Katak: Roasted Pepper Salad
Katak is a dairy product similar to cheese with a salty and sour taste. It is traditionally made from sheep's milk. It is prepared by cooking the milk in a water bath, which is then left in a dark and cool place, stirring for several days in a row. No rennet is added, just salt. The resulting product has a very long shelf life.
However, under this name, there is also a salad, the basis of which is the aforementioned dairy product and roasted red peppers. It is one of the traditional dishes of Bulgarian cuisine. Together with other spices and dried sweet paprika, a very thick spread is prepared, which is consumed, for example, as an appetizer.
I had the Katak salad at my favorite restaurant Staria Chinar in Varna. One well-seasoned portion of salad with toasted baguette cost 8.5 BGN, which is approximately 4 EUR. I didn't know about Katak until my last visit to Bulgaria, but now I would never miss it. It tastes great.
Bon appetit!
Staria Chinar
