Dumplings

Bryndzov&eacute; halu&scaron;ky is a modest and simple meal consisting of three elements: halu&scaron;ky, bryndza, and bacon. Halu&scaron;ky is a traditional name for a type of dumpling made with grated raw potatoes and flour. The second essential ingredient in this dish is bryndza, a flavorful cheese made from sheep's milk, authentic to the Liptov area. The original Slovak bryndza is salty, strong, crumbly, and light gray, while the mass-produced varieties are usually milder, lighter, and typically have a certain percentage of cow's cheese. Bryndza is added directly to halu&scaron;ky and mixed thoroughly until it melts. The third and the final part of this dish is bacon, typically cut into pieces, fried in a pan, and sprinkled on top of the dish. This hearty meal is a symbol of pride for Slovaks, and it symbolizes Slovak cuisine as it is: simple, straightforward, and traditional.

Bryndzové halušky

The Slovak version of the famous Polish pierogi consists of a thin potato dough that is wrapped around a combination of grated potatoes and a traditional sheep cheese known as bryndza. These crescent-shaped dumplings are usually cooked (and occasionally fried) until golden and crispy on the exterior. When served, they are traditionally topped with fried bacon, chives, and a dollop of sour cream.

Bryndzové pirohy

Buuz is a traditional and Buryatian steamed dumpling filled with meat such as beef or mutton. The meat is usually seasoned with salt, onions, garlic, and fresh herbs. The dumplings are prepared in large quantities and are consumed throughout the year, although buuz is the most popular during Tsagaan Sar, the Mongolian New Year festivity which usually takes place in February. Buuz is characterized by a small opening on its top, and it is often eaten by hand. Traditionally, the dumplings are served with fried bread, dipping sauces and salads on the side, while it is recommended to pair them with beverages such as vodka or tea.

Buuz

Italy

Canederli are Italian bread dumplings that can only be found in the north-east of the country (Trentino-Alto-Adige, Friuli, and parts of Veneto) and are a slightly different variety of Tyrolean kn&ouml;del. The dumplings are a part of cucina povera due to the fact that they're made with very simple and inexpensive ingredients such as stale bread, flour, milk, and eggs. The name canederli is derived from the Austrian and German kn&ouml;del, which means dumpling. The most typical way of serving canederli is in a rich broth or in a dry version with melted butter and grated cheese. There are different versions of canederli enriched with speck (canederli con speck), cheese (canederli con formaggio), spinach (canederli di spinaci), and mushrooms (canederli ai funghi).

Canederli

Pilzekn&ouml;del or canederli ai funghi is a traditional dumpling enriched with mushrooms. The dumplings originate from Tyrol and South Tyrol and they're typically served as a side dish that displays an inventive way of using leftover stale bread. The bread is usually mixed with mushrooms (porcini or chanterelle), eggs, butter, milk, onions, parsley, salt, and pepper in order to make the dumplings. Pilzekn&ouml;del are boiled in water or fried in butter on both sides until golden brown. They're typically served in a broth or with a variety of stews. Mushroom dumplings can also be enjoyed as they are, sprinkled with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Canederli ai funghi

Canederli ai quattro formaggi or vier k&auml;se kn&ouml;del are traditional dumplings enriched with four types of cheese. The dumplings originate from Trentino-Alto Adige, but they're also popular in the neighboring Austrian Tyrol. Canederli ai quattro formaggi are typically served as a side dish that displays an inventive way of using leftover stale bread. The bread is usually mixed with eggs, butter, milk, onions, parsley, salt, and four cheeses &ndash; Trentingrana, Puzzone di Moena, Casolet, and Fontal. The dumplings are boiled in water and served with melted butter or as an accompaniment to stews. It's recommended to pair these dumplings with a glass of red wine.

Canederli ai quattro formaggi

Canederli al grano saraceno are traditional dumplings originating from South Tyrol. The dumplings are typically served as a side dish that displays an inventive way of using leftover stale bread. For this version of canederli (or kn&ouml;del), the bread is usually mixed with buckwheat flour, wheat flour, onions, milk, eggs, parsley, speck, chives, salt, and black pepper. The speck is chopped and fried with onions, then mixed with diced bread. The eggs are whisked with milk, seasoned with salt and pepper, and both types of flour are then added to the mixture. Bread and speck are mixed with the rest of the ingredients and the dumplings are cooked in boiling salted water. Canederli al grano saraceno can be served in broth or doused in melted butter and sprinkled with grated cheese.

Canederli al grano saraceno

Canederli al radicchio are traditional dumplings originating from Trentino-Alto Adige. These dumplings are usually made with a combination of stale bread with the crust removed, milk, shallots, olive oil, Treviso radicchio, salt, pepper, eggs, speck, nutmeg, flour, breadcrumbs, butter, and Parmigiano-Reggiano. The ingredients are formed into tight balls that are boiled in salted water and simmered until heated through. These radicchio-enriched dumplings are traditionally served with melted butter and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano on top. It's recommended to serve the dish in shallow serving bowls.

Canederli al radicchio

The pumpkin hats of Ferrara &mdash; as translated in English &mdash; are a type of fresh filled pasta made with a delicious filling of velvety, pre-cooked butternut squash, or zucca violina in Italian, and grated parmesan cheese, while nutmeg imparts a warm, sweet, and spicy flavor. Ferrara's signature pasta dish has a tradition dating back to the Renaissance: the first recipe was written in 1584 by Giovanni Battista Rossetti, the court cook of Alfonso II d'Este, Duke of Ferrara. Cappellacci are commonly served doused in melted butter, with fresh sage and a sprinkle of parmesan, but they can also be enjoyed with a tomato or meat sauce.

Cappellacci di zucca Ferraresi

The combination of cappelletti pasta and a flavorful chicken broth is a traditional dish that is popular throughout northern and central Italy, but it is believed that both the dish and the stuffed cappelletti pasta originated in the Emilia-Romagna region. Though the fillings in the pasta may vary and commonly include beef, chicken, cheese, and nutmeg, they are always cooked and served accompanied by a generously seasoned, warm chicken broth. From a festive dish that was traditionally eaten on Christmas, cappelletti in brodo is nowadays enjoyed on various occasions.

Cappelletti in brodo

Casoncelli alla bergamasca is a traditional stuffed pasta dish originating from Bergamo. The fresh pasta dough is usually made with a combination of 00 flour, eggs, salt, and water. It's stuffed with a mixture of roast veal, ground pork, breadcrumbs, eggs, grated cheese (Parmigiano-Reggiano), sultanas, garlic, parsley, and sometimes pieces of pear. The pasta dough is folded and sealed by hand, and then boiled. Once done, casoncelli alla bergamasca are traditionally served in sugo burro e salvia (butter and sage sauce), often with the addition of chopped pancetta and grated Parmigiano on top.

Casoncelli alla bergamasca

Casoncelli bresciani is a traditional stuffed pasta dish originating from Brescia. Dating back to the 15th century, this pasta has very thin dough that enhances the flavor of the filling, which typically consists of grated stale bread and cheese such as Grana Padano or Bag&ograve;ss. However, the filling often varies from one household or restaurant to the next. Thin pasta sheets are folded over the filling and then pressed at the edges &ndash; the process of making casoncelli is similar to making ravioli. There are a few versions of the pasta &ndash; in Camonica Valley, the filling contains meat or vegetables, in Longhena, spinach or Swiss chard is used in the filling, while the version from Barbariga has a rich filling containing breadcrumbs, grated Grana Padano, meat broth, ham, spinach or Swiss chard, garlic, sage, and parsley. Once boiled, casoncelli bresciani are traditionally served in sugo burro e salvia (butter and sage sauce). As a final touch, the pasta is sprinkled with grated Grana Padano. It's recommended to serve the dish with Franciacorta Brut or Extra Brut, while alternatives include reds such as Botticino DOC and Cellatica DOC.

Casoncelli bresciani

Casoncelli di Barbariga is a traditional Brescian type of stuffed pasta and a subvariety of casoncelli bresciani. The dish originates from Barbariga, hence the name. The thin and pliable dough is hand-made with a combination of 00 flour, salt, eggs, and water. It's cut into rectangles and the filling is placed in the middle. The filling usually consists of breadcrumbs, Parmigiano-Reggiano, Grana Padano, ham, spinach, stock, nutmeg, garlic, sage, parsley, and butter. The dough is then folded and sealed by hand into a candy-wrap shape. Once boiled, the pasta is typically served in sugo burro e salvia (butter and sage sauce). Interestingly, an event called Fiera del Casoncello (Casoncelli festival) is held annually in September in Barbariga.

Casoncelli di Barbariga

Cepelinai is the national dish of Lithuania consisting of potato dumplings stuffed with spiced ground meat. The dumplings are traditionally quite large, served with bacon, pork rinds, and a sour cream and milk-based sauce after they have been boiled in plenty of salted water. The dish is named after Graff von Zeppelin, due to the resemblance between the dumplings and the airship. It is believed that cepelinai have German origins and are based on Kartoffelkn&ouml;del. There are many versions of the dish, and similar dumplings can be found in countries such as Denmark, Norway, Ukraine, and Belarus. However, cepelinai remain the most popular in Lithuania and the northeastern part of Poland.

Cepelinai

China

Chaoshou is a traditional dish originating from Sichuan. These dumplings are made with square sheets of wonton wrappers which are folded into a crescent moon shape and filled with pork and ginger. Once stuffed, the dumplings are boiled and served in different liquids and sauces such as chicken soup, chili oil sauce (dry version), or sour and spicy broth. The dish is praised for being simple, easy, and unpretentious. Chaoshou is sometimes eaten on Chinese New Year, and the dumplings then represent wealth in the forthcoming year. If desired, the dish can be garnished with cilantro leaves.

Chao shou

Cha siu bao are popular Chinese pork roast buns. Whether steamed or baked, they are always filled with a sweet and spicy grilled pork filling. Steamed varieties are delicate and soft, with a snowy white color, while baked chao siu bao have a light golden color and are usually covered in a glossy glaze. The delicious filling inside the buns is usually traditional Chinese char siu pork - slowly roasted pieces of pork doused in a juicy barbecue sauce. The buns are an original Chinese invention, an authentic dish of the Cantonese region. Due to immigration and popularity of Chinese restaurants across the globe, pork roast buns have quickly spread to other parts of the world. Today the soft steamed buns can be found as an irreplaceable part of every dim sum meal, while the baked varieties are usually bought in traditional Chinese bakeries.

Cha siu bao

United States

Chicken and dumplings is an American dish consisting of water-cooked chicken and dumplings made from flour, shortening, and liquid. The dumplings are usually cooked in the leftover chicken broth after the meat has been cooked. The dish was originally prepared during the Great Depression as a way to stretch a small amount of meat that would feed many people.

Chicken and Dumplings

Chuchvara is a traditional dumpling originating from Uzbekistan. There are many types of these dumplings, but the stuffing usually consists of finely chopped meat and pork is never used. Some people compare these dumplings with Russian ravioli and dumplings, but there are a few basic differences &ndash; chuchvara is smaller, it's boiled in broth with vegetables and fried meat, and the dough is never rolled out separately for each dumpling &ndash; a large piece of dough is rolled instead, and it's then cut into smaller squares that are subsequently stuffed with different ingredients. For the classic version, the dough is made from flour, eggs, salt, and water, the stuffing is made with lamb or beef, onions, and seasonings, and the broth contains onions, carrots, tomatoes, and a piece of meat on the bone. There are also kovurma chuchvara (fried chuchvara) and osh kuktli chuchvara (made with finely chopped greens, hard-boiled eggs, onions, and tail fat).

Chuchvara

Cjarsons is a traditional dish originating from Friuli. The dish consists of stuffed pasta that's similar to ravioli. However, the pasta is made from potatoes, similar to gnocchi, while the ingredients in the filling range from wild herbs, ricotta, raisins, potatoes, cocoa, cinnamon, and other spices. Cjarson should always have a flavor that's somewhere between sweet and savory, or both at the same time. Each family has their own recipe that has been handed down over generations, because in the past cjarsons was a festive dish and the recipe was kept secret by the head of each family. Once prepared, the cjarsons are cooked in boiling water, then traditionally topped with melted butter and grated smoked ricotta.

Cjarsons

Widely known as Sardinian ravioli, culurgi&ograve;nes are a typical dish of Ogliastra. These delicious handmade dumplings are shaped to resemble an ear of wheat, and they are traditionally filled with potatoes, pecorino cheese, lard, onions, garlic, and mint. Another common filling includes ricotta, spinach or chard, and saffron. Culurgi&ograve;nes are typically served doused in a flavorful tomato sauce and sprinkled with freshly grated pecorino.