If Bulgaria had a flag you could eat, it would be shopska salad. Named for the Shopi region around Sofia, it turns the height of summer—sweet tomatoes, cool cucumber, sharp pepper and onion—into something greater than its parts, all under a generous snowfall of grated sirene. No cooking, no fuss; just good ingredients treated with respect.
Ingredients
- 4 ripe tomatoes
- 2 cucumbers
- 1 green or red pepper (roasted)
- 1 small red onion
- 100 g sirene (Bulgarian white cheese), grated
- 2 tbsp olive or sunflower oil
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- to taste salt
- a handful flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Method
- Cut the tomatoes, cucumbers, pepper and onion into rough, generous bite-size pieces and combine in a wide bowl.
- Dress simply: sunflower oil, a splash of red wine vinegar, and a little salt. Toss gently to coat.
- Mound the salad onto a serving plate and bury it under a thick, snowy layer of finely grated sirene.
- Scatter with parsley and serve at once, with warm bread alongside.
Notes
Sirene is the heart of this salad—a brined white cheese a little firmer and tangier than feta, which makes a fine substitute. Grate it generously: it should sit like fresh snow over the vegetables, not a polite sprinkle. Best made at the peak of tomato season.