Appetizer

Mbatan batata is a Libyan dish consisting of fried potato wedges that are stuffed with a combination of flavorful ingredients. The filling typically consists of ground meat (beef or lamb), onions, breadcrumbs, parsley, garlic, chile peppers, eggs, and butter. The potatoes are first sliced in half, with the two slices joined together at the base so they can be loaded with the filling. They are then coated in eggs and breadcrumbs and fried in hot oil. This tasty dish is usually served as an appetizer, and it is especially popular during Ramadan. Although some like to drizzle a spicy tomato sauce over the potatoes before frying, they are much lighter and crispier when fried plain.

Mbatan batata

Mbatan kawali is a unique Libyan dish consisting of small fish fillets stuffed with a combination of potatoes, coriander, garlic, and hot peppers. The fish is then battered, breaded, and fried in hot oil. Mbatan kawali is traditionally served as an appetizer or as a side dish, and just like most Libyan seafood dishes, it is accompanied by a salad made with tomatoes, garlic, lemon juice, and cumin.

Mbatan kawali

Mechouia is a Tunisian salad made with grilled, coarsely chopped onions, peppers, tomatoes, and garlic, drizzled with olive oil and seasoned with caraway, salt, and black pepper. The salad is then typically garnished with hard-boiled eggs, olives, or tuna. The salad can be served on its own, but it is also often served on toasted bread or baguette slices. It is quite common to find it in Tunisia as a part of a mix of appetizers in traditional restaurants.

Mechouia Salad

Croatia

This Croatian specialty hailing from Međimurje emerged as a clever way to preserve meat. Top-quality pork cuts are first salted, then either cooked or baked, and lastly dunked in lard seasoned with bay leaves and peppercorns. Prepared in that way, the meat was traditionally preserved in a wooden firkin called tiblica, hence the name, though today enamel-coated metal barrels are often used instead. Meso 'z tiblice is typically enjoyed in thick slices, and it is traditionally served as a cold appetizer, sided with peppery lard spread over country-style sourdough bread.

Međimursko meso 'z tiblice

This sweet chilled soup made with sour cherries and sour cream is a traditional summertime dish. Also known as hideg meggyleves, meggykeszőce or cseresznyeleves, it is prepared throughout the country as soon as cherries come into season. Although one might be tempted to eat it as a dessert, in Hungary, this tart and creamy soup is generally served before the main course, as it makes for a refreshing alternative to the standard meat and starch fare.

Meggyleves

Italy

Melanzane in saor is a traditional dish originating from Veneto. The dish is made with a technique called in saor, where fish, seafood, or vegetables are marinated in a mixture of onions, pine nuts, raisins, olive oil, white wine, and vinegar. Although sardines are the most common choice for saor, in this case the technique is used on melanzane or eggplants. The eggplant slices are brushed with olive oil and cooked on each side until browned. They are then marinated in a mixture of onions, vinegar, pine nuts, raisins, and olive oil for at least 24 hours before serving. It's recommended to take melanzane in saor out of the fridge a few hours before serving so the dish can reach room temperature.

Melanzane in saor

Melintzanopita is a savory Greek pie that consists of a flavorful eggplant filling that is placed between two layers of phyllo dough. Common additions in the filling include feta and other types of cheese, and various herbs and spices. Melintzanopita can be enjoyed warm or well chilled, and it makes an excellent appetizer or a snack, but it can also be enjoyed as a light main course.

Melintzanopita

This classic Greek dip typically combines grilled eggplant, garlic, and olive oil into a creamy and flavorful dish that is mainly enjoyed as a part of meze&mdash;traditional meal service comprised of a selection of small dishes. Although simple, it is incredibly versatile and is often elevated with additional ingredients such as groundnuts, cheese, different vegetables, and a variety of fresh herbs and spices. It is typically garnished with parsley and a drizzle of olive oil, then paired with a crispy, rustic bread.

Melitzanosalata

This Turkish dish consists of oval-shaped patties made from a doughy mixture of boiled red lentils and bulgur. The k&ouml;fte mixture is seasoned with a pinch of salt and flavored with saut&eacute;ed onions, tomato paste, and a pinch of cumin. In the spicy version of this dish, chili flakes are typically added for heat. Fresh parsley, dill, and spring onions are added near the end of the cooking process for a refreshing flavor. Mercimek k&ouml;fte are very popular in Turkey, where they are usually served cold as appetizers at social gatherings. They are traditionally eaten with lettuce and a squeeze of lemon juice.

Mercimek köfte

Mere cu șuncă is a traditional dish originating from Muntenia (Wallachia). The dish is made with a combination of apples, diced gammon, onions, butter, cider, breadcrumbs, telemea cheese, rosemary, salt, and pepper. A lid is made on top of each apple before they're scored and the flesh is taken out. The apple flesh is mixed with the diced gammon, grated telemea, and diced onions. Each apple is then filled with the mixture, and the lids are placed back. The apples are placed into a baking tray, topped with breadcrumbs and a bit of butter, the cider and rosemary and placed in the in, and the dish is baked in the oven. Once done, mere cu șuncă is either served as an appetizer or as an accompaniment to braised cabbage.

Mere cu șuncă

Slovenia

This rustic Slovenian dish was traditionally prepared during pig, veal, or lamb slaughter. It usually combines cooked offal such as lungs and hearts with bread, spices, and eggs. The combination is mixed into a mash that is then shortly baked and should be served warm. Mežerli can be enjoyed as an appetizer or the main course when it is accompanied by bread, boiled potatoes, or potato salad. The dish is usually associated with the region of Koro&scaron;ka.

Mežerli

This traditional Thai and Lao appetizer consists of various ingredients that are served separately and are then wrapped in wild piper leaves, which are also known as chaphlu. Standard elements include ginger, bird&rsquo;s eye chili peppers, limes, roasted peanuts, shallots, toasted coconut, and tiny dried shrimps. They are all finely sliced and served on a large plate, allowing the guests to assemble their leaf-wrapped bites. The dish is traditionally served with a sweet and sour sauce that typically combines shrimp paste, sugar, tamarind, roasted coconuts, and peanuts. In Thailand, the dish is often sold as street food, usually neatly packed in bags.

Miang kham

United States

Michigan pasty is a traditional specialty of Upper Michigan. It contains a crust that is filled with ground beef, ground pork, rutabaga, onions, potatoes, and carrots. The filling is typically seasoned only with salt and pepper, while the crust is prepared with flour, salt, water, and shortening. These pasties are often served with dips &ndash; there is still an ongoing debate about what to dip the pasty in &ndash; either ketchup or gravy.

Michigan Pasty

Michoteta is a traditional salad originating from Egypt. It's usually made with a combination of chopped onions, diced cucumbers, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, black pepper, and salty cheese such as domiati or feta. The cheese is mixed with a tablespoon of water and crumbled with a fork, and it's then combined with the other ingredients. The salad is often served as an appetizer, but it also works great as an accompaniment to ful medames.

Michoteta

Midye tava is a delightfully good Turkish street food that is also served as an appetizer or a snack, consisting of fried mussels on a stick. Crispy and flavorful, the mussels are first battered, then deep-fried in a big metal cauldron. Hot oil is placed in the center of the cauldron, which has quite a wide rim in order for mussels stick to be arranged on it, as well as to drain all of the excess oil. The wide rim has another important function &ndash; it keeps the mussels warm, since the dish is usually sold by street vendors, especially in seaside neighborhoods scattered throughout Istanbul. When served, the mussels need only a dash of salt and a side of tangy tarator sauce for dipping.

Midye tava

Migas is a traditional, ancient dish in Spanish and Portuguese cuisine. At its base, it is made from softened bread cooked in fat. Its name, migas, is literally translated to crumbs, referring to its key ingredient - breadcrumbs. In Spain, the ingredients vary from region to region. Generally, the dish consists of water-soaked bread, garlic, paprika, and olive oil. Regional varieties include ingredients such as spinach, chorizo, and bacon. It is usually served as an appetizer before the main meal. In Portugal, migas is made with wheat or corn bread crumbs, garlic, and olive oil. Regional varieties of the dish include ingredients such as asparagus, tomatoes, coriander, kale, beans, or rice, and it is served as a side dish to numerous meat-based main dishes. Although migas is a highly caloric meal, it is often praised as great winter food that is extremely flavorful and easy to prepare.

Migas

Mike&scaron;ka pa&scaron;teta is a Croatian p&acirc;t&eacute; that is especially popular in the area of Virovitica. It is made with a combination of ground pork rinds, hard-boiled eggs, onions, mustard, sweet paprika powder, fennel or dill, salt, and pepper. In order to prepare it, pork rinds, onions, and eggs should be ground two times, then combined with other ingredients. Before serving, the p&acirc;t&eacute; is thoroughly mixed, then traditionally spread on a thick slice of bread, consumed as an appetizer or a snack.

Mikeška pašteta

Iran

Mirza Ghassemi is an eggplant specialty that hails from the Gilan province of Iran. The dish is prepared with eggplants that are first grilled or charred on an open flame before they are finely chopped and combined with tomatoes, garlic, and turmeric. Finally, eggs are added to blend all the ingredients. Mirza Ghassemi can be prepared in a pan, or as a casserole-dish. It was invented by Mohammad Ghasem Khan, who was once the head of the Gilan province and an Iranian ambassador in Russia. This simple but flavorful dish can be enjoyed as an appetizer when it is usually accompanied by flatbread or as a side dish with rice.

Mirza Ghassemi

Missoltini (also known as misultitt or missultin in local dialect) is a type of preserved shad prepared in the area of Lake Como, especially around Tremezzina. The shad is cleaned (insides are used for another local delicacy, culadur), placed in brine, then rinsed and hung to dry. After drying, the fish is flavored with mature bay leaves and pressed - the emerging oil must be regularly cleaned, otherwise the fish reabsorbs it and goes bad. The process of turning shad fish into missoltini is long and labor-intensive &ndash; although the fish is usually caught between May and June, missoltini are not ready to be consumed until October. Once prepared, missoltini are traditionally enjoyed drizzled with vinegar and oil, then served with a slice of polenta.

Missoltini

Mljevena jetrica is a Croatian dish that is traditionally prepared in the city of Virovitica. It consists of chicken liver, potatoes, eggs, semolina, baking powder, and garlic. Ground liver is mixed with eggs, grits, grated potatoes, baking powder, chopped garlic, and seasonings. The concoction is fried in pork fat, and the fritters are then served while still warm.