Traditional cornbread — Albanian cornbread with corn flour

Cornbread is one of the most beloved recipes of traditional Albanian cuisine: simple, inexpensive and suited to any meal of the day. This recipe yields a loaf with a crispy crust and a soft center.

Ingredients (for a ~25 cm pan, 8 servings)

• 500 g corn flour
• 100 g wheat flour
• 2 eggs
• 250 ml yogurt (or milk)
• 100 ml sunflower oil (or olive oil)
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda (optional)

Preparation steps

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (gas mark 6).
2. In a large bowl, mix the corn flour, wheat flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda.
3. In another bowl, beat the eggs, then add the yogurt and oil and mix well.
4. Pour the wet mixture over the dry one and stir with a wooden spoon until combined — do not overmix.
5. Grease the pan with a little oil or line it with baking paper and pour in the batter.
6. Bake 30–35 minutes, until the top turns golden and a wooden skewer inserted in the middle comes out dry.
7. Let it cool 10 minutes before slicing.

Prep time: 10 minutes. Baking time: 30–35 minutes. Total: about 45 minutes. Servings: 8.

Serve warm with white cheese, ajvar or yogurt — as is done on Albanian tables.