They say that the soul of a country lives in its national cuisine. Therefore, tasting a tourist destination is the best way to experience it. Some countries are spicy like enchiladas, others are spicy like chola bhature, others are delicious like baked snails, and others are unforgettable like surströmming. What does Moldova taste like? Let’s try!
Keep a list of the 7 most famous national dishes that every tourist should try.
MAMALYGA
The most famous dish of the national cuisine, which carries the taste of its corn fields, warmed by the gentle sun of the South. All the warmth of the Moldavian summer is on one plate in front of you, and later inside you (without a plate, of course).
Mamalyga can be called the younger sister of Italian polenta. Like polenta, this is a dish made from corn flour, which is served with meat, cottage cheese and sour cream, and, according to the rules, is cut only with a thread. The most distant ancestor of hominy is the ancient Roman dish pulmentum, which was then prepared from millet. So in a sense this is also a legacy of the Pax Romana. In Europe, corn appeared late, in the 16th century, so both polenta and hominy in their modern sense are relatively young dishes. Interesting fact: in Eastern Europe, corn was first recorded in 1692 in Hungary, on the territory of the Romanian Timisoara that was then part of it. From Timisoara, corn spread to Serbia, and from there to the Danube principalities. On the territory of Moldova, this plant appears during the reign of Constantin Duca (1693-1703), so we can talk about the birth of hominy based around the beginning of the 18th century. The word “mamalyga” first appears in the dictionary of the French publishing house Larousse , which dates back to 1873.
Mamalyga is eaten not only in Moldova; there are similar dishes in Italy, Switzerland, Slovenia, Croatia, Brazil, and the Caucasus, but it was here that it became, in a sense, a national symbol. So Moldova probably tastes like this aromatic porridge made from corn flour.
PLACINDAS
And if you have a spoon with mamilga in one hand, the other must certainly hold the equally aromatic placinda, another emblematic dish of Moldavian cuisine that you must try. The name “placinda” itself is again of ancient Roman origin. In ancient times, there was a dish called placenta, which was a puff pastry pie flavored with bay leaves, honey and cheese. Marcus Porcius Cato even included a recipe for this delicacy in his treatise “On Agriculture” (“De Agri Cultura”), dating back to 160 BC.
The Moldavian placinda galloped far from its great-grandmother named placenta. Its modern appearance is largely influenced by Turkish cuisine. It is there that you can find a type of savory pastry called burekas. Burekas originated in the Anatolia region and later spread to many Ottoman dependencies, including the Balkans. So the Moldavian placinda, a pie made from unleavened dough with filling, is an interesting hybrid of the ancient Roman placenta and Anatolian burekas. Moldavian cuisine is amazing; it tastes both Western and Eastern. So try the placintas, combine parts of the world and civilization in your mouth.
If placinda is most often fried, then its sister vertuta is always baked.
SHEEP CHEESE
In Romanian “brânză” means “cheese”. But this word is used to describe not just any cheese, but a special type of it; traditional Moldavian feta cheese is made from sheep’s milk and tastes very salty. The perfect match for it is a fleshy tomato. Salted sheep cheese is also a mandatory “topping” for mamaliga.
Getting to know Moldavian cheese will definitely make an impression on you, hopefully a pleasant one.
Brynza is one of the most typical dishes of the region, reminiscent of green meadows and well-fed sheep peacefully nibbling grass. The entire pastoral idyll of these regions is hidden in one dish.
In addition to Moldova, feta cheese is eaten in Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Poland, Ukraine, Hungary, as well as in part of Moravia (part of the Czech Republic). Interesting facts about this type of cheese that you may not have known: in Hungarian it is called “juhtúró”, in Serbian – “brenca”; The word “brânză” itself, according to linguists, comes from the Dacian language, therefore it is ancient than antiquity itself. The first surviving mention of feta cheese dates back to 1370: the word was written down in Croatian Dubrovnik as “brençe” for “Wallachian cheese”. So Moldova and its neighbor Romania have become famous for cheese for a long time and in a variety of countries in the area.
GIVECH
Givech is eaten in Moldova, Romania and Bulgaria, and it was invented by the Turks. And even the word is of Turkish origin. In the original language it looks like “güveç” and refers to the clay pots in which this dish is prepared. In general, Moldavian cuisine is considered to be part of the Balkan cuisine, which in turn was formed under the strong influence of the culinary traditions of the Ottoman Empire. So this is not the first and not the last thing that Moldova owes to the country where seagulls soar over the Bosphorus. The peculiarity of the Moldovan variety of givecha is that, unlike other countries, meat is not added to it.
Moldavian givech is a vegetable stew made from eggplants and other vegetables. This is an ideal find for anyone who practices vegetarian nutrition. And although vegetarianism in Moldova is not yet widespread and not accepted by the public majority, givech will certainly please everyone who is against eating dead animals.
SARMALE
Sarmale is also a phenomenon that is both Moldovan and international, uniting various culinary influences. It is known not only in Moldova, but here again has a special status of national treasure. Sarmale is close relatives of Ukrainian cabbage rolls and Balkan dolma; it is minced meat and rice cooked in cabbage or grape leaves. The name sarmale comes from the Turkish “sarmak”, which means “to curl up”. Similar dishes are prepared in the Balkans, the South Caucasus, Central Asia and even India. Therefore, this dish of Moldavian cuisine will take you far to the East, to where the sounds of zurna are heard. There is also something oriental, bright, colorful in the taste of Moldova. Don’t miss the opportunity to experience all this variety of flavors on your taste buds.
ZEAMA
A dish of Moldavian and Romanian cuisine. It is considered a type of chorba soup (the word “chorba” is correct, also of Turkish origin). In the culinary tradition of Romania, Moldavian zama corresponds to ciorba de potroace, i.e. Chorba from offal. And they gut it, as the culinary traditions of their ancestors dictate, a chicken. Homemade noodles, vegetables and roots, and kvass are added to the dismembered birds. It turns out nourishing, tasty and hot. Do not deny yourself the pleasure of trying Moldavian soups, all varieties of zama and chorba. They have a completely unique taste that will stay with you for a long time.
MURĂTURI
It is impossible to imagine Moldavian cuisine without all kinds of pickles. Cucumbers, ripe tomatoes, green tomatoes and much, much more. Pickles form an important part of the country’s national culinary heritage. So, when you come here, don’t forget to crunch on a cucumber as a snack. Or, at worst, a tomato. It’s possible – both at once.
BABA NEAGRĂ
The most amazing dessert of Moldovan cuisine, which you should definitely finish your meal with. Translated, it means “black woman,” but “woman” here does not have a sexist connotation and does not attack anyone’s grandmother. The word “Baba” came to us from Poland. There it refers to Easter baked goods made from yeast dough. So there are also Polish and West Slavic borrowings in Moldavian cuisine. There is a version that the dessert “baba” is associated with the Jewish Passover tradition. Be that as it may, this delicate, aromatic and slightly alcoholic dish will definitely make you fall in love with it. You will definitely want to stay in Moldova to eat it again and again.
Food for thought for the curious: in addition to Baba Neagra (i.e. Black Baba), Moldavian cuisine also prepares Baba Alba (i.e. White Baba). But you will find out how they differ, besides color, by tasting both desserts.
Discover Moldova, try it and be surprised.