Veles pastrmajlija praised by visiting international chefs

Fifteen visiting chefs from across Europe and beyond told hosts in Veles that the town’s traditional pie, pastrmajlija, is closely related to similar pies from Turkey and Azerbaijan and could be used to attract food tourists if promoted properly.

The culinary guests were in Veles for several days as part of the Gastromak association. During the event local restaurateurs prepared the same signature dish, demonstrating a shared standard of quality among outlets in the town.

International chefs link pastrmajlija to wider regional traditions

"I know Balkan food and cuisine very well. Your pie pastrmajlija, in taste, is closest to those from Azerbaijan and Turkey. It is prepared in a similar way, except that yours uses pork, in Azerbaijan they use lamb, and in Turkey mixed meats. Veles should not worry, the tradition of pastrmajlija will continue. From this dish you can create a gastro‑tourist destination that will attract visitors who will come to eat it. Restaurants must unite, not see each other as competitors if you want to be a successful story," said Dragica Lukin of Croatia.

Turkey’s chef Emre Coxal pointed to common ingredients across the region: "In our kitchens we have many shared dishes and flavours. The products that are used in Turkey are used here as well, in North Macedonia," he said. Don David from Azerbaijan added that similar pies are found in the Caucasus but warned that younger generations are abandoning traditional cuisine: "I have lived in Russia, Azerbaijan and similar dishes to your pastrmajlija are cooked in that part of the Caucasus. Unfortunately, traditional cuisine around the world is disappearing, young people do not like tradition."

Italian chef Domenico Magi compared the pie to southern Italian baked breads: "The pie and pizza are very similar, not only in words. I saw that your pie is very similar to our pizza, but also to focaccia, which is similar to pizza and is a bakery speciality from the Apulia — Bari region, where I come from. Flour, water, dough and salt are the same ingredients used, only the topping, i.e. the addition, makes them different," he said.

The visit was organised with support from the local authorities. "For the first time we have so many authorities. This is an opportunity to promote Veles and its food worldwide," said Mayor Marko Kolev. The festival also included a "Diplomatic Cauldron" where ambassadors to North Macedonia sampled and helped prepare Veles specialties, organisers said. Adriyana Alacki of Gastromak described the gathering as promotion for the town.

Research presented during the event adds historical depth to the dish. Imren Josifova, a doctoral candidate in Turkish language at Istanbul University, uncovered an Ottoman dispatch from January 1869 written by Ahmet Pasha, the military governor who visited Veles during an investigation into an uprising. In that report he wrote: "They honoured us with a dish similar to our sastrmaliya (a Turkish dish similar to a pogacha, with large pieces of salted mutton), except here the mutton and goat meat is finely chopped and poured over with egg." The document, preserved in Ottoman archives, names Veles and contains what researchers say is the earliest known mention of pastrmajlija in the town.

Photo: SDK.MK)