Pastry

Hortopita, from the Greek words horta, meaning wild greens (also a general term for greens in Greek), and pita, which means pie, is a traditional savory pastry that&rsquo;s filled with a variety of wild or cultivated greens. The pastry is typically made with phyllo dough, while apart from the greens, the filling usually contains aromatic herbs, crumbled cheese (such as feta cheese), and sometimes eggs. These pastries can be made with any combination of greens and herbs; therefore, there&rsquo;s no set recipe for hortopita. The size of the pastries can range from small and hand-held to large and round, depending on where they&rsquo;ve been prepared: on the islands or the mainland. Some of the most common greens and herbs used for hortopites include spring onions, dandelion, fennel, mint, garlic leaves, various chicory plants, and amaranth.

Hortopita

China

Ham and egg bun is a Hong Kong-style rolled pastry. It consists of dough that's filled with a slice of ham and eggs, then rolled before baking. The dough is usually prepared with a combination of flour, sugar, eggs, milk, yeast, salt, and cream. Before baking, the buns are sometimes brushed with sugar water to give them a nice glaze. They can be found in many Hong Kongese bakeries and in Chinatown bakeries overseas.

Huo tui ji dan boo

Jalousies are simple sweet pastries originating from France. They consist of bands of puff pastry filled with either jam or apple pur&eacute;e. They can be large or small. Jalousies are slashed in order to resemble a window shutter or horizontal blinds (also jalousie in French). Once baked, the pastries are left to cool down to room temperature, and they're then served, sometimes with a scoop of ice cream for the best experience. Nowadays, jalousies are also filled with non-traditional ingredients such as other types of fruit, walnuts, almonds, or mascarpone, and there are even some savory versions filled with potatoes, onions, bacon, and cheese.

Jalousies

Although pies filled with meat are popular in many countries throughout the world as a great way to turn cheap cuts of meat into savory bites and making sure that no food goes to waste, Jamaican meat patties are enhanced with unique African and Indian touches. Derived from English favorites - meat pies, and Spanish pasteles, they are universally loved in Jamaica as a simple street food that can also be served as a main course. Jamaican patties are flat, baked in a half-moon shape, and coated with turmeric on the exterior, while on the interior there is a fragrant, aromatic filling usually consisting of finely ground beef meat, breadcrumbs, and a selected variety of spices such as thyme, onions, garlic, Scotch bonnet chilis, and a zesty curry powder. Even though beef is the local favorite, fish, vegetables, callaloo, or goat meat all stand as worthy substitutes. Rarely, on special, festive occasions there are also sweet patties &ndash; filled with meat, apples, and cinnamon - a unique blend of flavors. Whether savory or sweet, the patties are also great when reheated the next day, and they can even be fried, crackling and oily.

Jamaican Patty

Translated as Christmas tart, the Finnish joulutorttu is a traditional, crispy pastry that is usually consumed during the Christmas period. It is prepared with thin puff pastry sheets filled with plum jam, with each corner wrapped to resemble a star or a pinwheel. Baked until golden brown in color, this festive pastry is usually served dusted with powdered sugar. Apart from Finland, it is also popular in some parts of Sweden, where it is also enjoyed as a traditional Christmas treat.

Joulutorttu

Kaak warka are traditional Tunisian pastries shaped into rings, making them visually similar to donuts. They're filled with marzipan that's flavored with rosewater. This sweet pastry is made with a combination of flour, butter, water, almonds, sugar, and rosewater. The dough is baked in the oven at low heat so that kaak warka doesn't change its color. Once baked, the sweet pastry is cooled, and it's recommended to serve it with a cup of coffee on the side. Kaak warka is usually prepared for all types of important celebrations.

Kaak warka

Kandil simidi is a variety of Turkish simit pastry. It is traditionally prepared and consumed only during the Kandil religious holiday. The dough is made with butter, oil, yogurt, eggs, flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Once it has been shaped into rings, the dough is coated in sesame seeds, then baked until golden brown. Over the course of five holy nights, kandil simidi is baked in many Turkish households and bakeries, and it is traditionally offered to friends and relatives.

Kandil simidi

The cinnamon roll or kanelbulle is a famous Swedish pastry made with yeasted, butter-rich, sweetened, and cardamom-flavored dough and has a cinnamon, butter, and sugar filling. Traditionally, kanelbulle will also have pearl sugar on top, although some variants can have either cardamom sugar or slivered almonds instead. Cinnamon rolls are typically associated with fika, a well-established Swedish coffee-and-cake form of socializing. Although the origin of these tasty swirls is still subject to considerable debate, the pastry has its own day in Sweden &ndash; October 4th, known as Cinnamon Roll Day.

Kanelbulle

Kardemommeboller are traditional Swedish cardamom buns. This sweet knotted pastry is usually made with a combination of milk, butter, yeast, sugar, flour, crushed cardamom seeds, and salt. The milk is scalded and mixed with butter until everything is melted. The combination is mixed with the sugar, salt, cardamom, yeast, and flour in order to make a stiff dough. The dough is left to rise and it's then rolled and folded over into knots. They're baked for a few minutes, then brushed with butter while still hot. These cardamom buns are typically served on Santa Lucia day and Christmas, but they can also be enjoyed a few days later.

Kardemommeboller

Finland

Karjalanpiirakka is a traditional pasty consisting of various fillings wrapped in a thin rye crust. It is traditionally formed into an oval shape, and the top is always left open to showcase the creamy filling that is nowadays mainly prepared with rice or barley porridge and mashed potatoes. When baked, each piece is brushed with melted butter and usually enjoyed as a hearty breakfast or lunch. Traditionally, Karelian pasty is served topped with munavoi&mdash;a creamy butter and egg spread.

Karjalanpiirakka

Germany

Kartoffelh&ouml;rnchen are traditional German crescent-shaped pastries originating from Thuringia. They're usually made with a combination of starchy potatoes, butter, egg yolks, cornstarch, nutmeg, and salt. The potatoes are boiled, drained, mashed, and mixed with butter, egg yolks, nutmeg, cornstarch, and salt. The mixture is shaped into crescents, brushed with the remaining egg yolks, and then baked in an oven until golden brown and puffy. These potato crescents are usually enjoyed with a cup of coffee on the side.

Kartoffelhörnchen

Lithuania

These traditional Lithuanian pastries are made with a dough that is enriched with butter, eggs, and either kefir or sour cream. The dough is hand-rolled, and it is traditionally filled with minced mutton that is flavored with onions and various herbs. It is then firmly pinch-sealed into crescent-shaped pockets. Kibinai are particularly popular with the Karaim ethnic minority in Lithuania, and they're primarily associated with the city of Trakai.

Kibinai

Australia

Kitchener bun is a traditional dessert originating from the southern parts of the country. This sweet pastry dates back to 1915 and consists of a yeasted dough bun (fried or baked, similar to a donut) that's split and filled with cream and either strawberry or raspberry jam. The finishing touch is a dusting of powdered sugar on top. Kitchener bun is often seen on picnics or camping and hiking trips. The sweet bun was named after Lord Kitchener, the British Field Marshal famous for his victories in Africa and Australia.

Kitchener Bun

Kol b&ouml;reği is a Turkish b&ouml;rek variety made with puff pastry that is shaped into a spiral. The pastry is filled with a variety of ingredients such as cheese, spinach, potatoes, or ground meat with pine nuts and currants. The name of the dish means arm b&ouml;rek, referring to the long, arm-like visual appearance of the pastry. After it has been baked at low temperature, kol b&ouml;reği is typically cut into smaller pieces.

Kol böreği

Kollpite or kullpite is a traditional pastry consisting of flour, warm water, and salt. The dough is rolled out or stretched into very thin dough sheets, which are then stacked on top of each other and drizzled with oil or melted butter in between each layer and on top. Variations of this pastry also use yeast and sugar for the dough, and the pastry is baked until nicely colored and crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Although it&rsquo;s commonly filled with crumbled cheese, kollpite is often left plain, with nothing but oil or melted butter in between the layers. This baked pastry is typically enjoyed with a glass of plain yogurt on the side. Some versions of kollpite resemble a snail-shaped pastry roll or burek, and these are usually filled with either sweet or savory fillings such as fried sour cabbage, mashed pumpkin, spinach, cheese and eggs, apples and walnuts, or minced meat and onions.

Kollpite

Koulourakia is a Greek pastry that is traditionally prepared during the Easter festivities and consumed after the Holy Saturday. It is based on vanilla, butter, and sugar, and are traditionally braided, although they may be shaped into numerous other forms. Typically, koulourakia pastry is served with coffee or tea as a dessert or a snack. Sometimes, before baking, sesame seeds are coarsely sprinkled over the pastries, while a clove is placed in the middle in order to add more flavor. Interestingly, the Minoans sometimes shape the pastry into snakes, since they believe that those animals have healing powers.

Koulourakia

Georgia

Kubdari is a popular Georgian pastry that is traditionally filled with beef, pork, or a combination of the two, along with spices such as cumin, dill, coriander, blue fenugreek, red pepper, onions, garlic, and salt. The dough consists of flour, water, yeast, sugar, salt, and eggs. Interestingly, the meat used in this savory pie should be cut, not minced, while the salt should be local and aromatized with special herbs. It is recommended to glaze kubdari with butter and serve it hot.

Kubdari

Kulcha shor are traditional savory snacks originating from Afghanistan. The snacks are popular at Eid festivities and they're usually made with a combination of flour, salt, margarine, eggs, milk, and nigella seeds. The flour is mixed with salt and margarine into a crumbly mixture that resembles breadcrumbs. Eggs and water are added to make the dough, which is kneaded, left to rest, and then divided into small smooth balls. A small knife is ran around the edges of the balls to create a nest-like shape, and an indentation is made in the centre of each ball. The top is brushed with milk and the indentation in the centre is filled with nigella seeds before kulcha shor is baked until light golden. Before serving, the snacks are left to cool completely.

Kulcha shor

Kungullur is the classic Albanian rendition of a pumpkin pie. It is made with layers of phyllo pastry that are stuffed with mashed pumpkin, butter, salt, and sugar. The pie is baked in the oven until the top is golden brown, and it is then dusted with powdered sugar for extra sweetness. This Albanian treat is typically enjoyed with a glass of hot or cold milk after the main course.

Kungullur

Kupusnjača is a savory pastry (pita) made with thin phyllo dough filled with shredded cabbage. The phyllo sheets are made with wheat flour, salt, and water dough, rolled and thinly stretched until almost see-through. The cabbage is shredded, salted, and left to rest to release as much water as possible. Once the water is released, the cabbage is squeezed and rolled into the phyllo pastry. Depending on the recipe, the filling can also include cheese, sour cream, or black pepper. Once baked, kupusnjača is usually poured over with a mixture of boiling water, butter, and salt and then left to rest so it can soften.