Appetizer

Pa&ccedil;anga b&ouml;reği is a Turkish b&ouml;rek variety that's especially popular in the region of Anatolia and in Istanbul, where it's regarded as a traditional Sephardic Jewish specialty of the city. It's made by stuffing yufka or phyllo pastry with pastirma (salted, aged, dried beef) and kasar cheese. Apart from the basic ingredients, some people also like to add peppers and tomatoes to the filling. The dough is rolled, cut into rectangles, then fried. This b&ouml;rek can also be baked, but frying is the traditional method. Pa&ccedil;anga b&ouml;reği is served hot and it's typically eaten as an appetizer.

Paçanga böreği

China

Pai gwut is a traditional dish that&rsquo;s usually served as a part of dim sum. It consists of steamed pork ribs. The pork rib tips are steamed with oil and while black beans. Typical ingredients include black bean sauce, cornstarch, ginger, garlic, rice wine, pepper, sugar, oil, and sesame oil. Once done, the ribs are traditionally served covered in rich sauce in small bamboo steamers. Pai gwut can also be served on its own as an appetizer, and it&rsquo;s then usually accompanied by rice and garnished with chopped scallions.

Pai gwut

Smacked cucumber is a traditional Asian dish that&rsquo;s especially popular in Tibet as a snack for picnicking. The dish is usually made with a combination of cucumbers, garlic, sesame oil, black vinegar, and soy sauce. The cucumber is peeled and smacked with a rolling pin so that it&rsquo;s bruised and starting to break apart. It&rsquo;s sliced into chunks and mixed with the rest of the ingredients. The ingredients are tossed well and then served on a large plate. The cucumber is smacked because it will absorb the flavors of garlic, oil, vinegar, and soy sauce even better and it will have a more intense flavor.

Pai huang gua

France

Paillassons de courgettes is a traditional pancake or fritter that's especially popular in the south of the country, especially in Languedoc. It's usually made with a combination of zucchini, onions, eggs, flour, oil, salt, and pepper. The zucchinis are grated, salted, drained, and rinsed, while the onions are saut&eacute;ed in oil until tender, and then mixed with the zucchinis. A mixture of eggs, flour, salt, and black pepper is whisked into a batter that's mixed with the onions and zucchinis, and it's then dropped by spoonfuls into a large pan with heated oil in it. The pancakes are flattened with a spoon and fried over medium heat on both sides until golden, but not brown. It's recommended to serve paillassons de courgettes with lamb cutlets or on their own a fresh green salad on the side.

Paillassons de courgettes

Pajeon is a variety of jeon (Korean pancakes), made with a batter of rice flour, eggs, and green onions (pa), the key ingredient in this dish, hence the name. It is a popular snack or an appetizer that is usually served with rice and a combination of soy sauce and vinegar, used as a dipping sauce. There are endless variations of the dish prepared by adding other ingredients to it, such as vegetables, kimchi, or seafood. The pancakes, which are easily recognizable by the green onions sticking out from all sides, can either be cooked as small discs or one large pancake that is then cut into individual portions. Crispy on the outside, and soft and slightly gummy on the inside, pajeon is a simple, filling meal with a unique combination of flavors.

Pajeon

Palenta s koprivom is a simple Croatian dish that can be served either as an appetizer or as a side dish. There are a few varieties of the dish throughout Croatia. When made in the Kvarner area, it usually consists only of polenta and nettle leaves. The polenta should be quite hard when cooked, and it is then cut in individual portions using a piece of string. When made in other regions of the country, it is often enriched with garlic, olive oil, cottage cheese, or cheese curd known as skuta. The dish can be served warm or cold, depending on personal preferences.

Palenta s koprivom

Palta reina is a delicious Chilean dish that consists of chicken salad on a halved avocado. The chicken topping for this simple appetizer is typically made with chicken breasts, mayonnaise, garlic, mustard, onions, fresh herbs, and cayenne pepper. There are many variations on this dish, so numerous other ingredients might be added to the combination, such as lemon juice, bell peppers, olives, or Tabasco sauce. It is recommended to serve palta reina well-chilled.

Palta reina

Pane e olio is an Italian phrase meaning bread and oil, referring to a simple yet classic Italian dish that highlights the quality of its basic ingredients: bread and olive oil. Traditional Italian bread such as ciabatta, focaccia, or a rustic country loaf is typically used, while extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) is the oil of choice due to its superior flavor and health benefits. High-quality, cold-pressed olive oil from regions like Tuscany or Puglia is ideal. The bread is usually sliced and may be served fresh or lightly toasted, with toasting enhancing its texture and providing a warm base for the olive oil. The olive oil is typically poured into a small dish or bowl for dipping, though some variations may include a drizzle of olive oil directly on the bread slices. The olive oil can be seasoned with a pinch of sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, or a dash of balsamic vinegar for added flavor, and some might add a sprinkle of dried or fresh herbs such as rosemary, thyme, or oregano. Rubbing a clove of garlic on the toasted bread before adding the olive oil can infuse the dish with a subtle garlic flavor, and additional toppings like sliced tomatoes, olives, or anchovies can be added for more complexity. Pane e olio is often served as an appetizer or a starter in Italian meals but can also be enjoyed as a light snack or part of an antipasto platter. This dish emphasizes the Italian culinary philosophy of using simple, high-quality ingredients to create delicious food and is a common practice in Italian households, showcasing the country's rich tradition of olive oil production and bread-making. But apart from Italy, the same dishes exist in other countries as well, such as Spain's pan con aceite, France's pain et huile d'olive, Lebanese khebez w zeit zaytoun, Turkish ekmek ve zeytinyağı, and many more.

Pan con aceite

Pan de yuca is a traditional bread consisting of cassava flour, eggs, and cheese. It is usually shaped into small, round balls. The bread is popular throughout Colombia and Ecuador, although there are variations on pan de yuca throughout Latin America. It makes for a delicious warm appetizer or an afternoon snack, preferably paired with a cup of hot chocolate, tea, or coffee.

Pan de yuca

India

Paneer Amritsari is a traditional dish originating from the Punjab region. The dish is usually made with a combination of paneer cheese, ginger-garlic paste, oil, garam masala, and a variety of other Indian spices such as ajwain seeds, coriander, red chili powder, turmeric, sugar, and salt. The cheese is cut into cubes and marinated in a mixture of ginger, garlic, turmeric, ajwain, garam masala, salt, and oil. The cubes are then fried or grilled until golden brown and crisp. The remaining ingredients are added in the end, and the combination is then mixed, garnished with coriander, and it&rsquo;s ready to be served while still hot.

Paneer Amritsari

This North Indian tikka variety consists of a combination of marinated paneer cheese and vegetables that are cooked in a tandoor - a traditional Indian oven. This vegetarian version of tikka is based on paneer, a crumbly cheese with a soft texture. Pieces of paneer, tomatoes, onions, and peppers are skewered, grilled, and then seasoned with lemon juice and chaat masala - a spicy powder. Sometimes the dish is served with various salads or mint chutney on the side. Variations on the dish include paneer tikka masala, which is served with spicy gravy, and paneer tikka rolls, which are wrapped in Indian bread.

Paneer tikka

Italy

This traditional Italian flatbread is prepared with a simple dough that combines flour, water, and salt. The dough is shaped into small discs that are then baked on small-sized terracotta plates, known as testi, over an open fire. Panigaccio flatbread hails from the Lunigiana area, namely the Podenzana municipality, and works well in both sweet and savory combinations. If enjoyed as an appetizer, it is usually served alongside cheese and cured meat products.

Panigaccio

Panissa is a traditional dish originating from Liguria. Although there is a dish with the same name in Piedmont, where it's a risotto with beans, the Ligurian panissa is a fried appetizer made with chickpea flour, water, salt, and oil for frying. A combination of chickpea flour, water, and salt is whisked, then poured into a rectangular pan and cooked until thick. The mixture is left to cool, and the blocks of the mixture are then fried in hot oil until golden brown. Once drained, panissa is sprinkled with salt and served immediately. It's recommended to serve this appetizer with a glass of sparkling wine.

Panissa (Liguria)

Beets are the main ingredient in this colorful Greek dish that comes in two different versions. Cooked beets are either coated in a yogurt-based dressing or simply seasoned with vinegar, while the whole dish can come in the form of a creamy, thick pur&eacute;e, or as a regular salad with diced beets. Pantzarosalata is traditionally served garnished with whole, halved, or crushed walnuts and is most commonly enjoyed as a meze dish.

Pantzarosalata

Peru

Originating from the Huancayo area of Peru, papa a la huanca&iacute;na a is an authentic and unique potato dish consisting of a spicy, creamy, and rich cheese sauce that is drizzled over boiled yellow or white potatoes. The sauce consists of aji amarillo chilis, oil, milk, cheese, salt, and crackers that act as a thickener. It can be served either cold or at room temperature, as a flavorful side dish or an appetizer. Traditionally, the dish is garnished with parsley, black olives, and sliced hard-boiled eggs. According to locals, the dish was invented in the late 1800s when a woman from Huancayo offered her dish to the workers that were constructing a railroad connecting Huancayo to Lima. The dish became a crowd favorite, and the rest is history.

Papa a la huancaína

Papadum is an Indian snack made with either gram, rice, or chickpea flour that is baked into a thin, crispy cracker bread. It can be consumed on its own, with pickles, or served with other dishes such as curries, when it's used as a utensil for scooping the dish up. Papadum can also be topped with chutneys or raita sauce and accompanied by hot tea. With its popularity, there are some variations on the dish, such as rice papadum which is boiled in water and dried in the sun, masala papadum with spices such as black pepper, chili, cumin, and garlic, or jackfruit papadum from Karnataka, which combines jackfruit with chickpea flour. Papadums are also quite popular in the United Kingdom and Australia, where the bread is served as an appetizer, and it's usually accompanied by mango chutney and lime pickle dips.

Papadam

Papaya with Port wine is an unusual Angolan appetizer that's also an interesting way of starting a meal, usually dinner. The dish consists of sliced papayas that are drizzled with lime juice and a few drops of Port wine. Since it is such an easy dish to prepare, some say that the hardest part of the process is properly cutting up the papaya fruit.

Papaya with Port Wine

Croatia

Pa&scaron;teta od čvaraka is a Croatian spread made with pork rinds as main ingredients. The spread is a specialty of Slavonija and Baranja region, but in recent years, it has started to appear on the menus of restaurants throughout the country. Although the recipe may vary from one cook to another, it is usually prepared with pork rinds, pickles, hard-boiled eggs, ground red paprika, salt, and pepper. The ingredients are blended, and the spread should then be chilled before consumption. Pa&scaron;teta od čvaraka is traditionally served as an appetizer with toasted garlic-rubbed bread. When eaten at home, it is often served with bread, bacon, and raw onions.

Pašteta od čvaraka

Pa&scaron;teta od fazana is a Croatian dish that is especially popular in the region of Slavonija and Baranja. This p&acirc;t&eacute; is made with pheasant as the key ingredient, and due to the fact that every household has their own recipe, other ingredients may vary, but may include celery, carrots, parsley, onions, bay leaves, pepper, garlic, eggs, butter, mayonnaise, mustard, and horseradish. The pheasant is cooked with the vegetables, and it is then ground and combined with other ingredients. The p&acirc;t&eacute; is then refrigerated until it sets, and it is recommended to serve it with crusty bread.

Pašteta od fazana

Pa&scaron;teta od kopuna is a traditional spread originating from the Zagorje region. The p&acirc;t&eacute; is usually made with a combination of rooster meat, sour cream, bread rolls, milk, eggs, sardine paste, pickles, mustard, salt, and pepper. The rooster is cooked, its bones are removed, and it's ground twice before it's mixed with the pickles, salt, pepper, mustard, sardine paste, sour cream, eggs, and bread rolls that have been soaked in milk. The mixture is cooked over steam for about half an hour, mixed well, chilled, and the spread is then ready to be enjoyed with slices of bread that are typically served on the side.