Balkan Meza: Tapas-Style Appetizer Platter [Meat and Cheese Tray, Charcuterie Board]

Meza, Balkan meat and cheese tray, is a tapas-style appetizer platter filled with local savory finger foods! This tasty charcuterie board consists of cured meats, cheeses, veggies, pastries, and a few other surprises. Shall we?

Jump to:

• Background
• Ingredients
• Instructions
• Recipe FAQs
• Thoughts?
• Balkan Meza: Tapas-Style Appetizer Platter

Background

Inspired by the Mediterranean and Middle Eastern mezze (mezeh, mezzeh), meza is a type of Balkan tapas. But instead of Spanish and Middle Eastern delicacies, meza is all about the best Balkan finger foods.

There are no rules about when and where meza is served. In fact, mezetiti is a verb meaning to have a small bite, or to have some company over. Meza brings people together.

You can have meza:

• For breakfast, lunch, dinner, or a snack;
• Before lunch or dinner;
• In a restaurant;
• At a family or friend get-together;
• At a dinner party;
• For holidays;
• During a football game;
• At a picnic, barbecue, or potluck;

or whenever you feel like it!

Meza is predominantly a meat and cheese tray, although veggies, pastries, and a few surprise items find their way onto this amazing appetizer platter.

The type of meat on this meat and cheese tray depends on the region. For example, in Bosnia and Herzegovina, many people are Muslim, so they'll skip pork. Meanwhile, on the Croatian Dalmatia coast, you'll encounter more fish and seafood.

Ingredients

Below are some (but not all) ingredient ideas for meza appetizer platter.

Most people put this meat and cheese tray together with whatever they have in the fridge at the moment. It is usually only for holidays, or important soccer games that people go to the store with the exact meza ingredients in mind.

Before reaching for substitutions, check Amazon or your local International food store(s).

Meats:

• Suho meso: biftek, ramstek, ruža, zarebnica, etc., (smoked (dry) beef);
  - Substitute with bresaola or pastirma.
• Pršut, slanina, etc., (pork prosciutto and bacon);
  - Substitute with Italian prosciutto.
• Pastrma, stelja, etc., (smoked sheep).
• Kulen, sudžuka, etc., (different types of sausages);
  - Substitute with Italian dry-cured sausages like Mortadella or Soppressata.
• Ćevapi (famous local small grilled sausages).
• Sudžukice (sausages similar to ćevapi but spicier);
  - Substitute with kielbasa or chorizo.
• Grilled lamb and veal.
• Ham.
• Cracklings.

Chicken and eggs:

• Grilled chicken.
• Hard-boiled eggs.

Cheeses and dairy:

• Kajmak (regional creamy spread similar to clotted cheese);
  - Substitute with a mix of cream, feta cheese, and sour cream. Not the same, but it'll do when in a pinch.
• Travnički sir (a type of Bosnian feta cheese, also called vlašički sir);
  - Substitute with feta.
• Mladi sir (regional mild young cow or sheep cheese);
  - Substitute with fresh mozzarella or queso blanco.
• Kačkavalj (local Serbian and Bosnian cow or sheep hard cheese);
  - Substitute with Monterey jack.
• Škripavac, kozji sir (tangy goat cheese from Serbia, Croatia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina);
  - Substitute with Belle Chevre.
• Paški sir (phenomenal sheep cheese coming from the Croatian island of Pag);
  - Substitute with Manchego.
• Trapist (semi-hard, yellow cheese from Trappist monks in Bosnia and Herzegovina).
  - Substitute with Havarti or Gouda.
• Sour cream.

Spreads:

• Ajvar (Balkan red pepper and eggplant spread).
  - Substitute with roasted blended pepper spread, (it's not very close to the real thing, but it's as close as you'll get without actually making it).
• Pindjur (similar to ajvar but chunkier, made with red peppers and tomatoes).
• Lutenica (a type of spicy ajvar).
• Honey.

Vegetables:

• Turšija (fermented vegetable salad including tomatoes, carrots, bell peppers, pickles, gherkins, etc.).
• Sauerkraut (fermented cabbage).
• Fresh cabbage salad.
• Olives.
• Cherry tomatoes and tomatoes.
• Cucumbers.
• Radishes.
• Scallions (green onions).
• Onions.

Fish and Seafood:

• Fried salted girice (smelt), or srdele (pilchard).
• Grilled shrimp and sardines.
• Mussels.
• Octopus salad.
• Seafood salad.
• Marinated or salted anchovies.

Bread, pies, and pastries:

• Bread.
• Uštipci (fried dough balls).
• Crescents.
• Pogacha bread.
• Burek.

Fruit:

Fruit is not traditionally a frequent meza item, but it's becoming more popular.

• Figs.
• Apples.
• Grapes.
• Pears.

Nuts:

Like fruit, nuts are not traditionally meza ingredients, but times are changing.

• Walnuts.
• Almonds.
• Peanuts.

Drinks:

• Rakija: šljivovica, kruška, jabuka, lozovača, marelica, etc., (local fruit brandies).
  - Substitute with fruit brandies, ouzo, or grappa.
• Višnjevača (homemade sour cherry liqueur).
• Beer.
• Juices, homemade and store-bought, (elderflower cordial, mint cordial, etc.).
• Sodas.
• Homemade coffee.
• Tea.

Instructions

Except to slice the smoked meat thinly, there are no rules for arranging a meza appetizer platter. However, putting a meat and cheese tray together has become a global art form.

Here are some ideas for laying out your meza:

1. Group food items by type in a symmetrical design: Arrange meats and cheeses (and other items) into groupings by type, however, try to keep it in a symmetrical design.
2. Start in the middle: Start by placing an item (like a bowl with ajvar) in the middle of your tray, and then arrange other items n a circular or rectangular shape around it.
3. Play with different serving items: Use a couple of different-sized trays, and bowls and divide the items between them.
4. Group items by color: Instead of just the type, group items based on color.

Recipe FAQs

Thoughts?

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Prijatno and bon appetit!