Mekitsa
Photo: Biso (Biser Todorov) · CC BY-SA 3.0

History

Mekitsa is the Bulgarian and Balkan answer to the doughnut or beignet. The Bulgarian version uses a yoghurt-leavened dough that puffs in hot oil. Plovdiv's Mekitsa and Coffee popularised modern combinations alongside the traditional sirene-and-jam pairing, and the fried discs are eaten hot for breakfast from morning counters across the city.

Common allergens: Gluten, Dairy, Egg

Make it at home

Yield 12Hands-on 25 minTotal 1 hr 30 minDifficulty Easy

Ingredients

  • 500g all-purpose flour
  • 300ml Bulgarian yoghurt (full fat)
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • Sunflower oil for frying

Method

  1. Whisk yoghurt with baking soda until foamy.
  2. Add egg, salt and sugar; mix well.
  3. Gradually add flour, mixing to a soft sticky dough.
  4. Cover; rest 1 hour at room temperature.
  5. Heat 4 cm of oil in a heavy pan to 170 degrees Celsius.
  6. Pull off pieces of dough and stretch into 10 cm discs.
  7. Fry in batches for 1 minute per side until deep golden.
  8. Drain on paper. Serve hot with sirene cheese, jam or powdered sugar.

Tip from the editors. The dough should be sticky, not firm; flour your hands rather than the dough. Eat the mekitsa within five minutes of frying for the best texture.

Where to eat mekitsa

Mekitsa in Plovdiv

Mekitsa and Coffee ★ 4.8

$$ 8-20 BGNBrunchBulgarian breakfast counterCentre

Plovdiv's only mekitsa-to-order counter on the pedestrian Knyaz Alexander spine. Classic with sirene, jam, honey, plus pesto or halva combinations daily.

OrderMekitsa with sirene and honey, Bulgarian coffee

Directions

Gibb Bakery ★ 4.5

$ BakeryBanitsa with butter, milinkaKuchuk ParisWalk-in only

Gibb Bakery in Kuchuk Paris near the Kaufland junction runs through the early-morning queue. Banitsa with butter and milinka sell out before 10:00 daily.

Worth the queueButter banitsa

Directions

Hali Banitsa Counter ★ 4.6

$ Eastern EuropeanCentre

The old banitsa counter beside Hali sells phyllo pastry under 4 BGN. Marmalade banitsa is the local favorite; queue early, gone by lunch most weekdays.

TryBanitsa with sirene or marmalade

Directions

Hlyab Bakery Ostromila ★ 4.3

$ BakeryBureks, pastry snacks, banitsaKuchuk ParisWalk-in only

Hlyab Bakery on the Komatevsko Shose roundabout near Ostromila runs the southern Plovdiv standard for cheese bureks; second branch sits near the meat shop.

Worth the queueCheese burek

Directions

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