ballokume
spring has sprung
albanians celebrate the beginning of spring on a different date. dita e verës, which takes place every 14 march in the gregorian calendar, is the country’s largest festival and one of its most important holidays. it marks the strengthening of the sun and the rebirth of nature.
the origins of dita e verës (which translates to “summer day”) can be traced back to the temple of zana e malit, located near the city of elbasan. zana, a goddess of nature, was believed to leave her temple only on the 14th of march. in the old albanian calendar, this day marked the end of winter (the second half of the year) and the beginning of summer (the first half of the year).
today, the festival is celebrated across the country, but the most important festivities still take place in elbasan, one of albania’s largest cities, about an hour from the capital.
traditional rituals include wearing a verore (a red and white wool bracelet), eating boiled eggs, washing the eyes with water infused with spring flowers, and, most of all, sharing ballokume.
ballokume is the cookie most closely associated with dita e verës. its name is said to originate from a 15th-century ottoman ruler’s exclamation, “është ba si llokume!”, meaning “it’s as good as a llokum!”, after tasting a small corn flour cake baked over a wood fire. over time, the phrase evolved into the name ballokume.
in some traditional versions, the recipe includes finj, a mixture made from ashes of a wood stove boiled in water, which adds a distinctive depth of flavour. my version doesn’t include finj, but it still delivers something special.
it may already be past the 14th of march, but it’s never too late to bake ballokume, so let’s start!
ingredients (makes approx. 23 cookies)
350 gr corn flour
50 gr regular flour (optional)
120 gr butter
1 tablespoon milk
2 eggs
2 tablespoons ground fennel seeds
2 tablespoons orange blossom
220 gr powdered sugar
pinch of salt
procedure
in a pan, melt the butter
add the melted butter to a bowl, then add the powdered sugar and mix until well combined
add one egg and then mix, add the second egg and mix again until well combined
add the aromas (fennel seeds and orange blossom) and the pinch of salt and mix well
add the corn flour and mix
add the tablespoon of milk and mix
add the regular flour and mix (optional)
grab a scale and portion the dough into small balls of 35 gr
when you finish portioning the balls, place them in a tin and bake at 170* for 20 min (or until they form some cracks on the surface)
don’t overpopulate the tin because the cookies will spread a little.
happy spring!!!!
sending kisses and hugs to each and every one of you because this is what spring makes me do.
arsejda