Casserole

United States

Delmonico potatoes is a traditional dish originating from New York City, where it was created around 1830 at Delmonico's Restaurant. The dish is made with a combination of potatoes, heavy cream, whole milk, nutmeg, salt, white pepper, and parmesan cheese. The potatoes are washed, cut into quarters lengthwise, and boiled in water for 10 minutes. They are placed into cold water and left to cool for half an hour before they're grated into long strips. The milk, cream, nutmeg, salt, and white pepper are placed in a pan over medium heat, then mixed with the potatoes and cooked for about 10 minutes. A tablespoon of grated parmesan is added to the mixture, which is placed in a buttered baking dish. The top is sprinkled with the rest of the cheese and the dish is baked until lightly browned.

Delmonico Potatoes

Escondidinho is a traditional casserole. It can be made with a variety of ingredients &ndash; beef, chicken, fish, pork, or shrimp. The original one is called escondidinho de carne seca, made with a combination of dried and salted meat and mashed potatoes. The carne seca is cooked with tomatoes, onions, garlic, and various spices. It is placed into a baking dish, then topped with mashed potatoes, and often grated cheese. The combination is baked in the oven until golden brown on top. The name of the dish means little hidden one, referring to the meat hidden underneath a layer of mashed potatoes.

Escondidinho

Fattah kaware'e is a Syrian dish consisting of a crispy flatbread, cooked cow feet, rice, and garlic sauce. The dish is usually made with toasted pieces of pita bread which are placed into a casserole dish and then covered with a mixture of melted ghee, mastic gum, garlic, ground coriander, and the liquid in which the cow feet have been cooked. White rice is then spread evenly over the pita bread pieces, drizzled with garlic sauce, and topped with boiled and browned cow feet. This hearty specialty is eaten warm, usually as a main dish.

Fattah kaware'e

Fattah ma&rsquo;adem is a Syrian layered dish made with crispy flatbread, lamb trotters, chickpeas, and a yogurt-based sauce. It typically consists of crispy pita bread pieces that are topped with cooked chickpeas and lamb trotters, generously drizzled with garlicky tahini-yogurt sauce on top. This specialty is usually sprinkled with fried or toasted nuts, such as pine nuts or cashews, and eaten warm as a main dish. Fattah ma&rsquo;adem is a version of fattah or fatteh, a dish consisting mainly of fresh, toasted, or stale pieces of flatbread combined with a variety of other ingredients. In Syria, this dish is often drizzled with melted samneh or ghee.

Fattah ma’adem

Considered a Damascus delicacy, fattah makdus is a Syrian dish that features stuffed baby eggplants. It typically consists of crispy pita bread pieces that are covered with a mixture of minced meat, usually beef or lamb, pomegranate molasses, and tomato sauce, topped with fried, stuffed eggplants, and then finished off with a generous drizzle of garlic-yogurt sauce. Fattah makdus uses a variety of small baby eggplants which are hollowed out and then filled with the meat mixture. This Middle Eastern savory delicacy is usually topped with toasted or fried pine nuts, pomegranate seeds, and some freshly chopped parsley or mint.

Fattah makdus

Spain

Fideus a la cassola is a Catalan dish prepared by cooking the noodles in a clay pot with pork chops, pieces of sausage, olive oil, tomatoes, onions, garlic, and parsley. The noodles are added to the pot only after all other ingredients have started to caramelize and release their juices. Boiling water or broth is then added to the pot, and the dish is left to simmer a bit more, until the noodles are cooked. This dish is especially popular on cold winter days.

Fideus a la cassola

Flygande Jakob or flying Jacob is a Swedish casserole made with a combination of chicken, chili sauce, bananas, bacon, cream, and roasted peanuts. The dish is baked in an oven, then served with rice and a green salad on the side. This unusual dish was invented by Ove Jakobsson, a man who worked in the air freight industry, hence the name of the dish. His original recipe was first published in 1976 in a Swedish cooking magazine called Allt om mat, and back then, unlike today, the chicken was supposed to be seasoned with Italian salad seasoning. Nowadays, the dish is popular in the country because it is quick and easy to make.

Flygande Jakob

Italy

Fregula istuvada is a traditional Sardinian casserole and pasta dish that highlights fregula&mdash;a toasted semolina pasta&mdash;cooked with meat and sauce, then baked with cheese and hot lard for a rich, satisfying finish. This hearty dish, particularly associated with the town of Neoneli in Sardinia's Barigadu region, represents the island's love for rustic, flavorful comfort food. The dish is baked at a low temperature to meld the flavors and develop its signature gratinated crust. The result is a beautifully layered dish with nutty fregula, tender meat, and a rich, cheesy topping that contrasts perfectly with the crispy crust. Fregula istuvada is not just a meal but a cultural treasure, often featured at Sardinian festivals like "Wine, Fregula e Cassola" in Neoneli.

Fregula istuvada

Frito pie is a cheap, hearty, and highly caloric dish consisting of chili, crunchy corn chips (especially the Fritos brand variety), cheese, and onions. It is a popular meal in Southern and Midwestern parts of the United States, and can be found at numerous state fairs and high school football games. Although it can be made in a casserole dish, unusually, it is most often prepared in a Fritos corn chip bag, with a number of toppings. The origins of the dish are yet unclear, but it is believed that it was invented in Mexico as a popular food at fiestas before it spread to the United States. Today, New Mexico and Texas both claim that Frito pie is their invention, always served cold and soggy. In his CNN show Parts Unknown, Anthony Bourdain scathingly described New Mexico's version of Frito pie as "warm crap in a bag" and "colostomy pie", so it is probably best to try the Texas-made version if presented with that kind of gastronomical dilemma.

Frito Pie

Contrary to its name, funeral potatoes are the ultimate comfort food, a cheesy au gratin potato casserole that is synonymous with the state of Utah and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. It consists of cubed potatoes, cheese, onions, cream soup or sauce, sour cream, and a topping of butter and cornflakes or crushed potato chips. The dish is commonly prepared by the members of the Church to comfort grieving relatives after a loved one's funeral, so it is not just an ordinary dish, but also a sign of care, love, and compassion. Although funeral potatoes started as a dish intended for funerals, today it is a common side dish that can be served at any time. It is best accompanied by ham, pastry rolls, and salads with ranch dressing.

Funeral Potatoes

This classic Greek casserole consists of a combination of pasta and tomato-braised meat that is prepared as a one-pot oven dish. Although veal is the traditional choice, various types of meat may be employed, while the rich tomato sauce is usually seasoned with cinnamon, allspice, red wine, cloves, and bay leaves. Tradition suggests using two types of pasta, the small-sized orzo or the square-shaped hilopites, and topping the casserole with a layer of grated cheese. Giouvetsi, named after Turkish earthenware, is a common meal served on large family gatherings and various festive occasions.

Giouvetsi

France

Traditionally consumed by peasants in the historic Dauphin&eacute; region in France, gratin dauphinois is a savory dish consisting of thinly sliced potatoes, cr&egrave;me fra&icirc;che, and butter baked in a shallow earthenware cooking vessel. The dish can be eaten on its own, preferably with a salad on the side, or as an accompaniment to fish or meat dishes. The term gratin originally referred to the flavorful crust that was left in the pan after the dish was baked. The first mention of the dish dates back to July 12th, 1788, when it was served at a dinner hosted by Charles-Henri, Duke of Clermont-Tonnerre and Lieutenant-General of the Dauphin&eacute;, for the officials of the city of Gap in the modern-day Hautes-Alpes region.

Gratin dauphinois

Gratin de crozets is a traditional dish originating from the Savoie region. It's made with a combination of onions, lardons, cr&egrave;me fra&icirc;che, chicken stock, grated cheese such as Gruyere, Comte, or Beaufort, and crozets &ndash; a traditional local pasta variety that's small, flat, and square-shaped, made from buckwheat, wheat (or both), eggs, salt, and water. The pasta is cooked in chicken stock, while the onions are fried with lardons in a pan. Both are then mixed with the addition of cr&egrave;me fra&icirc;che, topped with grated cheese, and baked in the oven until golden brown and the cheese becomes fully melted.

Gratin de crozets

Gratin polesano is a traditional dish originating from Veneto. The dish is usually made with a combination of potatoes, pancetta, fontina cheese, chicken or beef stock, butter, salt, and pepper. In order to make the dish, a deep ovenproof dish is buttered and some of the stock is poured into it, then brought to a boil. The potatoes are sliced and arranged in the dish while being covered by the hot stock. The potatoes are cooked until tender and the stock should evaporate. It's then topped with fontina and pancetta, seasoned, and covered with the remaining potatoes. Another layer of stock, cheese, and pancetta is placed on top, and the dish is then dotted with butter and baked until the top becomes golden. If fontina cheese is unavailable, it's recommended to use Asiago instead.

Gratin polesano

United Kingdom

Bean jar is Guernsey&rsquo;s traditional one-pot dish. Although each family has a different variation, it is typically made with pig&rsquo;s trotter, haricot beans, butter beans, bay leaves, onions, and carrots. The beans are soaked overnight, and the following day all ingredients are placed in a large casserole dish, then covered with water or stock. The dish is baked in an oven for a long time, usually for 6-8 hours, before it&rsquo;s ready to be served, preferably with crusty bread and Guernsey butter on the side. Until the 1920s, Guernsey bean jar has been regularly eaten for breakfast. When made at home, the pot was taken to the local bakers, where it would be cooked overnight in the bottom of the ovens. At dawn, the pot was collected, and the dish was traditionally eaten by fishermen before they went out to sea.

Guernsey Bean Jar

This traditional stew or casserole is typical of Balkan cuisine, and it carries the name of the clay or earthenware pot in which it is traditionally prepared - guvech. Bulgarian guvech stems from the Turkish word g&uuml;ve&ccedil; (meaning earthenware pot) and suggests the specialty&rsquo;s Turkish origins. It usually consists of a variety of seasonal vegetables, meat, spices, and herbs that are simmered for hours, resulting in a flavor-packed dish with a unique, earthy aroma. Typical vegetables used for the preparation of this dish include potatoes, eggplants, peppers, tomatoes, onions, carrots, zucchini, peas, and okra, while the selection of spices and herbs usually includes pepper, paprika, mint, parsley, and garlic. Common additions to the specialty include eggs and mushrooms, and although the dish is typically prepared with meat (pork, beef, chicken, or lamb), some versions call for using fish or making a meatless guvech. There are numerous varieties of guvech known by slightly different names throughout the Balkan countries, Turkey, and the Middle East. In Bulgaria, guvech is traditionally enjoyed while steaming hot, accompanied by a bowl of shopska salad, bread, and a glass of full-bodied red wine on the side.

Guvech

Hachis Parmentier is a traditional dish consisting of mashed and baked potatoes, chopped or minced meat, and sauce Lyonnaise. The combination of these ingredients is then traditionally placed into potato shells and baked. The dish got its name after the famous French inventor and nutritionist named Antoine-Augustin Parmentier, who was always looking for new ways to incorporate potatoes into French gastronomy. Hachis Parmentier is commonly known as the French version of the famous shepherd's pie. This delicious dish also provides a great way to use up the leftovers from other dishes.

Hachis Parmentier

Hotdish is a Midwestern food icon that is especially popular in the states of Minnesota and North Dakota. Any casserole served hot in a single dish can be called hotdish, and it usually consists of starches such as potatoes or pasta, meat (often ground beef), vegetables, and canned soup (typically cream of mushroom soup). The first recipe is found in the 1930s Grace Lutheran Ladies Aid Cookbook, but in 1934, Campbell company mixes things up with their canned soups which became the base for most hotdish varieties. The dish originated from the Midwestern farmers who needed to feed their large families, while another theory suggests that it originates from the Norwegian word varmrett, meaning warm dish, due to the fact that there are many Norwegians living in the region. Since 1956, which marks the invention of commercial tater tots (grated fried potatoes), a large number of Midwestern cooks started to top their hotdishes with crispy fried tater tots, and the dish is then called tater tot casserole or tater tot hotdish. Traditionally, this comfort food dish is served as a main course and it often appears at big family reunions and church suppers.

Hotdish

Traditionally associated with Christmastime, this Czech casserole consists of precooked barley and a combination of various dried forest mushrooms. Typically seasoned with caraway and marjoram, houbov&yacute; kuba is baked until crispy and served warm. With its rustic appeal and strong, earthy flavors, this nutritious casserole is mainly enjoyed as a side dish during traditional Christmas dinners.

Houbový kuba

Finland

This traditional Finnish casserole is characterized by its long cooking time and a subtle sweetness. It is prepared with a combination of mashed potatoes and wheat flour that is stored in a warm place for hours, allowing the starch to break down and provide the natural sweetness. The dish is sometimes additionally sweetened and seasoned with nutmeg before it is baked until a golden-brown, crispy crust forms on top. Traditionally associated with Christmastime, this creamy, starchy casserole is usually enjoyed as a side dish.