Bread

Croatia

Vrtanj is the name of a traditional Easter bread originating from the Croatian city of Donja Stubica. It is made with a combination of wheat flour, corn flour, yeast, warm milk, sugar, lukewarm water, eggs, pepper, and leftover water from the cooking of Easter ham. The dough is formed into a circular shape with a hole in the middle. A decorated Easter egg is typically placed in the middle of the hole after the bread has been baked. It is recommended to brush the dough with eggwash before baking in order for it to develop a nice golden-brown color. Vrtanj should be prepared and baked on Easter morning, and it is then brought to the local church to be blessed.

Vrtanj

Switzerland

Walliser roggenbrot is a Swiss rye bread produced in the Valais region. The rustic loaf with a dense crumb must contain at least 90% whole rye flour, and it is typically made with a sourdough starter. The bread keeps for a long time, and traditionally, it used to be baked in village ovens which were fired only a few times per year, so it was quite important that the bread lasted for a few months. Nowadays, walnuts and dried fruits can be added to the bread, if desired. When consumed, the bread is thinly sliced, and it is recommended to serve it with cheese, cold cuts, and gherkins.

Walliser Roggenbrot

India

Warqi paratha is a traditional flatbread and a type of paratha that's characterized by its layered texture. It's made with a combination of flour, sugar, salt, ghee, and milk. The dough is flattened and folded many times in order to create layers, and each one is brushed with melted butter or ghee and dusted with flour. Once baked, warqi paratha should be flaky and tender. The flatbread goes well with any type of curry or dal, and it's typically used as an edible spoon for scooping up the sauces.

Warqi paratha

Ireland

This traditional Irish bread roll is either round or square in shape and comes in two versions&mdash;soft and chewy&mdash;both with a flour-dusted top and made exclusively with flour, water, yeast, and salt. The tradition of preparing blaa dates back to the 17th century when the Huguenots came to the city of Waterford. Nowadays, there are only four bakeries left that still produce this bread roll which was awarded a Protected Geographical Indication status by the European Commission in 2013. Blaa is a standard breakfast staple, usually enjoyed plain or buttered, but it also makes for an excellent midday snack, when it is traditionally accompanied by various fillings and served in a sandwich form.

Waterford Blaa

Germany

First described in 1450 as the black bread of Westphalia, the famous Westf&auml;lischer Pumpernickel is a traditional all-rye bread made with either coarsely ground rye meal or a combination of rye flour and whole rye kernels. It can also be flavored with malt or sugar beet syrup. The loaves are placed in lidded pans and baked slowly at a low temperature in steam-filled ovens for anywhere from 16 to 24 hours, which gives pumpernickel its characteristic deep brown, almost black color. Pumpernickel has little or no crust, a pronounced earthy aroma, and a distinctive bittersweet flavor. It is quite dense and moist, and it has an extremely long shelf-life &ndash; when shrink-wrapped, it stays fresh for months, while canned pumpernickel can be stored for as long as two years. Even though the unique flavor and texture of pumpernickel goes well with both sweet and savory spreads, the Westphalians typically enjoy it with a thick smear of butter and a topping of ham or liver sausage.

Westfälischer Pumpernickel

Wheaten bread is the name that Northern Irish people use for brown soda bread. Interestingly, this bread is made without yeast and consists of wholewheat flour, plain flour, salt, soda bicarbonate, butter, sugar, buttermilk, and a bit of rolled oats for sprinkling the top of the bread. When taken out of the oven, it can be smeared with butter and jam, but wheaten bread is also a good accompaniment to soups, cold cuts, or smoked salmon. It is believed that the bread dates back to 1840 when soda bicarbonate was first introduced to the country.

Wheaten Bread

Yufka is a traditional flatbread consisting of flour, water, salt, and olive oil. The unleavened dough is typically rolled with a rolling pin until it develops a paper-thin consistency. It is believed that yufka is an earlier form of phyllo dough. It can be used in the preparation of numerous Turkish pastries, and it is sturdy enough to hold all of the fillings for a shawarma sandwich. In 2016, UNESCO recognized yufka making and sharing culture as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Yufka

Zbornjak is a traditional bread that is prepared in Koprivnički Ivanec, Kunovec, and other villages west of Koprivnica. The bread is made with a combination of flour, yeast, milk, poultry fat, sugar, eggs, and salt. Before baking, the dough is placed into a circular mold and topped with decorations such as birds, roses, or spirals, which are also made from the same dough. This round bread is traditionally prepared for Easter breakfast.

Zbornjak

Zopf is a traditional bread consisting of flour, butter, yeast, milk, and eggs. It is characterized by its soft texture and braided appearance, similar to the Jewish bread challah. Traditionally, zopf is prepared during the weekend and consumed on Sundays, usually with butter and fruit jams. It is believed that the bread was invented in the middle of the 15th century. Originally, widows used to cut off their braided hair and bury it with their late husbands. Later on, they baked zopf and buried loaves of bread instead of hair. The name zopf literally means braid, referring to the shape of the bread. Today, zopf can also be bought in stores, although it is still more often prepared at home.

Zopf

Poland

Żymła is the Silesian name for a traditional white bread roll. Known as bułka in Polish, the bread roll typically has an oval shape and is often sprinkled with poppy seeds on top before baking. Apart from its everyday consumption, this bread roll is also an essential ingredient used in the preparation of the traditional Upper-Silesian blood sausage called żymlok.

Żymła

China

The Asian interpretation of classic Portuguese bread rolls is known under the name piggy bun. They are usually oval-shaped and can come in various sizes and lengths. Although they might differ in crispiness and sweetness, most types usually have a light brown crust and a white soft interior. A staple in Hong Kong and Macau, this bread item has been developed under European influences and is the direct legacy of Portuguese colonization in the area. In Hong Kong, they are usually enjoyed as a filling breakfast, spread with butter or condensed milk, and in Macau, they are used as the base of the legendary pork chop bun.