European Cuisine – Tasty Dishes from 10 Different Countries

Berenjenas con Miel in Spain

This is a real treat for anyone with a bit of a sweet-tooth, especially vegetarians! Served in all the best tapas bars in Spain, berenjenas con miel are finely sliced eggplants fried in egg, flour and honey. They are perfect to be enjoyed as a siesta-snack or paired with a whole host of various other tapas or raciones (rations) such as fried squid, tortilla, or a simple salad.

Dampfnudeln in Austria

Next on our list of euro foods is this strange-looking ball of dough can be eaten both as a main course or a dessert. As a main course it is usually served with savoury foods such as cabbage or soup, but I urge you to try it as a dessert: it’s truly unforgettable, especially during the cold winter months. As a dessert, it comes with a lovely poppy-seed feeling and is served in a pool of vanilla sauce – the perfect way to round off a day of skiing in the chilly Austrian mountains.

Flamiche in France

The flamiche is a traditional puff pastry cake typical of northern France and can best be described as a pizza and quiche fusion. It’s not quite as deep as a quiche but not nearly as filling as a pizza and the toppings/filling is usually kept light but tasty with leeks and cream. This is the best companion for any romantic picnic in France and should be on your list of European cuisine to try!

Geschnetzeltes in Switzerland

Mhmmm, this is one of my all-time favourite dishes from Switzerland!! Chicken-strips cooked in a creamy mushroom sauce and served with homemade spätzle (egg-noodles). This recipe will make you want to lick your plate clean, I promise! If you’ve developed a taste for spätzle and also happen to be a cheese-freak, you’ll be happy to know that Käsespätzle (cheese spätzle) is a thing! Simply grate your favourite cheese over the spätzle, add in some onions, pepper and salt and stick it in the oven. Swiss soul-food!

Brotzeit in Germany

Literally translated Brotzeit means “bread time” – it’s basically like a picnic on a table, a time reserved for a lunch, dinner or a snack made up of different breads, meats, cheeses and salads. The best place for a hearty Brotzeit is in Bavaria, and where better to dig into regional meats than in the mountains? Spend a day hiking and then order a Brotzeit platter in a cosy mountain Guest House, where you can enjoy the best breads known to European cuisine whilst soaking in the fantastic views.

Kaassoufflé in Holland

True gourmet foodies might roll their eyes at me for this suggestion, but trust me: a kaassoufflé is the ultimate late-night snack after a night of dancing and partying! This deep-fried hot-pocket filled with melted cheese can be ordered in all Dutch snack-bars, or you can simply get it from the vending machines you will find in busy pedestrian streets and railway stations. Yes, it’s definitely “junk euro food” but who cares – you’re on holiday!

Ajvar in Serbia

This wonderful sauce is made from roasted red peppers, eggplant pulp and garlic and is cooked very slowly until it forms a red paste. Ajvar can be used in a variety of ways, but I prefer to keep it simple: a big dollop of ajvar on a slice of roasted bread – perfection! But if you’re looking to mix it up a little, you can use ajvar for pasta, meat, pizza and even dressing.

Güllaç in Turkey

If you’re a fan of bake-goods and pastries, you’re going to happy dance your way through Turkey. Baklava is the most famous Turkish dessert but if you’d like to try another variety of it, you should opt for Güllaç. Prepared with milk, pomegranate and nuts, this Turkish delight will leave you lusting for more – European cuisine at its finest!

Smörgåstårta in Sweden

Do you love sandwiches? And cake too? Have you ever thought of combining the two to make a super-sized sandwich cake? No? Not too worry – the Swedish are way ahead of you. The Smörgåstårta (sandwich cake) is built up on layers of bread and in between each layer, it is filled with cream cheese, salmon, Baltic herring, Dijon mustard, garnish and spices. It is usually topped with stylishly presented ham rolls, radish slices and further garnish. Yum!

Kürtőskalács in Hungary

This curious Hungarian treat is made from sweet yeast dough that is spun around a cone-shaped baking spit. Basted with melted butter and then covered in granular sugar, the Kürtőskalács is then roasted over charcoal until the sugar caramelises. These strangely-shaped treats can also be covered with ground walnuts or cinnamon, and as far as European cuisine goes, it cannot be missed!