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Tutor Dunya D 's Column

Carbs in My Culture (Serbia)

2024-11-06

Breads and pastries are a major source of carbohydrates in my Balkan country. People in Serbia eat a lot of bread and bread-like products. Walk down any street in my city and you’ll come across a bakery or two. 
 
In Serbia, bakeries make and sell bread, pretzels, ham croissants, and burek – a greasy pie made of flaky dough and meat or cream cheese.
Burek and yogurt (buttermilk) are by far the most popular breakfast staple, even more common than fried eggs and bread.
Bakeries also sell some sweet pastries like poppy seed rolls and chocolate croissants, but the savory burek is the star of the show.
 
My family frequently ate sandwiches (including a piece of bread, mayo, ham, cheese, and pickles), it doesn’t matter if it’s breakfast, dinner, or just a snack.
 

Pasta is quite common too, but we simply adopted the Italian meaty and cheesy recipes. From spaghetti to lasagna – we have it all!

 

In Serbia, we also eat a lot of potatoes, carrots, and peas, all of which are carb-rich. More often than not, people combine these with bread or pasta. 

I personally love peas, but I learned that I shouldn’t have too many sources of carbs in one meal.

I often have quite a sweet tooth – I love chocolate and biscuits, especially Plazma, a famous local brand of biscuits.

 

People in Serbia rarely eat rice, and if they do, they tend to overcook it. It’s sometimes used in recipes like stuffed peppers, pilaf, and risotto. These aren’t exactly original Serbian cuisine, but they’re adapted to local tastes and, over time, became an important part of national cooking.
Personally, I love rice, but I follow Asian recipes and flavor profiles when I make it.

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