Balkan delight: Discovering the irresistible charm of Parlenka

Parlenka is the Balkan answer to pizza. A round, thin flatbread is served with either white or yellow cheese or sometimes both. The entire dish is enveloped in the aroma of garlic, and a generous amount of olive oil amplifies the flavour. That's all. Parlenka is a straightforward dish, but its simplicity makes it magnetic and addictive.

I first encountered Parlenka while on holiday in Bulgaria. When it appeared on my plate before dinner, I wasn't sure what specific dish I was dealing with. However, Parlenka perfectly matched my preferences, so I couldn't leave the restaurant without the recipe for this marvel.

Parlenka is made from yeast dough. It is usually eaten warm and served garnished with white-bined cheese and lutenistsa, a Balkan spicy vegetable paste. A typical way of decorating it is to spread lutenitsa all over the Parlenka and sprinkle the whole thing with crumbled white cheese. In some regions of Bulgaria, Parlenka is spread with butter, lard, or olive oil and served with garlic, ham, or even jam. It is believed that Parlenka is the Bulgarian equivalent, or even the prototype, of Italian pizza.

Ingredients:

• 40g of fresh yeast,
• 400g wheat flour type 500,
• 50ml canola oil,
• salt, sugar,
• 200g brined cheese,
• 4 cloves of garlic,
• olive oil.

Preparation:

1. Dissolve the yeast in 200ml of warm water with a tablespoon of sugar. Add a tablespoon of flour and set it aside for about 15 minutes.
2. After this time, add the sifted flour, salt, and oil to the working starter. Knead the whole mixture into a smooth dough. Set it aside under cover for two hours to rise.
3. Next, divide the risen dough into two equal parts. Form them into thin flatbreads.
4. Fry the flatbreads in a pan over low heat until golden brown, about 7 minutes on each side.
5. Mix the olive oil with the pressed garlic and spread this mixture on the ready flatbread. Sprinkle with white cheese.