Fërgesë Tirane — Albanian Baked Peppers, Tomato & Cottage Cheese

The Soul of Tirana on a Plate

Fërgesë Tirane carries the name of our capital. Peppers, tomatoes, garlic and gjizë — Albanian cheese curd — slowly cooked together and finished in a clay pot until rich and bubbling. No meat, no fuss, just honest village ingredients that have been feeding families for generations. This is soul food, the Albanian way.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• Green bell peppers — 500g (about 4 medium)

• Ripe tomatoes, peeled and diced — 400g (or 400g canned)

• Gjizë (or cottage cheese) — 300g

• Feta, crumbled — 100g (optional, for saltiness)

• Garlic, sliced — 3 cloves

• Onion, finely diced — 1 medium (optional)

• Olive oil — 80ml

• Salt — to taste (go easy, the cheese is salty)

• Black pepper — 1/2 tsp

• Chili flakes — a pinch (optional)

Method

1. Wash and deseed the peppers. Cut into thick strips or bite-size pieces.

2. Heat olive oil in a heavy pan over medium heat. Fry the peppers 7–8 minutes until soft and lightly blistered. Do not rush this — the peppers need to soften and sweeten.

3. If using onion, add it now and cook until translucent. Then add garlic and cook 1 minute more.

4. Add diced tomatoes. Lower the heat, cover and cook 10–15 minutes until the tomatoes break down and the mixture is thick and jammy.

5. Season with black pepper and chili flakes. Taste before adding salt — the cheese will bring more salt later.

6. Crumble the gjizë (and feta, if using) straight into the pan. Stir gently just to combine — you want streaks of white, not a uniform paste.

7. Transfer to a clay pot (tavë dheu) or small baking dish. Bake at 200°C (400°F) for 15–20 minutes until the top is golden and bubbling at the edges.

8. Rest 5 minutes before serving. Eat straight from the pot with fresh bread.

Dervis's Tip: Real fërgesë needs real gjizë. If you can find it, use it — that tangy, slightly sour bite is what makes this dish taste Albanian and not just like any Mediterranean pepper bake. And always bake in a clay pot if you have one. The clay holds the heat gently and brings out the sweetness of the peppers in a way metal never will.