Merdenele pastry gains attention following Piața Amzei controversy

The Romanian pastry known as merdenele has recently gained significant online attention following a controversy in Piața Amzei. The dispute, involving the patron ‘Mița Biciclista’ and Patiseria lui Nea Mihai, sparked a debate regarding traditional pastry methods, specifically comparing margarine-based merdenele to butter-based croissants.

Merdenele is a traditional street food characterized by thin, many-layered dough filled with salty cheese, such as telemea. Its name is derived from the Romanian word for rolling pin, ‘merdane’, which is used to stretch the dough. The pastry has historical roots in the Anatolian and Balkan regions and became a staple of urban Romanian food culture.

Chef Nicolai Tand has shared a specific recipe for the pastry, utilizing mineral water to create an elastic dough capable of being stretched into very thin layers. The traditional preparation involves folding the dough with oil to achieve its signature flaky texture.