Gastronomy in Banat

Traditional Banat cuisine is fascinating through wealth and variety, the influence of the nationalities living in this multiethnic area: Swabians, Hungarians, Serbs, Russians, Bulgarians, Ruthenians, Roma, etc.

Chicken soup with homemade noodles, goulash soup, spicy soups with tarragon, zucusca, paprikaş, sautéed cabbage with sausages, sarmale, stuffed onion, smoked bean soup, pljeskavica, meat with tomato / cherry / apple / garlic sauce, roasted meat with potatoes, compotes (plums, quinces, pears or apples), and homemade cakes are just some of the dishes that are a must on the table of locals.

The dishes are fatty, nourishing and tasty, characterized by gourmet sauces made with flour, bone or vegetable soup, and enhanced with sour cream.

The traditional Romanian dish “Sarmale” is different from those made in other parts of the country, being prepared from meat minced with the cleaver and they are big as a fist.

In the villages of Banat, it’s a tradition to sacrifice the pig before Christmas - on the day of Ignat, when there are special dishes that are eaten with cabbage. It's the so-called honor of the pig.

Sausages with a lot of paprika, bacon, smoked ham, pork grease, “tobă”, leber (maioş), bloody sausages, “caltaboş”, “borândău”, meat in brine, steak in pork grease - all these are just a part of the assortments that practically provided family food for one year.

Tradition says that shortly after sacrificing the pig, the host will make crispy small breads with pig cracklings from the fresh, well-drained greaves.

Guests are welcomed with half-breads with pork cracklings and brandy.

This traditional potatoes pie “Păturata pe crumpi” is one of the potato-based Banat dishes, which are also called “crumpi” here.

The origin of this food is a Swabian recipe - dumplings cooked directly in the food - Strudlknedle.

The filling consists of fresh cow cheese mixed with a little cheese, eggs and dill.

The pie, rolled in a snail or spiral, is boiled with smoked meat and potatoes, seasoned with paprika, bay leaves, salt and pepper.

If you arrive in Banat, enjoy the delicious desserts, of which we mention only a few:
- “crofne” or “croafne” - fluffy donuts,
- “coardă” - cake with filling
- “cuglu” - snail shaped cake with filling
- sour pie
- sweet pie
- “ştrudel” - large pie with filling
- “cremșnit” or “crempita”,
- Apfelkuchle - apples in pajamas
- plum dumplings
- “șamrole pră tuleu” - rolls of strawberry foam,
- pancakes from Banat or “Ana Lugojana pancakes”,
- cake - any kind of modern cake,
- “tortă” - cake, pancake with a lot of cream made from eggs and butter
- “işler”, “doboş”.

"Iofca" is a traditional noodle dish, to which cheese, walnut, milk, poppy or cabbage are added.

Another specific Banat dish is "Varga Beles", the noodle pudding with cow cheese and raisins, wrapped in pie leaf and baked in the oven.

The Banat pancakes are also known as "Ana Lugojana Pancakes".

The pancakes are rolled like “sarmale”. They are filled usually with cow cheese, cream and raisins and are placed in a butter-coated tray. Pour a vanilla sauce over the pancakes and insert it into the oven. In the meantime, prepare a classic meringue, which will be poured over the pancakes when they are almost ready.

These pancakes can be served as such or with various fruit or chocolate sauces.