Breakfast

Pofesen, also known as pavesen, is a traditional dessert similar to French toast. The bread is usually assembled as a sandwich, with a layer of powidl in between. The sandwich is then dipped in a mixture of eggs, milk, sugar, and sometimes vanilla and fried until golden brown. Once cooked, the pofesen are usually sprinkled with powdered sugar and served warm. This sweet treat is enjoyed as a dessert or a special breakfast item, especially during holidays and festive occasions.

Pofesen

Popara, the Balkan version of bread mash, is an ancient dish that has been greatly appreciated as a quick and easy solution to use up leftover bread and to feed the whole family in the process. Since it is eaten in many countries across the region, there are many different ways of its preparation. The two crucial ingredients are bread, diced or torn into smaller pieces, and liquid, usually milk, water, or tea, that is used to blend the bread into a soft mass. The liquid is typically mixed with butter, vegetable oil, or lard to provide a more substantial meal. The bread can be shortly fried in the combination of liquid and fat, and in some versions, the heated mix is poured over the bread and stirred until it is thoroughly blended. Depending on tradition and preference, popara can be completely homogenous and creamy or it can have a coarse consistency filled with chewy bread pieces. Since plain popara is mild and neutral in taste, it can be prepared in both savory and sweet versions. Additional ingredients that are commonly used to uplift this nutritious meal include onions, garlic, full-fat cream, fresh cottage cheese, ground red pepper, or sugar in the sweet popara. It is hard to pinpoint the exact place where this simple and filling dish originated, but it is believed that it was invented out of necessity, during severe hardships, when many ingredients were scarce or hard to obtain. Today, popara remains a popular breakfast meal in many Balkan countries and regions.

Popara

Poppyseed muffins are American sweet treats that are typically made with a combination of flour, sugar, butter, baking powder, poppy seeds, and, quite often, a variety of other ingredients and flavorings such as cinnamon, lemon juice, or blueberries. The muffins are baked until a toothpick that is inserted in them comes out clean. Due to the fact that these muffins are dense and somewhat heavy, they can be served as a dessert or for breakfast.

Poppyseed Muffins

Philippines

Poqui poqui is a traditional dish originating from Ilocos. In order to prepare the dish, grilled eggplants are first peeled, then chopped and saut&eacute;ed with garlic, onions or shallots, and tomatoes. Beaten eggs are then stirred into the pan, and the combination is cooked until the dish develops the consistency of slightly wet scrambled eggs. Before serving, it's recommended to season poqui poqui with patis fish sauce. The origin of the name can be traced back to the 1980s, when many Filipinos migrated to Hawaii. In Hawaii, the word poki (poqui) means to cut up or mash, referring to chopped eggplants and tomatoes.

Poqui poqui

Ireland

Armagh County in Northern Ireland is famous for its apples, so it is not surprising that the people from the region developed this local specialty known as potato apple bread. It consists of mashed potatoes, cored and sliced apples, sugar, salt, flour, and butter. The dish is typically fried in a pan until its exterior gets browned, and it can then be served for breakfast or as a snack paired with a cup of tea. Alternatively, it can be served as a dessert with lemon curd and cream.

Potato Apple Bread

Pratie oaten is a traditional savory breakfast cake originating from County Antrim. The dish is made with a combination of warm mashed potatoes, rolled oats, butter, and salt. The potatoes and oatmeal are mixed into a soft dough that's enriched with butter and seasoned with salt. The dough is cut into similar-sized pieces and shaped into rounds that are cut into quarters. The cakes are fried in butter on both sides until golden brown, and pratie oaten is then ready to be enjoyed. It's recommneded to serve these potato-oat cakes with eggs and bacon or sausages.

Pratie Oaten

Pupusa de queso con loroco is a variety of Salvadoran cheese pupusa, a thick corn tortilla that oozes with a mixture of gooey cheese and finely chopped loroco flower buds. The most traditional type of cheese used for the filling is quesillo, a kind of semi-soft white cheese, but other types of cheese may also be used. Some of the most commonly used optional cheese varieties include queso fresco, mozzarella, farmer&rsquo;s cheese, or Monterey Jack. The other key ingredient to the filling is loroco, the edible green buds of Fernaldia pandurata, a flowering vine that thrives throughout Central America. Loroco flower buds may be used fresh, frozen, or pickled, and they impart a unique aroma and flavor to the pupusas. Once stuffed, the corn tortillas are usually cooked in a skillet or griddle until they&rsquo;re golden brown with dark spots on both sides. Like other types of pupusas, these cheese pupusas are traditionally accompanied by tomato salsa (salsa roja), pickled cabbage slaw (curtido), and chili sauce on the side. In El Salvador, pupusas are usually enjoyed for breakfast or dinner, although they are also a popular street snack.

Pupusa de queso con loroco

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Pura s lučinicom is a traditional Herzegovinian dish made with corn flour that has been milled on a water mill. After it has been combined with water and cooked, it is drizzled over with a combination of homemade sour milk, butter, and garlic. Light, yet flavorful, this dish can be consumed throughout the day, either for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. It is a staple of Herzegovinian cuisine, and has reared many generations of people in the area, symbolizing the tradition of ancestors' lives in the region.

Pura s lučinicom

Initially regarded as a simple dish assembled from available leftovers, this rustic hash nowadays stands as the ultimate comfort food and a favorite meal in many Nordic countries. Pyttipanna is incredibly versatile and usually consists of diced potatoes and different types of meat and vegetables that are pan-fried in butter. Served with a fried egg on top and alongside various pickled salads, it is usually enjoyed as a nutritious breakfast.

Pyttipanna

Quesito is a Puerto Rican pastry made with dough that is shaped into a cigar, then filled with sweetened cream cheese and various fruit preserves. After they have been glazed and baked, quesitos can be bought at bakeries throughout the island, and locals prefer to consume them for breakfast, paired with a cup of coffee on the side.

Quesito

A mix between classic American pancakes and thin crepes, fluffy racuchy are an authentic Polish dessert. They are traditionally made with apples, but the plain varieties are also quite popular. Eggs, milk or buttermilk, sugar, and yeast or baking powder create the basic thick mix for these classic pancakes. Apples are usually diced or thinly sliced and added last. Racuchy can range from thick to rather thin forms, depending on preference, but they are always smaller in size than crepes. The pancakes are pan-fried, resulting in a crunchy exterior with a soft and elastic center. Before serving, they are usually sprinkled with plain or powdered sugar. Although racuchy are especially popular as a dessert, they can often be served as a sweet breakfast or as a snack. These pancakes can be eaten plain or accompanied by a cup of warm milk. Occasionally, apples can be substituted with other fruit, such as bananas and pears, while a dollop of whipped cream is often served on the side.

Racuchy

Ramanonaka is a traditional snack originating from Madagascar. These rice muffins are usually made with a combination of semolina, rice flour, sugar, salt, water, yeast, and oil for frying. The ingredients are mixed into a smooth paste that's covered with a damp cloth and left to rise overnight. The next day, the thick batter is placed into circular molds and it's fried in hot oil until golden brown on both side. Ramanonakas are served hot, usually for breakfast with tea or coffee on the side.

Ramanonaka

Rava dosa is one of the most popular variations of dosa - the South Indian pancake. Rava denotes the semolina batter used to make this variety of dosa and it can be identified by its crisp and netted texture. The only consistent factor in a rava dosa is the pancake, as the fillings vary in different regions. More than a dozen different fillings can be found within a single city. The most preferred rava dosa filling are semi-fried onions, served with a choice of coconut chutney and sambar. Dosa has been a breakfast choice in South India for more than 2000 years and has evolved as a readily available meal choice for the entire Indian subcontinent.

Rava dosa

India

Rava idli is a popular steamed semolina cake invented during World War II by the popular restaurant chain Mavalli Tiffin Rooms (MTR) in Bangalore, India. During the war, there was a shortage of rice, the main ingredient in traditional idli, so MTR decided to use semolina (rava) instead of rice to make idlis. The batter for rava idli is typically made by mixing semolina, curd (dahi), and a leavening agent, which is why idli is light and fluffy. The batter is then allowed to rest for a few minutes before steaming. Apart from the semolina and curd, the batter usually includes ingredients like finely chopped coriander, cashews, mustard seeds, curry leaves, and ginger, which are added for additional flavor. The process involves frying these spices and herbs, called tempering, and then adding them to the semolina batter. Once the batter is ready, it's poured into an idli mold and steamed until cooked. The result is a soft, fluffy, and flavorful dish that's often served with coconut chutney or other sauces.

Rava idli

Revuelto de ajetes is a traditional dish that's often served as a tapa for breakfast. It's usually made with a combination of eggs, scallions, shallots, olive oil, bell peppers, heavy cream, salt, chives, and white pepper. The scallions, shallots, and bell peppers are saut&eacute;ed in olive oil until soft. The eggs are whisked with the cream, then added to the pan and scrambled. The dish is done when the eggs become creamy and runny, as they shouldn't be overcooked. The revuelto is seasoned with salt and white pepper, sprinkled with chives, then served with slices of toasted white bread to mop up the juices.

Revuelto de ajetes

Revuelto de Gramajo is a popular Argentine hangover cure that is typically consumed and served for breakfast. It consists of only a few selected ingredients &ndash; scrambled eggs, thinly sliced ham, and fried potatoes, although some like to add green peas, chicken, or onions to the mix. Gramajo is capitalized because the dish was supposedly invented by a man named Artemio Gramajo. However, there are multiple theories about the origins of this delightfully greasy breakfast: the first one says that Colonel Gramajo used to eat fried eggs, potatoes, onions, and ham for breakfast every day, while the other one says that the Colonel was a member of an exclusive club and restaurant in Buenos Aires where he played cards and billiard, and he used to order a special dish of scrambled eggs, Serrano ham, and peas. There is also the third theory claiming that another Gramajo, Arturo, who was a playboy in Paris, ordered a breakfast dish when the kitchen was closed, so they made him a dish with leftovers: ham, eggs, chicken, and French fries. Regardless of the origins, one thing is indeed true: whoever invented the dish had the last name Gramajo.

Revuelto de Gramajo

Revuelto de setas y jam&oacute;n is a traditional egg-based dish originating from Spain. The dish is usually made with a combination of eggs, several varieties of wild and cultivated mushrooms, jam&oacute;n serrano, olive oil, garlic, parsley, salt, and pepper. The mushrooms are quartered or sliced and cooked in olive oil over high heat until the edges begin to brown. The heat is reduced and the garlic and jam&oacute;n are added to the pan and saut&eacute;ed until fragrant. The eggs are whisked and poured over the mixture, then left to slightly set until they're scrambled in order to be done but still moist. The dish is drizzled with olive oil, seasoned with salt and pepper, and garnished with chopped parsley before serving.

Revuelto de setas y jamón

In the past, ribel used to be a meal eaten by the poor, usually for breakfast, but it all changed in the 1970s, and now many restaurants serve this traditional Lichtensteiner dish. Just like polenta, ribel is made from cornmeal that is cooked in boiling water and milk, and once cooked, it is roasted with butter. Although its flavor is savory, it can be eaten with sweet accompaniments such as fruit sauces and compotes.

Ribel

Greek-style rice pudding is a popular dish that is usually enjoyed as a sweet breakfast, a light afternoon snack, or a comforting dessert. In its basic form, it consists of rice and milk that are slowly cooked and vigorously stirred until they transform into a thick, almost custard-like treat. The base is often enriched with citrus or vanilla and is occasionally thickened with egg yolks or cornstarch. Whether it is enjoyed lukewarm or well-chilled, rice pudding is typically served with a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Rizogalo

The combination of tender smoked eel and buttery scrambled eggs is a popular breakfast and lunch option in Denmark and Sweden. The combination is either served individually or as a topping on traditional, open-faced sm&oslash;rrebr&oslash;d sandwiches. The dish is often accompanied by salads and seasoned with fresh herbs and lemon. Healthy, nutritious, and easily prepared, it is a common restaurant staple and a popular home-cooked dish.