Absolutely every nation today is able to boast of some kind of national dish, a kind of pride of the whole country. So, the shopskiy salad is rightfully considered the most recognizable in Bulgaria. Although now this wonderful dish is already known far beyond the borders of the country. This easy-to-cook, rather unpretentious appetizer made of cheese and fresh vegetables won the hearts of many Eastern European peoples. Domestic culinary specialists were not an exception, among whom the Shopsky salad recipe has been stored for many decades.
A few words about the snack
Its origin and name "Shopskiy" salad is due to the western Bulgarian ethnic group - shops. For residents of Bulgaria, this is both a side dish, and the main dish, and a cold appetizer on one plate. They can hardly imagine a meal without a fresh Shopsky salad. It is a pity that the traditional recipe for this dish cannot be used at any time of the year. After all, most of the components of the Bulgarian dish are seasonal.
In general, this simple appetizer is not much different from the classic summer vegetable salad, which is always on the table of domestic families at the appropriate time of the year. The dish is dietary, low-calorie, thanks to which it will certainly appeal to those who follow their own health and figure.
The classic Shopsky salad recipe became known in the middle of the 20th century, and more precisely, in 1956. It was during this period that tourism began to develop intensively in the vast expanses of Bulgaria. So, at one of the resorts, culinary specialists began to offer city guests a simple appetizer of cheese and seasonal vegetables. After that, the popularity of lettuce increased significantly: the recipe was printed in culinary publications, as well as used in restaurant menus in neighboring countries. In Bulgaria, this appetizer is known by another name - "Balkan Star".
The classic Shopsky salad involves placing all the components in layers: first put the tomatoes, then the cucumbers, and at the end - the cheese. By the way, the ingredients of red, green and white color symbolize the flag of Bulgaria.
Only cheese is placed in the traditional salad, which is able to give the dish a real Bulgarian taste. That is why the choice of cheese should be approached with maximum responsibility.
Essential Ingredients
To prepare the classic Shopsky salad, you will need:
- 400 g of tomatoes;
- 250 g of cucumbers;
- 100 g of onions;
- 150 g of feta cheese;
- 60 g pitted olives;
- 2 bell peppers: red and green;
- a small bunch of greenery;
- lemon or vinegar;
- olive oil for dressing.
It is extremely easy to prepare a national Bulgarian snack, it is only important to use exclusively fresh, high-quality products. Try to give preference not to tasteless vegetables from the greenhouse, but to unpaved ones. Of course, finding all the necessary components is easiest in the summer.
Cooking
The recipe for this salad is sure to be useful to every housewife. After all, it is very simple to prepare, but extremely tasty and refreshing dish, which can be served as a snack, or as a side dish for fish or meat. This salad is very bright, so with its beautiful presentation certainly there will be no problems. This appetizer will be indispensable in the hot summer days.
First of all, wash the vegetables thoroughly. For tomatoes, cut the stalks and cut them into thin slices. Peel the cucumbers and chop in large half rings. Cut the seeds out of sweet pepper and cut into thin strips.
Peel the onion and chop in half rings. By the way, for this salad it is best to use sweet varieties of vegetables. If you get a very bitter onion, scald it with boiling water first.
"Shopskiy" salad must be seasoned with a special sauce, which is very easy to prepare. To do this, in a separate container, mix olive oil with a pinch of salt and a few tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice. If you don’t have the last ingredient, you can safely replace it with any type of vinegar: apple, table or wine.
Appetizer Design
Now you can start serving the dishes. First place tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers on a large plate or in portioned bowls, then onion slices, pour it all with dressing and finally put the sliced feta cheese cubes. Although, if desired, cheese can be grated on a coarse grater. Garnish the salad with whole olives and sprigs of greens. And do not forget to salt your culinary masterpiece.