Shkodra-style carp casserole (tavë krapi) has been handed down through generations by women from local families. The main ingredient of this traditional cooking is carp which has been a frequently used dish in Shkodra families due to this city’s proximity to the lake where carp is caught. Nowadays it is found on the menus of all restaurants near Shkodra Lake, but it is also preserved in the tradition of family cooking.

Preparation of the carp casserole.

First, prepare the carp by scraping off the scales, taking the guts out, cutting and pulling the gills back away, giving a good wash to the carp, and cutting it into chunks. Sprinkle salt all over it for about 3 hours. During this time, the process continues with making the sauce.

Preparation of sauce

 For a 3-4 kg carp,  take 1 kg of onion, which is cleaned, finely chopped and ready to fry. Add 300 gr of minced garlic to this content. Lightly fry the carp pieces on both sides until browned and put them in the oven. Add the chopped onions and minced garlic to the remaining oil, fry the mixture lightly and add 200 gr. tomato sauce, a little salt, vinegar, ground pepper, chili pepper, a teaspoon of sugar, 5-6 dried plums, or a little pistil (dried plums paste).

The liquid, or sauce as it is called, is left in the pan for about 30 minutes, then it is poured atop the carp pieces and into the oven to bake for about 90-120 minutes. During baking, most of the liquid has reduced and the sauce gets a special taste. Once the casserole dish is taken out of the oven, it is served on the table.

Carp cooking comes in two similar ways: Shkodra style cooking and Malësia e Madhe style cooking. In Malësi e Madhe area, lemon, bay leaves, and more water can be added to the casserole dish, but no pepper and chili pepper.