Aromanian cuisine

{{Short description|Cuisine of the Aromanians}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2021}}

File:Μετσοβόνε 6304.jpg, a popular cheese from the Aromanian village of Metsovo, in Greece]]

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Aromanian cuisine ({{langx|rup|Cuzina armãneascã}}) is the traditional cuisine of the Aromanians. The Aromanians are a small Balkan ethnic group scattered throughout the region, living in the countries of Albania, Bulgaria, Greece, North Macedonia, Romania and Serbia.{{cite journal|url=https://www.academia.edu/34296221|title=The ethnicity of Aromanians after 1990: the identity of a minority that behaves like a majority|first=Thede|last=Kahl|author-link=Thede Kahl|journal=Ethnologia Balkanica|volume=6|pages=145–169|year=2002}} Aromanian cuisine has been strongly influenced by Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine.{{cite journal|url=http://literaturacomparata.ro/Site_Acta/Old/acta11/AIC_11_Darabus.pdf|title=L'alimentazione come sistema alluvionale nella cultura degli aromeni|first=Carmen|last=Dărăbuș|journal=Acta Iassyensia Comparationis|volume=11|issue=1|pages=85–90|year=2013|language=it}}

In Greece, the Aromanian village of Metsovo ({{lang|rup|Aminciu}}) stands out for the cheeses made there. The most popular cheeses from Metsovo are Metsovone and Metsovela, although other types of cheeses such as Graviera are also produced in Metsovo. Much of the cheeses coming from Metsovo are fabricated on the Tositsa Foundation Cheese Factory, operating since 1958. Aside from cheeses, some typical Metsovite dishes include meats such as kontosouvli and sausages, as well as pies with vegetables and mushrooms and bean soup, all of which can be accompanied with local wine.{{cite news|url=https://www.iefimerida.gr/travel/metsobo-odigos-estiatoria-arhontika-13-simeia|title=Μέτσοβο, το "πέτρινο διαμάντι" -Τι πρέπει να δείτε, να γευτείτε, εστιατόρια, συγκλονιστικά αρχοντικά, 10+3 σημεία|first=Christina|last=Zachou|newspaper=Iefimerida|date=27 November 2021|language=el}} Outside of Metsovo, the Aromanian pie Batzina is popular in the area of Aspropotamos, and a book has been published on the local cuisine of the village.{{cite news|url=https://www.trikalaidees.gr/%CE%B5%CE%BA%CE%B4%CE%AF%CE%B4%CE%B5%CF%84%CE%B1%CE%B9-%CE%B2%CE%B9%CE%B2%CE%BB%CE%AF%CE%BF-%CE%B3%CE%B9%CE%B1-%CF%84%CE%B7%CE%BD-%CE%B2%CE%BB%CE%AC%CF%87%CE%B9%CE%BA%CE%B7-%CE%B1%CF%83%CF%80%CF%81/|title=Εκδίδεται βιβλίο για την Βλάχικη Ασπροποταμίτικη κουζίνα...|newspaper=Trikalaidees.gr|date=21 June 2018|language=el}}

In Romania, some dishes of the Aromanian community include vegetable pies, especially made of leek, and fried peppers.{{cite news|url=https://observatornews.ro/campanii/romania-in-bucate-retetele-aromanilor-274975.html|title=România în bucate: rețetele vechi și sănătoase ale aromânilor|newspaper=Observator News|date=10 November 2018|language=ro}} The Aromanians of Romania also make cheese, and also consume meats such as poultry on normal days and pork on holidays and special occasions. Various types of polenta (or mămăligă, as known in Romania) also stand out. Aromanian cuisine has some presence in the region of Dobruja, but virtually none in the rest of Romania. A book has also been published on the Aromanian cuisine of Dobruja.{{cite news|url=http://dejulmeu.ro/index.php/2016/07/27/pipirita-ardei-prajiti-armanesti-cu-sos-de-rosii-si-branza/|title=Pipiriță – Ardei prăjiți armânești cu sos de roșii și brânză|newspaper=Dejulmeu.ro|date=27 July 2016|language=ro}} Furthermore, in 2023, a restaurant of Aromanian cuisine from Greece, Bar Vlaha, opened in Boston, in the United States.{{cite journal|url=https://farsharotu.org/aromanian-news-issue-1/|title=Aromanian News: Issue 1|journal=The Newsletter of the Society Farsharotu|issue=1|date=1 May 2023}}