Behold This “Bread Sandwich!”
It’s called a “Simit-Pogacha”, and my blogging friend Beth shared it the other day…here’s what she posted:
A carb-lover’s dream, this sandwich gets stuffed with flaky pie crust.
Simit-pogacha is a beloved breakfast food in Skopje, the capital city of the Republic of North Macedonia. Bakers slice open a bun, stuff it with burek—a pastry crust of layered phyllo—and serve as a sandwich. No meat, no cheese, no sauce. Just bread.
Burek is typically stuffed with feta cheese, greens, or meat. However, the burek that goes into simit-pogacha is just the plain, flaky crust. Depending on where you buy it, the crust can be housed inside sesame buns or warm, fluffy rolls. Either way, diners almost always wash down the greasy, comforting carb combo with drinking yogurt.

If you leave Skopje without at least trying simit-pogacha, you’re missing the city’s soul. The sandwich doesn’t have much flavor and can be dry without the lubrication of the yogurt, but its comforting carb-on-carb composition makes it a morning must for many Skopje citizens.
Recommendation: Restaurant Bakery Koki -Dame Gruey Skopie, 1000, Macedonia
In addition to simit-pogacha, they have burek (try the feta crust variety), pizza, and really good lasagna.
- “acorns were good until bread was found.”
- – francis bacon
credits – gastro obscura
This came from the incredible new book by the “Atlas Obscura” folks – that book is a worldwide tour of what we love about this planet we live on, and no they’s made a brand new one all about food!
Thanks Beth for the terrific story – check out her blog, filled with daily nuggets of joy, by clicking here:
https://ididnthavemyglasseson.com
I think Elvis would approve of this wacky sandwich – one of many I showed you, and you can see again by clicking here:
Not all sandwiches have to be so unique, sometime longevity is all it takes to win me over:
Philippe’s in downtown Los Angeles has a century of sandwiches to stand behind – French dips that arrive as soaking wet in broth as you want!
It’s a “must have” when in Southern California – see more of the menu and directions to the shop by clicking on my story here:
Hope you are hungry!
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Categories: Books / Media, cookbooks, Exotic Travel, Food, food blog, Food Review, Pop Culture, Recipes, Travel, Travel Adventures, Travel Memoir, Wacky Food
OMG it’s my first time to know about Simit-Pogacha👀 Absolutely carb-lover’s dream😂😂😂
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I’m going to share more about the Gastro Obscura book – it’s terrific and a great holiday stocking stuffer – that’s where this came from and I love the mix of food and culture! Much like hat you share so much of!
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HI John, this sounds like a typical traditional meal with lots of stodge. In SA, it is mielie pap and sous [a tomato based relish made with onion]. Great foods to fill people up and give them energy.
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Like, Pete, I would try it but not go out of my way I am not a bread eater now if there is some bacon involved it would be different …:) x
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If I was in Northern Macedonia, I would have to try one. But I wouldn’t be in any hurry to do so! 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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This looks delicious! I love Beth’s blog 🙂
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I would love to go there to try it – ty!
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I tried to “reblog” but the button wouldn’t work for me, so I re-printed and then linked to you main page, so people can see all of the great stuff you share!
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no worries, ty!
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