Fulia

Fulia is a traditional dessert and known only in my birth town, Elbasan. In fact this dessert has a very interesting history. Many years ago, it was cooked when a child was born, exactly at the moment he was to be named. The mother of the baby`s father cooked two big desserts and kept one for her family while she gifted a portion of about 5-10 kg the other to the in law`s, who on the other hand gave pieces to the family members. The grandmother from the father`s side had a ritual during the naming moment. She crumbled some dessert in a plate and put a spoon in the middle of it, making it stay up in the midst of the crumbs, a gesture which indicated the wish for the baby to start walking soon. After a name was chosen for the baby, each family member ate a spoon of dessert from the plate and they also got a piece of dessert with them. This was a recipe I simply wanted to share with you all. It is very special and as you can see from the ingredients it is also quite heavy, but yummy too. Anyway have some extra olive oil just in case the batter needs more, it depends on the flour's type, but mostly 1/2 kg is enough. 

Fulia eshte nje embelsire tradicionale dhe e njohur vetem ne qyetin ku une kam lindur, ne Elbasan. Ne fakt kjo embelsire ka nje histori shume interesante. Shume kohe me pare, kjo embelsire gatuhej me rastin e lindjes se nje femije, ne momentin kur kesaj foshnjeje do t’i vihej emri. Kete embelsire e gatuante nena e djalit, ajo gatuante dy rracionale te medha (varej se sa i madh ishte fisi i seciles familje), nje per shtepine e saj dhe nje rracion te madh prej 5-10 kilesh ajo ia conte krushkes se vet, dhe kjo e fundit ia shperndante fisit duke i dhene secilit pjestar nga nje cope me vete. Nderkohe nena e djalit kryente nje ritual me te vecante. Ne momentin kur femijes do t’i vendosej emri; ne nje pjate te sheshte, shkermoqej fuli (nje sasi jo shume e madhe, varet nga sa persona ishin ne dhome) ne forme mali dhe ngulej nje luge ne mes te ketij “mali” e cila do te qendronte drejte, nje ritual ky qe nenkuptonte deshiren per ngritjen e shpejte te femijes ne kembe. Mbasi femijes I vendosej emri te gjithe pjesetaret qe merrnin pjese ne kete “ritual” hanin nga nje luge fuli ne pjaten e lartpermendur, me pas ashtu si nena e vajzes dhe nena e djalit u jepte te gjithe pjesetareve te fisit te vet nje cope fuli per me vete. Eshte nje recete te cilen une kisha shume deshire ta ndaja me ju. Sic mund ta shihni dhe nga masa e perberesve, eshte nje recete mjaft e rende por teper e shijshme. Gjithsesi mbani nje sasi vaji ulliri menjane ne rast se do t'ju duhet (+ 1/2 kg qe do te perdorni), kjo varet nga lloji i miellit qe do te perdorni. Por kryesisht 1/2 kg eshte mjaftueshem

Ingredients for Fuli:

•  1 kg wheat flour 
• 1/2 kg olive oil 
• 400-500 gram sugar (it depends on how sweet you want it)
• 1 normal water glass water 
• 4 tbsp (60 gram) cornflour 
• 1 tsp (5 gram) salt 

Perberesit per Fuline:

• 1 kg miell gruri
• 1/2 kg vaj ulliri
• 400-500 gram sheqer (varet sa te embel e deshironi)
• 1 gote uji normale uje
• 4 tbsp (60 gram) miell misri
• 1 tsp (5 gram) kripe

First we have to make simple syrup. In saucepan put water, sugar and salt. Cook it in medium heat until sugar dissolves and the mix should end up boiling. Stir with a spoon time after time. In the moment the syrup comes to a boil, turn off the heat and set it aside to let it lukewarm 

Ne fillim duhet te pergatisim sherbetin. Ne nje tenxhere vendosim ujin, sheqerin dhe kriper. E gatuajme ne vale normale derisa sheqeri te jete tretur dhe masa te kaloje ne vlim. Duhet perziej me nje luge here pas here. Ne momentin qe sherbet kalon ne vlim, fikim zjarrin dhe duhet ta leme menjane derisa sherbet te jete i vaket

In a large bowl put both types of flour and stir together

Ne nje tas te madh vendosim miellin e grurit dhe miellin e misrit, i perzijme se bashku

Add the lukewarm syrup and stir the measure with a wooden spoon. What you will notice in the end of this step is that the whole measure will be dry and crumbling. Make sure that the lumps aren't big

Shtojme sherbetin e vaket dhe e perziejme mire masen me nje luge druri. Ajo c’ka do te vini re ne fund te ketij hapi eshte se masa do te jete e thate dhe e kokerzuar. Kujdesuni qe keto kokrra te mos jene te medha

Add the olive oil and start mixing again with the wooden spoon. Make sure that the whole batter is mixed with olive oil, but do not press it while stirring, that's really important 

Shto vajin e ullirit dhe vazhdo perziej me lugen e drurit. Sigurohu qe e gjithe masa te jete perzier me vajin e ullirit, por mos i ushtroni force( ta shtypni) brumin gjate kohes qe e perzieni, eshte shume e rendesishme

This is how is works : first you need a small round baking pan, the desert needs to be thick(if you don't make it that way, better don't cook it at all). Than use your hand to place the batter in the baking pan. Fill your hand with batter and place it in the baking pan, do not press it while you do this. Try to put it evenly

Funksionon keshtu : ne fillim ju duhet nje tepsi e vogel rrethore, embelsira duhet te jete e trashe (nese nuk e beni ne kete menyre me mire mos e gatuani fare). Duhet te perdorni doren per te vendosur brumin ne tepsi, mbushni doren me brume dhe vendoseni ne tepsi, por mos i ushtroni force gjate kohes qe e beni kete. Mundohuni ta barazoni brumin ne tepsi

This step is really important : use the pommel of your fingers to create a crumbling look. Do this gently and try to even the batter (if you haven't done that in the step before)

Ky hap eshte shume i rendesishem : perdor mollezat e gishtave per te krijuar nje pamje te kokerrzuar. Beje kete ne menyre delikate dhe te bute, gjithashtu sigurohu ta hapesh masen ne menyre te barabarte (nese nuk e e ke bere kete ne hapin e meparshem)

Use the end of a wooden spoon like mine as a knife. "Cut" the batter as I am doing in the pictures in big rhombus. As the dessert bakes it will close up a bit those marks we left with wooden spoon, but they will be visible 2. 

Perdorni fundin e nje luge druri si  e imja ne vend te nje thike. "Prini" brumin sic po bej une ne foto ne rombe te medhenj. Ndersa embelsira piqet keto shenja do te mbyllen disi, por ne fund mund te arrihen te shihen. 

 Baking Temperature : 180 grade C,    Timing : ± 1 hour(read the below step)

Temperatura pjekjes : 180 grade C,    Kohe-zgjatja : ± 1 ore (lexo hapin e meposhtem)

There are many factors that will effect on the baking time. Sometimes in takes 35-40 minutes to bake, sometimes it takes the whole hour. This is how to understand when it's finished(mine took 40 minutes to bake). When you see that the desert is coming reddish in the corners and golden in the center(like this picture) than it's finished. If the desert took the whole hour to bake take it out of the oven as soon as this thing happens. If it took 35-40 minutes as mine than turn off the oven and let it there for 15 other minutes. Than take it out of there

Jane shume faktore te cilet ndikojne ne kohezgjatjen e pjekjes. Ndonjehere duhen 35-40 minuta, ndonje duhet e tere ora. Sa si mund ta kuptoni kur ka mbaruar se pjekuri (embelsires sime iu deshen 40 minuta per t'u pjekur). Kur dalloni qe embelsira ka marre nje ngjyre te pak te kuqe ne ane dhe te arte ne mes atehere ka mbaruar. Nese embelsires iu desh ora e plote per t'u pjekur hiqeni nga furra sapo kjo gje te kete ndodhur. Nese i eshte dashur 35-40 minuta atehere fikni furren dhe lereni brenda per 15 minuta. Me pak hiqeni nga furra

Let it cool completely. It may take 1-2 hour, or even 4 hours. It is really important that before re-cutting with a knife and taking the pieces out of the baking pan; the desserts needs to be cool. Do not use different methods(putting it in cold water or in the fridge), you just leave it in room temperature until this step is finished

Lereni embelsiren te ftohet plotesisht. Mund te marre 1-2 ore, ndoshta dhe 4 ore. Eshte shume e rendesishme qe embelsira te jete e ftohte para se ta ri-prisni me thike dhe te nxirrni llokmat jashte tepsise. Mos perdorni metoda te ndryshme si ta vendosni ne uje te ftohte apo ne frigorifer, lereni ne temperature dhome derisa ky hap te kete mbaruar

Bon Appetit

♥ Kiki ♥