Bread

India

Bhakri is a popular Indian unleavened flatbread native to the Indian state of Maharashtra, although it is commonly found throughout Gujarat, Goa, and Rajasthan. It can be made with jowar, ragi, sorghum, wheat, or rice flour, all of them high in dietary fibers, making bhakri a healthy type of flatbread. It is sometimes additionally flavored with ghee butter or cumin seeds, and served with chutneys, baingan bharta, vegetables, curry, or rice. Traditionally, bhakri was often consumed by the farmers for breakfast and lunch, providing sustenance throughout the long working days. Since it tastes the best when the flour is freshly milled, some Indian cooks use a millstone before making the bread in order to enhance bhakri's texture and flavor.

Bhakri

Bhatura is a deep-fried, leavened bread with North Indian origins and a light, fluffy texture. Its unique texture is achieved by letting the dough ferment for almost one hour. The dough consists of flour, oil, baking powder, and yogurt. After the bread is fried, it is usually sprinkled with Indian masalas or stuffed with paneer. If it's stuffed with chickpea curry, it becomes another popular dish, known as chole bhatura, found at almost every street corner in North India. Bhatura's versatility is seen in kulcha, which is made with the same dough, but it is baked or cooked on a pan instead of being deep-fried.

Bhatura

Italy

Categorized somewhere between a cookie and a rusk, biscotti del Lagaccio are named after a Genovese quarter where they were allegedly invented around 1593. In the beginning, they were simple double-baked biscuits made only with flour, butter, yeast, and sugar, but over time, the basic recipe was changed with the addition of wild fennel seeds and a few drops of anise liqueur, giving them their typical flavor. Delicately sweet, biscotti del Lagaccio make a perfect breakfast or an afternoon snack, especially if paired with a cup of caff&egrave; latte or tea.

Biscotti del Lagaccio

Croatia

Luci&scaron;čak is the name of a unique round bread originating from the Croatian village of Plemen&scaron;čina. It is also known as Lucin kolač (Lucy&rsquo;s cake) because the bread was traditionally prepared on St. Lucy&rsquo;s Day, before sunrise. This unleavened bread is made with a combination of different flour &ndash; rye, corn, wheat, and beans, sometimes with the addition of pounded walnuts on top. Traditionally, 5 or 6 Luci&scaron;čaks were baked in each family, and when the whole family has woken up, they would tear the bread into pieces and consumed it believing that it will give them health and prosperity in the following year.

Blagdanska pogača luciščak

Koledo is a festive Christmas bread with origins in the Croatian village of Plemen&scaron;ćina. The bread is traditionally prepared on Christmas Eve. It is made with a combination of corn flour and cvajerica &ndash; wheat flour or corn flour and rye flour combined with yeast. The dough is formed into circular shapes, and it is decorated with only one or four to five walnuts in their shells. In the past, the bread was decorated with exactly seven walnuts. It is believed that the walnuts give the bread some kind of magical protection, providing health and fertility for the whole family and their animals in the following year. Once baked, the bread should be kept in the house until Epiphany, while the walnuts were often kept in the house throughout the year, as they are believed to help with various problems such as speech impediments.

Blagdanski božićni kruh koledo

Bogovitsa is a traditional bread from Bulgaria, often associated with religious and cultural rituals. The name "Bogovitsa" is derived from the word "Bog," which means "God" in Bulgarian, indicating the bread's significance in spiritual and ceremonial contexts. The bread is typically made from simple ingredients such as wheat flour, water, salt, and yeast. Sometimes, it may include a small amount of sugar or oil to enrich the dough. Bogovitsa is usually prepared with care, often as part of a religious ritual or a special occasion. The dough is kneaded and shaped by hand, often adorned with specific symbolic designs or markings on the top, such as crosses or other religious symbols, before being baked. These decorations often hold religious significance, representing blessings or prayers. The texture of Bogovitsa is similar to that of a typical homemade bread&mdash;soft on the inside with a slightly crusty exterior. The flavor is simple and somewhat savory, reflecting its role as a ceremonial bread rather than a daily food item. Bogovitsa is traditionally baked for religious holidays and ceremonies, such as Christmas and Easter, or family celebrations, like weddings and baptisms. It is often used in rituals where the bread is blessed and shared among family members or the community, symbolizing unity, prosperity, and divine blessings.

Bogovitsa

The Afghan bolani is a stuffed, pan-fried flatbread made with unleavened dough that is typically filled with a mixture of potato mash and various other ingredients such as spinach, spring onions, pumpkin, or even green or red lentils. In Afghanistan, bolani is not only a popular street snack but it is also often prepared at home and usually served as a side dish. It is traditionally enjoyed warm, accompanied by coriander chutney and a creamy, mint-flavored Afghan yogurt dip called chakkah.

Bolani

Bolillo is a Mexican bread made from a dough similar to the French baguette. The final product has a crispy crust and a soft crumb, and is formed into a football-shaped loaf. The name of the bread means spindle, referring to a rolling pin used in the preparation of bolillo. It is believed that bolillo was modeled after French bread, since it was introduced to Mexico during the French intervention (1861-1867). Today, bolillo is usually served with eggs and meat, or it can be served as an accompaniment to gazpacho, posole, menudo, or chile verde stew. The bread is also very popular in the creation of tortas, Mexican sandwiches filled with meat, avocado, beans, lettuce, or hot peppers.

Bolillo

Bollo is a traditional bun that can be made with corn, yuca, or potatoes. The bun is also very popular in Panama in Spain. Typically, it is served for breakfast, when it is accompanied by cheese on the side. All along the Colombian coast, bollo can be bought from numerous street vendors who are selling it freshly prepared from corn leaves in which the buns were wrapped before cooking, although it can also be easily found in various supermarkets.

Bollo

Portugal

Bolo l&ecirc;vedo is a traditional bread originating from the Azores. These sweet muffins are made with a combination of water, flour, sugar, eggs, butter, salt, milk, and yeast. The dough is shaped into small balls that are dusted with flour, then cooked over low heat. As soon as one side turns golden brown, bolo l&ecirc;vedo is turned over and cooked on the other side. They're best served hot, then slathered with butter or fruit jams. It's recommended to pair them with a cup of coffee on the side.

Bolo lêvedo

Borotho is a traditional African bread originating from Lesotho. It's made with a combination of whole meal flour, white flour, sugar, salt, yeast, and lukewarm water. The dough is kneaded until it springs back, and it's then left to rise before it's baked in the oven or in a heavy pan over low heat. The dough can also be steamed. Once the bread becomes nicely browned, it is usually served with barbecued meat, stews, or eaten with fruit jams.

Borotho

Bozza pratese is a typical Tuscan bread made with yeast, flour, and water. Interestingly, the bread does not contain any salt. Bozza is extremely versatile, so it can be consumed at any time of the day &ndash; it is eaten daily as an accompaniment to meat, fish, and vegetable dishes, but when it becomes stale, it is a key ingredient in the famous tomato soup known as pappa con il pomodoro.

Bozza Pratese

&Scaron;kanjate are a local specialty of the Croatian island of Brač. These hard biscuits consist of flour, oil, sugar, and yeast. When the dough has risen, it is baked until it develops a dark golden-brown color. After they have cooled down a bit, the biscuits are split in half and baked again for a short while at low temperatures. &Scaron;kanjate are most often dipped in pro&scaron;ek, wine, or coffee as a tasty snack.

Bračke škanjate

Considered an iconic symbol of Germany, the pretzel is a type of traditional baked good that is made by combining flour, salt, malt, yeast, and water. The resulting dough is then shaped into a well-known knotted shape of a pretzel before it is baked. Pretzels are often dipped in a lye solution (natronlauge in German) before they are baked, and then they are called laugenbrezel, a Bavarian-style pretzel distinguished by a nice, brown, and crispy exterior that surrounds the soft interior. Coarse salt is usually sprinkled over the surface of the pretzels, but other toppings may also be used, including sesame, pumpkin, sunflower, or poppy seeds. Regional variations of the pretzel abound, with some of them using fat to obtain a softer dough and others calling for different types of flour such as whole wheat flour or spelt flour. German pretzels come in both sweet and savory versions, and their texture may range from soft to hard. They are usually enjoyed warm as a snack with butter or along with German wurst sausages and a cold German beer on the side for an authentic German experience. The pretzel is a favorite street snack and a staple at any festival, holiday, and Christmas market in the country. Its versatile nature has given rise to numerous variations including New Year&rsquo;s pretzels (neujahrbrezel), Oktoberfest pretzels (also called wiesnbrezn), and Lent pretzels (fastenbrezeln), among many others. In Alsace, France, the pretzel is known as bretzel d'Alsace.

Brezel

Broa is a Portuguese bread made from yellow cornmeal, yeast, and a combination of wheat and rye flour. It is characterized by a thick crust on the exterior, and a tender, moist texture of the interior. Broa is also quite popular in Galicia and Brazil, where it is typically seasoned with fennel seeds. It was first baked by peasants in the mountainous regions of northern Portugal, who made their living by cultivating corn. Although broa is an integral part of a traditional Portuguese breakfast, it is also often served at the beginning of the meal with a traditional Portuguese soup called caldo verde.

Broa

Broa de Avintes is a dark Portuguese bread with a dense texture and an intense, bittersweet flavor. It consists of white corn flour, yellow corn flour, rye flour, malt flour, hot water, yeast, and salt. The bread is considered to be a comfort food staple in the north of Portugal, and it is often served with sweet jams, soups, and grilled fish dishes.

Broa de Avintes

Broa de milho is a Portuguese corn bread consisting of plain flour, cornmeal, yeast, water, milk, sugar, salt, and butter. It is characterized by its fine, moist texture, making it an ideal pair for soups and stews, when it is often used for dipping. The bread is especially popular in Northern Portugal and the Azores. In the past, broa de milho was considered a poor man's food, but today it is enjoyed by all tiers of society.

Broa de milho

United States

A bulkie roll is a sandwich bun that is commonly found throughout New England. It is characterized by its petaled, rose-shape design. Although some people may confuse these sandwich buns with kaiser rolls, bulkies are not as sweet as them, and kaiser rolls are more commonly sprinkled with poppy seeds on top. The word bulkie is derived from the Polish bulki, referring to a thick sandwich bun brought to the New England area by Polish immigrants in the early 20th century. Today, bulkie rolls are commonly used in sandwiches filled with roast beef, seafood cakes, ham, cheese, and vegetables, but they are also ideal as buns for hamburgers.

Bulkie Roll

Bullet naan is a traditional variety of the naan flatbread originating from India. This spicy variety is made with a combination of wheat flour, yeast, butter, milk, yogurt, and salt. After the dough has been shaped, it's topped with chopped jalape&ntilde;os and coriander leaves, then baked in a tandoor until it's golden and puffed up. If desired, black sesame seeds can also be used as a topping. Once baked, the flatbread is brushed with butter. Bullet naan is traditionally served with different curries.

Bullet naan

Burebrot is a Swiss bread made with a combination of rye flour, wheat flour, yeast, water, and milk. The round-shaped dough is typically cut with a knife before baking in order to create a rhombus pattern on top. The dough is first baked at a high temperature, then at a moderate temperature, creating a nice crunchy crust in the process. It is believed that burebrot was invented in 1955 by the Professional School of Richemont and Swiss Bakers&rsquo; Association as a way to use leftover milk.