pita pockets

By Madison Jackson

From Europe to the Middle East, the Saratoga Farmers’ Market has authentic foods from around the world available for take-out every Saturday. So even though we all had to cancel our travel plans this past year, you can still get a taste of your favorite international foods. What’s better is that you can take a break from cooking and enjoy delicious meals prepared by people who love sharing their native cuisine.

Euro Delicacies offers various flavorful Mediterranean dishes like stuffed grape leaves (dolma), baklava, and stuffed peppers. Try their moussaka; a casserole layered with potatoes, ground sirloin, and caramelized vegetables with bechamel sauce. Or spanakopita; a Greek pastry filled with chopped spinach, cheese, onion, olive oil, and seasonings. Euro Delicacies began in Sarajevo by the Hrelja family, now sharing their Eastern European heritage with the Upstate New York community.

Giovanni Fresco has a selection of freshly made pasta, homemade sauces like alfredo and meat sauce, and entrees such as penne alla vodka and eggplant parmigiana. Some items can be purchased frozen as well so that you can stock up and enjoy fresh Italian food whenever you want. Giovanni Fresco was started in 2017 by Giovanni and Francesca, an Italian couple who moved to America with the hopes of bringing authentic and traditional Italian dishes to their new community.

Petra’s Pocket Pies makes savory pita pies, a dough stuffed with combinations of vegetables, meats, and cheeses. Owner Sabreen Samman was inspired to share flavors from her home country of Jordan and began selling her savory pastries at the farmers’ market in 2018. Samman uses a blend of Mediterranean seasonings for her food and offers American style options, like buffalo chicken and Philly cheesesteak.

My Dacha Slavonian Cafe makes various entrees like pierogies, lasagna, beef stroganoff, and cabbage stuffed with ground beef, tomato sauce, parsley, and rice. They offer a variety of homemade Slavic foods from Eastern Europe. Aladdin and Nataliya Kamel, from Egypt and Ukraine, blend their unique backgrounds to make classic dishes that reflect their home countries and their Italian cuisine knowledge.

If you’re looking for fresh and tasty take-out food, try the melting pot of cuisines every Saturday. For complete menu options, online ordering, and delivery, check the businesses’ websites or retail locations.

Editor’s Picks: Favorite dishes not to miss at the market!
Euro Delicacies’ sweet potato salad is probably the best we’ve ever had. It’s made with steamed sweet potatoes and topped with walnuts, cranberries, and scallions, and tossed in an olive oil dressing. This dish is also vegan.

Giovanni Fresco has fried snacks that are a must-try. They make Italian-style arancini (fried rice balls) that are stuffed with cheese, meat, or vegetables. They also make American-inspired fried mac & cheese.

Petra’s Pocket Pies has a roasted chicken pita pocket with garlic aioli; a tasty comfort food that includes aioli sauce from Saratoga Garlic Company.

My Dacha’s lasagna is a Ukrainian take on traditional Italian comfort food.

Don’t forget the dessert!
Euro Delicacies has baklava, a Turkish dessert made from a sweet pastry of layers of filo filled with chopped nuts and sweetened and held together with syrup or honey. Their famous apple strudel is a version of a Mediterranean apple pie made with filo dough.

Giovanni Fresco makes traditional and Nutella tiramisu; an Italian dessert made of ladyfingers dipped in coffee, layered with a whipped mixture of eggs, sugar, and mascarpone cheese, flavored with cocoa.

My Dacha Slavonian Cafe’s sweet crepes are filled with raisins and cheese, or poppy seeds. They are the perfect dessert to follow any of their savory dishes. They also offer Neapolitan cake, tiramisu, and baklava.