My second full day in Albania was another epic experience, and it all started with breakfast! Come along with me as I go on an epic Albanian byrek tour and learn how to make these delicious Balkan stuffed pastries in Tirana, Albania!
My day began in the center of Tirana at Byrek te Çastit with my friend Ani from Balkan Pearls Tour Operator. There, I would get to try five different types of byrek for breakfast! Byrek is a type of stuffed pastry or pie that’s popular throughout the Balkan region. They’re a popular breakfast item but can also be eaten throughout the day! The Albanian byrek at Byrek te Çastit is some of the best in Tirana, Albania!
In the kitchen, the ladies were making several types of byrek, including spinach, ricotta, and more. First, they rolled the dough and add the filling. Then, they add some flour and fold them into a triangle shape. Then, they put them on a tray and bake for 10 minutes until they’re golden brown!
The byrek I know best is a mincemeat one, which is made in a square shape. They looked so good! They also make onion-and-tomato byrek, and ones with sausage and meat. Ani said we should try all five varieties! We also got some dhalle, which is a watery yogurt drink.
We got ricotta, spinach, tomato-and-onion, sausage, and mincemeat byreks. The spinach one was incredible. I loved the dough, which was a little crispy on the outside, and very flaky! The sausage one almost felt like a corn dog and took me back to my childhood!
The one stuffed with ricotta was salty and I loved the crumbly cheese inside. It was also doughier. Then, I tried the dhalle, which was basically milky, silky yogurt. It pairs well with the ricotta burek because it kills the saltiness. Meanwhile, the mincemeat byrek was oily and reminded me of a meat lover’s pizza. It was my favorite and had my mouth watering! They also weren’t very filling because the dough is so airy.
The tomato-and-onion one had a nice burst of tomato flavor and nice onion. Then, we headed to Kafe Flora, one of the oldest coffee shops in Albania. It has a song written about it from 1972! It’s a beautiful, open-air café in the middle of the city. Their espresso is strong and reminded me of Turkish coffee. I also got some blackberry rakija, which was smooth, fruity, and strong! People drink it every morning to stay healthy!
Afterward, we drove 30 minutes east to the port city of Durrës. We rode down a street with lots of retail commercial space on the bottom floors of the buildings and residential space on top. There’s so much to do in this area, including eagle farms and wineries.
Durrës is an ancient city and the biggest seaport in Albania. It’s a great beach city and has lots of amazing seafood and Italian food. I couldn’t wait to explore this city and its food, attractions, and historical sites!
I hope you liked coming with me on my Albanian byrek tour in Tirana, Albania! If you did, please give this video a thumbs up and leave a comment below. Also, please subscribe to my YouTube channel and click the notification bell so you don’t miss any of my travel/food adventures around the world!
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