Ćevapi or ćevapčići is a grilled dish of minced meat found traditionally in the countries of southeast Europe. It is considered a national dish of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia, with Bosnia and Herzegovina taking steps in branding and placing them on the list of intangible heritage, with a nomination for inclusion on the UNESCO List of Intangible Cultural Heritage. Ćevapi are also common in Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Western Romania.
Bosnian ćevapi served with kajmak, onion and traditional flatbread called somun
Ćevapi in lepinja, with ajvar
Ćevapčići are shown on the right in this example of Serbian cuisine.
A national dish is a culinary dish that is strongly associated with a particular country. A dish can be considered a national dish for a variety of reasons:It is a staple food, made from a selection of locally available foodstuffs that can be prepared in a distinctive way, such as fruits de mer, served along the west coast of France.
It contains a particular ingredient that is produced locally, such as a paprika grown in the European Pyrenees.
It is served as a festive culinary tradition that forms part of a cultural heritage—for example, barbecues at summer camp or fondue at dinner parties—or as part of a religious practice, such as Korban Pesach or Iftar celebrations.
It has been promoted as a national dish, by the country itself, such as the promotion of fondue as a national dish of Switzerland by the Swiss Cheese Union in the 1930s.
Machh-Bhat (Rice and fish), national dish of Bangladesh
Argentine empanadas
Wiener schnitzel
Belgian frites with mayonnaise