5 dishes from around the world that you can make from home

One of our favourite things about travelling around the world is the food.

From gyros in Greece to pierogi in Poland, there are so many delicious delicacies from around the world just waiting for the rest of the world to discover them.

If you’ve ever found yourself longing for a cuisine after leaving it or pined to taste local dishes in countries you might not get to go to, don’t worry. We’re bringing the meals to you.

Here are 5 dishes from around the world that you can make from home—complete with simple recipe instructions.

Pierogi, Poland

Poland’s answer to European dumplings is quite frankly, delicious. Easy to make, they’re filled with soft cheese and potato and can be frozen—perfect for batch cooking.

You’ll need: 2 cups of all-purpose flour, 1 onion, 1 large egg, 1 cup of water (lukewarm), 5 russet potatoes, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 cup of grated cheddar cheese and salt & pepper to taste.

Instructions:

1. Peel and boil the potatoes until soft and then mash

2. Finely chop and fry the onion

3. Add the onion, garlic powder and grated cheese to the potatoes and season

4. In a separate bowl, mix the egg, flour and a teaspoon of water. Combine with your hands and add more flour if sticky. Cover the dough with a tea towel and leave to rest for 5 minutes

5. Divide the dough into dough balls the size of a tablespoon and roll them out onto a floured surface, covering with a tea towel to avoid them drying out

6. Place a tablespoon of filling into each dough ball, fold over and crimp the edges shut into a half-moon shape

7. Bring a pot of water to boil and cook a small patch of pierogi at once for around 5 minutes. Once they float, they’re ready!

8. Serve with hot melted butter, sour cream, bacon or all three. Enjoy!

Kohlrouladen, Germany

On a winter’s day, there’s nothing more comforting and satisfying than kohlrouladen, Germany’s take on cabbage rolls. There are many different variations but for simplicity, this recipe focuses on one meat filling (beef) and the perfect amount of seasoning. Yum.

You’ll need: 1 large white cabbage, 600g ground beef, 1 egg, 1 egg yolk, 1 bread roll, 300g chopped onion, 1 beef cube, 2 tablespoons of sour cream, 750ml water, 2tsp salt, ½ tsp paprika, ½ tsp black pepper, 2tbsp tomato paste, 2tbsp sunflower oil, 3tbsp corn starch (dissolved in water), baker’s twine

Instructions:

1. Remove the bottom core of the cabbage and cook in boiling water for 2-3 minutes. Once the leaves have loosened, remove, rinse and separate the leaves and dry. Spread 8 large leaves across your work surface

2. Soak the bread roll in the water

3. Place the beef in a bowl with 150g diced onions, egg, egg yolk, salt and paprika. Wring the water out of the bread roll and spread it across the beef

4. Divide meat into 8 portions and place each one on a cabbage leaf. Wrap the leaves around the meat and use the baker’s twine to secure

5. Fry the cabbage rolls in oil under slightly brown. Remove and set aside

6. Sauté the remaining onions, fill the pan with water and add the tomato paste. Crush the beef cube into the mix until dissolved and add the cabbage rolls again. Cover the pot and simmer for 35-40 minutes

7. Remove the rolls with kitchen tongs and serve with sour cream

8. Stir the remaining gravy and the dissolved starch and cook until you achieve your desired consistency 

9. Add the salt, pepper and paprika to taste and serve with mash potatoes and cucumber salad. Enjoy!

Gyros, Greece

Ah, Greece! Nothing transports us to the cobbled streets and white buildings quite like a gyro. Usually made with chicken, beef, lamb or pork, they’re one of our ultimate favourites. Today, we’re making ours with chicken.

You’ll need: 2lb boneless and skinless chicken thighs, ½ large yellow onion. For the marinade: 2 cups of greek yoghurt, ¼ cup of lemon juice, ¾ cup of olive oil, 1tbsp kosher salt, 1tbsp garlic, 1tbsp coriander, 1tbsp paprika, 1tbsp cumin, ½ tsp cayenne pepper, 1tsp cinnamon, black pepper to taste. For the tzatziki sauce: 8 pitta breads, 2 cups of greek yoghurt, 1tbsp garlic, ¼ cup of lemon juice, 2tbsp fresh dill, 2tbsp fresh parsley, 1 sliced onion, 1 sliced tomato and salt & pepper to taste.

Instructions:

1. Combine and mix all of the marinade ingredients in a bowl

2. Pound the chicken thighs on a cutting board until 1cm thick

3. In another large bowl, combine the marinade and chicken thighs and preheat oven to 200°C

4. Shred the cucumber ingredients (squeeze out any excess water). Combine with the tzatziki ingredients in a bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes

5. Take a baking sheet and skewer the chicken thighs individually onto a skewer

6. Bake for 1.5 to 2 hours then leave to cool for 10 minutes

7. Carve off the chicken and fill the pitta with the chicken, tomato slices, onion slices and tzatziki sauce. Yum!

Papanasi, Romania

This traditional Romanian dessert consists of fried donut-shaped sweets made from soft cheese. Need we say more? We didn’t think so. Here’s the recipe…

You’ll need: 1kg sweet cottage cheese, 400g white flour, 20g vanilla sugar, 3-4 eggs, 1 lemon peel, a pinch of salt, 1tsp baking soda, juice from 1 lemon and cooking oil.

Instructions:

1. Mix the flour, cheese, vanilla sugar, lemon peel and salt in a large bowl. Add the baking soda and lemon juice and knead with your fingers until the mixture comes together

2. Sprinkle the work surface with flour and form a thick roll (roughly 6cm diameter) and cut into 1.2-1.5cm thick papanasi slices

3. Roll each slice into round balls and make a classic doughnut hole with your finger

4. Heat enough oil in a pan to cover the papanasi and fry for 3-4 minutes on each side

5. Serve with cream and jam and enjoy!

Anglesey Eggs, Wales

Quick and tasty, this Welsh favourite can feed the whole family. It’s basically mashed potatoes, hard boiled eggs and leeks based in a cheese sauce with crisp crumb topping. In this case, it proves that less definitely is more.

You’ll need: 2 cups of mashed potatoes, 30g unsalted butter, 2 large finely sliced leeks, 1 cup of milk, 1tbsp flour, 100g cheddar cheese, 4 large hard-boiled eggs (quartered), 3tbsp breadcrumbs and salt & pepper to taste.

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 200°C

2. Melt the butter in a large frying pan and add the leeks, seasoning with salt and black pepper. Cook for 5 minutes until the leeks soften

3. Raise the heat and stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring continuously. This will turn the mixture into a thick and creamy sauce

4. Simmer for an additional 5 minutes while generously buttering an ovenproof dish. Add the mashed potatoes and spread to cover the whole dish. Layer the egg quarters and then pour the leak sauce over

5. Mix the rest of the cheese with the breadcrumbs and sprinkle over the sauce

6. Place in the oven and bake until a golden-brown crust forms on top

7. Serve alone or as a side to a hearty meat dish. Just delicious!

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