqe

Ingredients

Meat and marinade

• 800 gpork neck (qafë derri), cut into 3 cm cubes
• 3 tbspolive oil
• juice of 1 lemon
• 4garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tbspdried oregano
• 1 tspsweet paprika
• 1 tspsalt
• 1 tspblack pepper

Chips

• 600 gfloury potatoes, cut into 1 cm batons
• sunflower oil, for deep frying
• salt

Yoghurt sauce

• 300 gthick yogurt
• 2garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tbspolive oil
• 1 tbsplemon juice
• ½ tspsalt

To wrap

• 4large pite or thick flatbreads
• 2tomatoes, sliced
• ½white onion, thinly sliced
• a handful of shredded lettuce or cabbage
• ketchup and mayonnaise, to taste

Directions

1. Toss the pork with the oil, lemon, garlic, oregano, paprika, salt and pepper and marinate at least 4 hours, ideally overnight in the fridge.
2. Thread the cubes onto metal skewers, packed close together but not crushed, so the outside chars while the inside stays juicy.
3. Fry the potatoes twice: 6 minutes at 150°C (300°F) until pale and soft, drain, then 3 minutes at 190°C (375°F) until crisp and deep gold. Salt them the second they leave the oil.
4. Whisk the yogurt with garlic, oil, lemon and salt and keep it cold.
5. Grill the skewers over hot charcoal, or under a grill at full heat, for 10–12 minutes, turning every 3 minutes, until the edges are blackened in patches and the centre reads 70°C (160°F).
6. Rest the skewers 3 minutes, then slide the meat off with the back of a knife.
7. Warm the flatbreads for 20 seconds a side on the grill until pliable and slightly puffed.
8. Smear each bread with yoghurt sauce, lay on the meat, then chips, tomato, onion, lettuce and a zigzag of ketchup and mayonnaise. Roll tight, wrap the bottom half in paper and eat standing up.

Technique

• The chips go inside the wrap, not beside it. That is the whole point of an Albanian sufllaqe and what separates it from a Greek souvlaki.
• Pork neck is the right cut: shoulder or loin dry out over coals, while the fat seams in the neck baste the meat as it turns.
• Charcoal is worth the trouble. The smoke is half the flavour, and a grill pan gives colour but not that scent.

Substitutions

• Chicken thigh, boned and cubed, is the common alternative and takes the same marinade; grill it 8–10 minutes.
• No pite? A thick Greek-style pitta or a soft tortilla warmed on the grill will hold the filling.

Variations

• Sufllaqe me mish të grirë, made with kebapa (minced meat fingers) instead of cubes.
• The Durrës seaside version, packed with extra cabbage salad and a fierce chilli sauce.

History

Albania’s post-1990 street staple, adapted from Greek souvlaki by returning migrant workers.

Frequently asked questions

What is Sufllaqe?

Sufllaqe is a street food from Albania: grilled meat wrapped in flatbread with chips, yoghurt sauce and salad. Albania’s post-1990 street staple, adapted from Greek souvlaki by returning migrant workers.

How long does Sufllaqe take to make?

Sufllaqe takes 30 min of preparation and 25 min of cooking. The recipe makes 4 servings. It is rated medium to make.

What can I substitute in Sufllaqe?

Yes, within limits. Chicken thigh, boned and cubed, is the common alternative and takes the same marinade; grill it 8–10 minutes. No pite? A thick Greek-style pitta or a soft tortilla warmed on the grill will hold the filling.

What is the most important thing to get right in Sufllaqe?

The chips go inside the wrap, not beside it. That is the whole point of an Albanian sufllaqe and what separates it from a Greek souvlaki.