Not for the faint hearted, a big Macedonian breakfast is just that, BIG. Big flavours, big servings and definitely big on calories. Eggs, kolbasi, bread and feta, balanced with the sweetness of fresh tomato. Of course there are no hard and fast rules, depending on the season extras can include grilled or fried  chillies, ajvar, fried tomatoes and ham.

According to my dad, the Macedonian breakfast is a meal fit for a king, in fact, he’d often exclaim to my mum “Vesa, even the Prime Minister doesn’t eat this good!”.

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Recipe

Serves 4

Ingredients
350g kolbasi, cut in 3cm lengths (approximately 2 large homemade kolbasi or try csaba, chorizo, pepperoni sausages)
2-3 large tomatoes, cut into segments
4-8 large free-range or organic eggs
8 slices of thick bread (use homemade bread or Vienna, ciabatta or sourdough), toasted (toasting is optional)
80g feta cheese
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Method
1) Arrange kolbasi in medium non-stick frying pan, cut side down over a low-medium heat. Allow the natural fats to release and fry until browned all over (10-15 mins). Remove and rest on plate with 2 paper towels to drain, keep warm.

2) Wipe frying pan clean and place on medium heat, add 2-3 tablespoons of olive and crack open eggs, sprinkle with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Fry sunnyside up or to your liking.
Note: Wiping the frying pan clean is optional, if you prefer use the left over oil to fry your eggs.

3) Arrange tomato wedges, cheese, kolbasi, bread and egg/s on each plate, serve while hot.

Tips:
- Cut kolbasi while very cold or slightly frozen to help hold their shape when frying.
- During winter replace fresh tomato with fried tomatoes or ajvar.

Is there such a thing as a ‘banana bread connoisseur’? If there is, I think I’m one of them, as I’ve certainly consumed my share of banana bread, especially during pregnancy!!

This is a seriously good banana bread, adapted by Tana Ramsay’s banana and apple loaf recipe, the only difference being that I prefer pear over apple and enjoy the crunch of walnuts too.

If you’re planning a brunch or afternoon tea for your Christmas celebrations, this would make a lovely addition. Bake the day before and toast before serving with a knob of butter and dusting of icing sugar. Alternatively, you can always save this recipe for another day when you need to use up bananas and pears on the turn.

Be sure to have a gorgeous Christmas and New Year!!

Love, Suzanna

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Recipe

Serves 10-12

Ingredients
1 cup (115 grams) walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
4 medium-sized ripe bananas, mashed
1 pear, peeled and coarsly grated
2 large free-range eggs, beaten
3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated brown sugar
1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, softened
1 3/4 cups (250 grams) self raising flour, sifted
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
pinch of salt

Icing sugar to serve (optional)

Method
1) Preheat oven to 150°C and toast walnuts on a tray for 5-10 minutes or until fragrant. Once cooled, coarsly chop and set aside.

2) Preheat oven to 175°C. Grease and line a rectangular loaf tin (approx. 12 x 40cm).

3) In a bowl mash bananas with a fork or potato masher, add grated pear and mix to combine.

4) Using an electric hand-held mixer (medium setting), beat the eggs, sugar and butter until pale and creamy (approx. 5-7 minutes).

5) Stir in the mashed bananas and pear and sieve in the flour and other dry ingredients.

6) Once well mixed, tip into the loaf tin and bake for 40-45 minutes.

7) Remove to a wire wrack and cool in the tin for 20-30 minutes. Remove from the tin onto the rack and finish cooling completely before slicing.

8) Serve toasted with a sprinkling of icing and knob of butter.

Tips:
- Replace walnuts with pecans and pear with apple or carrot.
- Freezes well for up to three months.

I was the kind of child that didn’t care what others thought, I proudly took mum’s home cooking to school for lunch. This included anything from maznik, sandwiches with salami, feta and olives, or during winter I’d take a thermos of kompiri mandza (potato stew). To my surprise, I was the envy of my friends who were stuck with devon sandwiches…yuck!!

Similarly, Gjurgia, this weeks guest recipe contributor was called ‘fancy’ buy her school mates when she feasted on her mums Macedonian ‘French Toast’. The irony for her was that her packed lunch was a cheap alternative for her mum to make, especially since they didn’t have much money in the early days.

Although this is a breakfast dish, I’ve been know to enjoy it for a quick lunch or dinner. Unlike ‘French Toast’, this Macedonian alternative is served savory rather than sweet. So instead of drizzling with honey or maple syrup, its a crumbling of feta cheese. Try this for an easy and impressive brunch for friends, they’ll never go back to sweet French Toast again!

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Recipe

Serves 4

Ingredients
6 organic or free range eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup (180ml) full cream milk
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 slices of thick day old bread
Olive oil
Butter (optional)

50g feta cheese, coarsely crumbled to serve

Method
1) Combine eggs, milk, salt and black pepper to taste in a shallow bowl. Whisk with a fork until well combined.

2) Preheat oven to 180°C.

3) Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Dip 2 bread slices in egg mixture for 30 seconds to 1 minute on each side or until well soaked. Hold over dish to drain. Add soaked bread to pan. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes on each side or until golden. Transfer to a baking tray and keep warm in oven. Repeat with remaining bread, remembering to heat a little extra oil each time.

4) To serve, place two slices of toast on each plate and crumble with feta.

Tips:
- Depeding on the size of your eggs and the type of bread used you may require more or less eggs and milk.
- Also serve with slices of fresh tomato.

It’s a fact, our sense of smell is strongly linked to our memory. Certain scents, be it from nature or the kitchen can transport us to another time and place. It’s like the smell of baked pasta with feta, it somehow takes me back to my early childhood Saturday mornings, Mum in the kitchen and me as an eager, somewhat annoying nine year old hovering around, waiting for the oven to open so that I could pick off the crispy pasta and feta.

This is a great weekend breaky, or brunch, as it’s easy, filling, and when served with a fresh garden tomato salad, it’s heavenly! The subtle flavour of the egg, pasta and cheese also makes it perfect for kids.

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Recipe

Serves 2

Ingredients
150g dried fusilli or rigatoni pasta (spiral or tube-shaped)
Sea salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 large eggs
4 tablespoons (80ml) milk
Freshly ground black pepper
50g cows milk feta cheese, coarsely crumbled

Method
1) Preheat oven to 220°C. Cook pasta in saucepan of boiling salted water according to packet directions or until al dente. Drain well and set aside.

2) Heat a small oven proof frying pan over medium heat. Add olive oil, then pasta and toss to coat. Meanwhile, lightly whisk eggs, milk, small pinch of salt and pepper. Pour eggs over pasta and gently fold through. Remove from heat, sprinkle over crumbled feta and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the egg is cooked and golden.
Note: You may need to turn the grill on for the last 3-5 minutes.

3) Serve while hot with a fresh tomato salad.

Tip: Double or triple this recipe to serve 4-6 people. Rather than adding the egg mix to the frying pan, arrange the pasta in a lightly greased ovenproof dish or baking tray, pour over the eggs and scatter over the cheese. Bake a little longer, for 20-25 minutes, or until the egg is cooked and golden.

Before I get stuck into this weeks recipe, I’d like to take a moment to wish my beloved Village Feast a very happy first birthday! It’s overwhelming to think that in only twelve months I’ve managed to cook and post over seventy recipes. Inevitably, I have added a couple of inches to my waistline (and hubby’s too!), but I’m proud to say that it’s all been worth it. Village Feast has given me a platform to discover the deliciousness of century old recipes and share them with passionate cooks all over the world.

As an ode to true village cooking, this week I bring you one of my favourite greens, the humble sorrel leaf. Known as ‘kiselec’ or ‘kiselica’, this sour spinach-like herb is loved by many, there is even a Macedonian folk song called ‘para beri kiselec’. Often used as a pastry filling with spinach or added to spinach stew, I enjoy it wilted with egg and served on toast.

Fresh sorrel

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Recipe

Serves 2

Ingredients
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
150g sorrel leaves, coarsley chopped
Sea salt
2 eggs, lightly beaten

Method
1) Heat a medium frying pan over medium heat. Add olive oil, sorrel and sprinkle with salt. Gently cook until just wilted, then pour over lightly beaten eggs. Fold through eggs and remove from heat once cooked.

2) Serve while warm as a light lunch with lots of bread.

Tip: If sorrel is too sour, use equal portions of sorrel and spinach leaves.

This recipe was handed down to my baba by my great grandmother so it’s been in the family for generations. Mlechnik is Macedonia’s answer to quiche, a rustic egg and milk pie made with hand rolled pastry.

Typically made during spring, when the chooks are laying fresh eggs in abundance, this pie is also comforting during the cooler months.

Two types of dough are required, the first includes yeast and is used for the base, the second is yeast free and similar to filo pastry sheets. If you’re stretched for time or find working with dough challenging, a similar, although admittedly not as tasty result can be achieved by replacing the base with store bought puff pastry and a couple of lightly browned filo pastry sheets for the filling.

Our family preference is a basic egg and milk mlechnik, although other regions have been known to add crumbled feta and buttermilk or sour cream.

Preparing base

Preparing thin pastry sheets

Assembling

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Recipe

Serves 14

Ingredients
Base
Sponge (yeast mix)
1 (7g) packet dry yeast
1/2 teaspoon caster sugar
1 tablespoon plain flour
1/4 cup (60ml) lukewarm water

Dough
3 cups (375g) 00 plain bread flour, sifted, plus extra for dusting
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons (40ml) vegetable oil, plus extra for drizzling/brushing
1 cup (250ml) warm water

Pastry sheets
2 cups (250g) 00 plain bread flour, sifted, plus extra for dusting
2 teaspoons sea salt
1 tablespoon vegetable oil, plus extra for drizzling/brushing
3/4 cup (190ml) warm water

Filling
13-14 free-range or organic eggs, room temperature
1 litre full cream milk, room temperature
1 tablespoon sea salt

You will need:
- Large round 16” baking tray
- Small bowl (for sponge)
- Large mixing bowl (for dough)
- Clean tablecloth or bench
- Long thin rolling pin (make your own by purchasing a 1.2m length of  unfinished dowel from your hardware store and sand until very smooth)
- Large non-stick frying pan
- Large bowl (for egg filling)
- Foil sheet

Method
1) Grease large round baking tray with oil (approx. size 40cm in diameter, 4cm high).

2) To make sponge, stir yeast, sugar, flour and water in small bowl until smooth (1 minute). Allow to rest (7-10 minutes) or until double in size.

3) Sift flour and salt into a large mixing bowl and make a well in the centre. Add sponge mix, oil and 2/3 of the warm water and begin to incorporate using one hand while the other turns the bowl, if the dough is too dry add a little extra water (you may not need to add all the water). Knead until the dough comes together (3-5 minutes) and turn out onto a flour dusted surface and continue to knead until smooth (3-5 minutes).

4) Divide the dough into 4 equal portions, dust with flour and knead into round balls. Using the palm of your hand flatten each ball, then roll out to 20cm in diameter, dusting as you go to avoid the dough from sticking to the rolling pin. Use your fingers to create dints in each disc (this will help the oil pool). Drizzle each disc with olive oil and spread the oil all over using your fingers or a brush (I find using my fingers quicker and easier).

5) Layer 3 discs, oil side up on top of each other, place the final disc oil side down and press the edges with your hand to help seal the oil. Turn over and continue pressing with the palm of your hand from the centre to the edges until an even thickness and 30cm in diameter. Dust the top with flour and roll out to 5-10cm larger than the base of your tray. Drizzle oil around the edge of the pastry, spread with your fingers then loosely roll the edges over to create a 2cm high boarder and place in your oiled tray.
Note: The dough should fit snugly in your tray, if necessary stretch out slightly or push in the dough in to help it fit.

6) For pastry sheets, sift flour and salt into a large mixing bowl and make a well in the centre. Add oil and 2/3 of the warm water and begin to incorporate using one hand while the other turns the bowl, if the dough is too dry add the remaining water. Knead until the dough comes together (3-5 minutes) and turn out onto a flour dusted surface and continue to knead until smooth (5-7 minutes).

7) Divide the dough into 3 equal portions, dust with flour and knead into round balls. Using the palm of your hand flatten one of the balls, then roll out to 20cm in diameter, dusting as you go to avoid the dough from sticking to the rolling pin and set aside. Repeat with other 2 dough balls.

8) Heat a large non-stick frying pan (high heat).

9) Using the first flattened disc, dust both sides generously with flour and dust the rolling pin. Roll out to an even circle (30-40cm in diameter). Dust with flour again, wrap one end of the sheet over the rod and quickly roll while gently pulling the dough, unroll in the opposite direction, i.e. if rolling from the left, when unrolled the rod will end up on the right. Use your rod to gently roll and even out the circle. Dust again and repeat this process another 15-20 times until 50cm in diameter (2mm thick), dusting the edges if they stick. Drizzle over oil and use your fingers or a brush to spread the oil. Gently pick up the edge closest to you and fold the sheet in half, dust with flour and fold in each edge. Transfer the pastry sheet folded side up and place in your hot frying pan. Once the underside begins to dry out (2-3 minutes) turn over and cook for another 2 minutes. Being careful not to burn yourself, use your fingers to unravel the sheet, concentrate on lightly browning the uncooked centre and edges and continue rotating until lightly coloured all over (3-5 minutes), remove from pan and allow to cool. Repeat with remaining dough.
Note: For a quick version, oil and lightly brown 8-10 store bought filo pastry sheets in a moderate oven.

10) Preheat oven to 250°C.

11) In a bowl combine eggs, milk and salt, whisk until well combined
(3 minutes) and set aside.

12) With the prepared dough in the base of your large round baking tray, evenly press the rolled edge into the side and up to the height of to the top of the rim to form an even crust.

13) Roughly tear the cooked pastry sheets into small pieces an evenly spread over the uncooked base. Drizzle with oil, then pour over egg and milk mix, pushing down all the torn pastry to ensure everything is submerged.

14) Cover tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes at 250°C. After 30 minutes uncover, reduce temperature to 200°C and bake for further 25-30 minutes or until lightly golden and cooked through. If the top browns too quickly loosely cover with foil again.

15) Remove from oven and allow to stand uncovered for 15-20 minutes. Cut and serve while warm with a fresh tomato salad and generous chunks of sheep/goats’s milk cheese or buttermilk.

Tips:
- For a richer pie add crumbled feta to the egg mix.
- Refrigerate for up to 3 days. Mlechnik also tastes good served cold during summer and perfect for picnics.
- For a quick version use store bought puff pastry for the base and lightly browned filo pastry sheets for the filling.

Most cultures have their special version of the humble crépe, in the Balkans they’re called palachinki. Like other traditional recipes this one calls for a couple of basic ingredients, so you can make them at any time. Unlike the French who like their’s Suzette, I like my baba’s unique garlic and walnut dipping sauce.

If your not up for the robust taste of raw garlic, you can always opt to eat them plain with homemade jam or perhaps smothered with nutella and rolled up. Occasionally I go for ajvar (chilli spread) and a generous amount of crumbled feta…yum!!! However you like to eat your palachinki I encourage you to try this recipe, the combination of garlic and walnuts is really interesting and delicious too.

With lent in full swing, many Christians are fasting and eliminating all meat and dairy for a vegan diet. The last week of lent calls for leaving oil out too! Palachinki are a common staple during this period. Simply leave out the egg and milk (and the oil during the final week) and add a little more water.

Layer the palachinki

Enjoy the interesting combination of garlic and walnuts

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Recipe

Makes 6-8 palachinki

Ingredients
Batter
1 cup (125g) plain flour, sifted
1/4 teaspoon bicarbonate soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1 3/4 cups (440ml) water (or 1 cup water and 3/4 cup milk)
1 tablespoon (20ml) vegetable or light olive oil, plus extra for greasing

Garlic dipping sauce
1-2 garlic cloves, finely grated/crushed
1 1/2 tablespoons (30ml) olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup hot water

1/2 cup walnuts, coarsely crushed for sprinkling

Method
1) Sift the flour, bicarbonate soda and salt into a medium mixing bowl and make a well in the centre. Break the egg into the well and work in some of the flour with a fork. Add water, olive oil and loosely incorporate with fork, then whisk until smooth and airy (I use a hand held electric beater for 3-5 minutes).

2) Heat a medium non-stick frying pan (low-medium heat). Wipe the pan with an oiled tissue/paper towel. Pour mixture into a jug or use a ladle. Lift pan from the heat, then pour/ladle in the batter and swirl to spread to the edges of the pan so you get a nice thin, even layer (only ladle in enough batter to cover the bottom thinly). Set back over heat, cook for 2-3 minutes until the batter appears dry on top, gently peel around the edges with the spatula and flip using your fingers to aid (be gentle as it will tear easily). Cook for a further 2-3 minutes until golden in colour and flip one more time, this time the palachinka will bubble and puff up as the moisture escapes. Transfer to a plate and keep warm in a low oven while you cook the rest. Oil the pan before frying each palachinka.
Note: Stir the batter every so often to avoid a gluggy mixture, it should be consistent and watery.

3) Once all the palachinki are cooked, prepare your garlic dipping sauce. Combine garlic, salt and olive oil in a medium bowl and mix well. Stir in the boiling water and allow to cool slightly (3-5 minutes).

4) Quickly bath/soak each palachinka in the garlic sauce, place on a plate then sprinkle with crushed walnuts. Repeat the process and finish with a final drizzle of the sauce, a sprinkling of extra walnuts and a drizzle of olive oil. Slice and serve while warm or at room temperature.

Tips:
- To make this a vegan recipe leave out the egg and milk and replace with extra water.
- Rather than stacking, roll each palchinka into a cylinder and cut in half to make easy to eat portions.

Sometimes in life it’s the simplest recipes that are often the tastiest. I’m really not sure about the origin of smoothies. Perhaps they’re inspired by tropical mocktails. All I know is that this banana smoothie makes the ultimate summer breakfast.

Although I love a good health shake, with yoghurt and honey, occasionally I enjoy a more indulgent smoothie with lots of ice cream, the consistency of a yummy thick shake. You only need 3 ingredients and the secret here is a pinch of ground cinnamon.

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Recipe

Serves 1

Ingredients
1 large banana, roughly chopped
1 1/2 cups (375ml) cold milk
1-2 scoops of vanilla ice cream
Pinch of ground cinnamon

Method
1) Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Serve immediately with an extra dusting of cinnamon.

Tip:
If you’re feeling really indulgent hold the cinnamon and replace with a dusting of cocoa/drinking chocolate.

With summer in full swing and chillies on regular supply (thanks family!) I’m afraid you’ll be seeing a few more of my quick rustic family favourites.

Typically eaten for breakfast or lunch, the charm of this dish is serving it the old fashioned way, in the middle of the table with a pile of fresh bread, yoghurt and a juicy tomato salad. Everyone helps themselves from the communal pan/bowl and the best part is wiping it clean with bite sized pieces of bread.

Any leftovers taste great the following day for a quick breakfast or lunch on buttered toast.

De-seed chillies by cutting the top off, then cut in half lengthways and remove the seeds and membrane……………………………………………………………………………………

Recipe

Serves 4

Ingredients
8-10 long banana chillies (also known as Hungarian or bullhorn chillies, if unavailable replace with 2-3 red or green capsicums)
Olive oil
1 medium tomato, blanched, peeled and roughly chopped (or 2-3 tablespoons of an Italian style tomato passata)
5 large organic or free-range eggs, lightly beaten
50g feta cheese, roughly crumbled
Sea salt to taste

Method
1) Wash and dry chillies, discard stems and seeds, roughly chop.

2) Heat a medium pan (medium-high heat), coat base with olive oil, add chillies and sprinkle with salt, stir frequently to avoid from burning or browning too quickly, fry until fragrant (5-7 minutes). Reduce heat to medium, add tomato, stir and fry until fragrant (2-3 minutes).

3) Reduce heat to medium-low, add beaten eggs, use a spatula to fold eggs (push mixture from the outside of the pan to the centre), sprinkle over cheese and fold again, continue to do this until eggs are almost cooked (3-5 minutes), remove from heat and allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

4) Serve in the middle of the table with fresh bread, yoghurt and
tomato salad.

Tips:
- For other variations of this recipe replace the feta cheese with cottage cheese or sour cream.
- To peel the tomato, wash, remove stem and cut an ‘X’ into the base no bigger than 2cm and no deeper than 3mm. Place tomato in a bowl, pour over boiling water and allow to stand for 1 minute. Carefully remove from hot water and peel when cool enough to handle.
- The easiest way to de-seed chillies is by cutting the top off and discarding the stem, then cut in half lengthways to remove the seeds and membrane.

There is nothing better than fresh homemade yoghurt, served alongside stuffed capsicums and musaka, or drizzled with honey for quick summery breakfast.

Homemade yoghurt is a village tradition and although it requires a little patience, it’s super easy, healthy and well worth it.

Mum has been making yoghurt for years, but somehow dad has taken over and become the expert. This recipe is based on one I received via email last week (thanks Mara!) with some of dad’s tips.

Place yoghurt in 2 plastic shopping bags

Wrap snugly and don’t move for 6-12 hours

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Recipe……………………………………………

Makes 1 litre

Ingredients
1 litre full cream organic milk
2-3 tablespoons plain ‘live’ yogurt (use a natural yogurt containing acidophilus bifidus or similar – this is the starter yogurt)

You’ll also need:
Medium saucepan
Medium ceramic or glass dish with lid
Medium jug and whisk
2 plastic shopping bags
Small blanket or 2 bath towels

Method
1) In a medium saucepan bring milk to a gentle boil (stir every so often to avoid the bottom from burning). Allow the milk to froth up and remove from heat, taking care that the milk does not overflow.

2) In a warm, out-of-the-way spot lay the blanket or towels (lay in a cross formation) and 2 plastic shopping bags with the ceramic dish in the centre. Pour the milk into the ceramic dish and allow to cool (10-15 minutes) until the temperature reaches 43°C. If you don’t have a thermometer use the ‘little finger test’ – when the milk is just cool enough for you to comfortably hold your finger in for 10 seconds.

3) In a medium jug mix the plain yogurt and about a cup of the cooled milk. Whisk until smooth then poor back into the dish. Stir gently and cover with the lid. Tie each shopping bag and snugly wrap with a blanket/towels. (If using a blanket, wrap like a parcel – bottom end over first, then side over side, and the top end over last. If using towels – flap the top end over first, then bottom end, then side over side.)
DO NOT MOVE THE DISH ONCE IT’S BEEN WRAPPED as the milk will not set and coagulate. Leave overnight, or 6-12 hours.
Note: The longer you leave it the tartier it gets.

5) Unwrap and refrigerate. Once in the fridge, the yogurt will continue to thicken and set.

Tips:
- Be sure to save 2-3 tablespoons of your homemade yoghurt to use as the ‘starter yoghurt’ for your next batch.
- If the yoghurt doesn’t work out you can always turn it into cheese. Just bring to the boil with a tablespoon of vinegar and simmer for 2 minutes. Add a little salt, strain overnight and you’ll have homemade cottage cheese.