Nagerecht

Italy

Despite its name, this Sicilian treat is not technically a gelato and is better classified as a nougat. It is a sweet combination made with sugar, nuts, and candied fruit that typically comes in three colors&mdash;white, green, and pink&mdash;which supposedly depict the Italian flag. Sometimes, it also includes the fourth, brown-colored section. The base is made with sugar and ground almonds, and it is divided into three sections, which are then colored accordingly. Usually, the base will also incorporate nuts, typically pistachios or almonds, and different types of candied and dried fruit. The pliable base is arranged into molds, and when set, it is cut into smaller pieces. Gelato di campagna, which translates as countryside ice cream, is enjoyed throughout Sicily, and it is typically prepared for the Festino di Santa Rosalia. It is presumed that it has Arab origins.

Gelato di campagna

Gelo di melone is a traditional Sicilian dessert that most usually consists of watermelon juice, sugar, starch, candied fruit, nuts, and cinnamon. The result is a flavorful watermelon jelly pudding that is typically prepared for Ferragosto (15 August, a popular Italian holiday) and on 15 July in Palermo to honor the city's saint, Rosalia. Quite often, the dessert is decorated with chocolate chips which resemble (and represent) watermelon seeds. It is recommended to serve gelo di melone in cups, when fully chilled.

Gelo di melone

Belgium

Een typisch Oost-Vlaams dessert, mattentaart is een klein bladerdeegtaartje met een zachte, amandelachtige kaaswrongelvulling, mattenbrij genaamd. Deze heerlijke Vlaamse taarten worden traditioneel gemaakt in de stad Geraardsbergen en het naburige dorp Lierde, en hun productie is sterk afhankelijk van de zuivelproducten van de regio Geraardsbergen, aangezien echte mattentaarten alleen worden bereid met verse melk, boter en karnemelk van de lokale boerderijen. Hoewel de oorsprong van mattentaart terug te voeren is tot de middeleeuwen, werd het oudst bekende recept gevonden in Een Notabel Boecxken van Cokeryen, het eerste kookboek in het Nederlands, geschreven en gepubliceerd in 1514 door Thomas van Der Noot. Later werden de beroemde mattentaarten zelfs afgebeeld door de Vlaamse renaissanceschilder en prentkunstenaar Pieter Bruegel de Oude in zijn schilderij De boerenbruiloft uit 1567. Hoewel mattentaarten tegenwoordig in heel België en daarbuiten bekend zijn, werd deze taart in 2006 uitgeroepen tot door de Europese Unie beschermd streekproduct. Dat betekent dat ze enkel nog mattentaart mogen heten als ze in Geraardsbergen of Lierde worden geproduceerd.

Geraardsbergse mattentaart

United States

A local sweet treat originating from Philadelphia, german butter cake is a sweet and buttery cake that is crispy around the edges and on top, while at the same time oozing with a buttery filling inside. The cake crust is typically made with a dough consisting of yeast, milk, flour, butter, sugar, eggs, and salt. The dough is often flavored with vanilla extract, and once it has risen, it is usually stretched and pressed into a greased pan before being covered with a thick layer of a vanilla-flavored butter mixture. Often nicknamed Philadelphia butter cake, the cake is typically cut into slices and eaten with a cup of coffee on the side.

German Butter Cake

Despite its name, German chocolate cake is an American invention, a decadent dessert consisting of three interspersed layers of buttermilk sponge and chocolate, combined with desiccated coconut and peanuts. The cake is often garnished with even more desiccated coconut, pecans, or maraschino cherries, giving it a luxurious visual appearance. The name comes from Sam German, who invented a baking chocolate for Baker's chocolate company in 1852, and in return, the company named the cake in his honor. The cake became famous in 1957, when a Texas cook sent her recipe to a Dallas-based newspaper. As time went by, the possessive form was lost, creating the name German chocolate cake, which gives the wrongful impression of the cake's German origin until this day, although it is an American classic, celebrated every year on June 11, also known as the National German Chocolate Cake Day.

German Chocolate Cake

Gers ogaily is a Kuwaiti sponge cake that is typically baked in large bundt pans. It is prepared with a simple egg batter that is flavored with saffron, cardamom, and rose water. The cake is occasionally baked in smaller baking molds, creating a cupcake-like dessert, but both versions are usually coated in roasted sesame seeds. Optionally, the cake can be doused in a vibrant-yellow saffron sauce. It is recommended to serve gers ogaily with tea on the side.

Gers ogaily

Gesztenyep&uuml;r&eacute; is a sweet treat consisting of pur&eacute;ed, sweetened chestnuts topped with whipped cream. It is very popular in Hungary, but it was first discovered in an Italian cookbook from 1475. This dish is made by mixing chestnut pur&eacute;e, sugar, and rum together and then placing it in a ricer. Besides whipped cream, it can also be topped with cocoa powder and cherries. The original version was later adapted into a traditional, seasonal French dessert named Mont Blanc, while Hungarians introduced their variation in the 18th century.

Gesztenyepüré

Gesztenye szelet is a traditional cake originating from Hungary, where it's a coffeehouse staple. The cake is usually made with a combination of chestnut pur&eacute;e, eggs, sugar, vanilla extract, flour, salt, brandy, heavy cream, and dark chocolate. The eggs are mixed with sugar over a pot of simmering water until it's tripled in volume, light, and fluffy. Chestnut pur&eacute;e, vanilla, salt, and flour are folded in, and the batter is spread evenly in a greased baking pan. The cake is baked until golden, and then left to cool. It's brushed with a syrup consisting of water, sugar, and brandy. The cake is topped with a mixture of chestnut pur&eacute;e, sugar, vanilla, and heavy cream, while dark chocolate is grated over the top. Once chilled, the cake is cut into rectangles and it's ready to be enjoyed.

Gesztenye szelet

Indonesia

This versatile Indonesian dessert is made with boiled and mashed cassava. The cassava base is then sweetened and often enriched with coconut and natural or food colorings in order to create decorative sweets. The rustic version combines mashed cassava and dark palm sugar (gula melaka), which imparts the dish with a typical brown color. Modern varieties (getuk lindri) are often finely ground with the help of a meat processor. They are tinted with vibrant colors and shaped into visually appealing cakes that are then cut into smaller pieces. Besides cassava, getuk is also prepared with taro, bananas, or sweet potatoes. This typical street food is usually associated with Java.

Getuk

Gevulde koek is a popular Dutch cookie with a tender, crumbly texture and a buttery flavor. The name of this tasty treat means filled cookie, referring to the fact that it is filled with a sweet, moist almond paste. The cookies can be found throughout the country, from posh bakeries to small kiosks located at most Dutch train stations.

Gevulde koek

Ggul tteok are colorful Korean steamed rice cakes that are usually shaped into bite-sized balls. Translated as honey cakes, they are traditionally served drizzled with honey-infused syrup. Even though ggul tteok are often prepared plain, some varieties are filled with sesame and occasionally served dusted with roasted soybean powder. Available at many specialized shops, these chewy cakes are usually enjoyed as a dessert or a sweet snack.

Ggul tteok

Għadam tal-mejtin are traditional bone-shaped Maltese cookies. They consist of a shortcrust biscuit base and an almond filling. The cookies are traditionally prepared and enjoyed for All Souls day. The dough is usually made with a combination of flour, butter, sugar, egg yolks, lemon zest, and vanilla. The filling is made with a combination of ground almonds, icing sugar, and egg whites. Once filled, the cookies are baked in the oven until golden, then topped with icing consisting of icing sugar, water, and almond extract. If stored in a cool and dry place, these bone-shaped cookies can keep for up to a month.

Għadam tal-mejtin

India

This traditional Rajasthani sweet delicacy is made with a batter of flour, ghee, and cold water that is carefully poured into piping hot oil or ghee to fry, yielding a round, disc-shaped dessert with an intricate pattern. After it has been deep-fried to perfection, the dessert is either covered with or immersed into sugar syrup, and it's typically garnished with thickened milk (rabri), silver flakes, and chopped nuts such as almonds or pistachios on top. Often dubbed the honeycomb dessert due to its distinctive appearance, ghevar is usually flavored with saffron and cardamom powder, and it can also be made with khoa (dried evaporated milk solids) or malai (milk cream) instead of water. Once enjoyed only during the monsoon season, ghevar is nowadays available throughout the year, and it is a beloved festive dessert prepared for festivals such as Teej, Raksha Bandhan, Diwali, and Holi.

Ghevar

Ghoriba are traditional Middle Eastern cookies that come in a few varieties &ndash; some can be chewy, while others have a shortbread-like, crumbly texture. The cookies are traditionally shaped into balls or disks, and often have characteristical cracks across their surface. Ghoriba cookies usually consist of flour, sugar, butter, and almonds. It is recommended to serve them with a cup of tea or coffee on the side.

Ghoriba

This classic flavor combines hazelnuts and milk chocolate into a rich, smooth gelato. Though similar to the bacio flavor, gianduia is typically prepared with milk chocolate and does not incorporate crushed hazelnuts. It was modeled on gianduia, an iconic Italian cocoa, sugar, and hazelnut paste that was initially introduced in the 19th century. Similar to the gianduia confection, the gelato is also usually associated with Piedmont, a region famous for its hazelnuts, but it is commonly found in numerous gelaterias throughout the country.

Gianduia gelato

Piedmont's signature pralines are made with gianduia &mdash; a silky smooth cocoa, sugar, and hazelnut paste that owes its unmistakable flavor to roasted Piedmontese hazelnuts of the Tonda gentile variety. Even though some sources claim the blend was invented in the early 1800s, it wasn't until half a century later that gianduia was perfected by a Turinese chocolatier named Caffarel. According to one legend, the first gianduia pralines were introduced in 1865 during the Turin carnival. They were originally called giv&ugrave;, which means tidbits in local dialect, and supposedly gained the name gianduiotto after being handed out to the people in the streets by Caffarel himself, who was dressed as Giandujot, one of the most popular characters of the Italian commedia dell'arte.

Gianduiotto

Philippines

Ginanggang is a traditional dessert, snack, and street food originating from the island of Mindanao. It consists of skewered and grilled bananas that are brushed with margarine and sprinkled with sugar. The bananas used for ginanggang are of the sab&aacute; variety and they are usually grilled over charcoal. The slower it's grilled, the better it will be because the inside will cook slowly and it won't become mushy. This popular street food can be enjoyed at the Ginanggang Festival that's celebrated every second Sunday in May in the town of Tubod.

Ginanggang


Fagioli all’uccelletto is een hartverwarmend, diep traditioneel Toscaans gerecht dat de bescheiden, oprechte filosofie van 'cucina povera' (boerenkeuken) perfect belichaamt. Dit gerecht, afkomstig uit het vruchtbare platteland rond Florence en Pistoia, verandert eenvoudige cannellinibonen in een rijk, aromatisch meesterwerk dat generaties Italianen heeft getroost. De naam zelf is een merkwaardig taalkundig mysterie; 'all’uccelletto' vertaalt zich letterlijk als 'in de stijl van kleine vogeltjes'. Dit betekent niet dat het gerecht vlees bevat; het verwijst eerder naar de specifieke mix van aromaten die bij de bereiding worden gebruikt — voornamelijk salie en knoflook — dit waren namelijk precies dezelfde kruiden die traditioneel werden gebruikt bij het braden van klein wild boven een open vuur. De bonen worden gekookt 'alsof het kleine vogeltjes waren', wat ze een rustieke elegantie geeft die hun bescheiden oorsprong ver overstijgt.

De alchemie van Fagioli all’uccelletto begint bij de keuze van de bonen. Hoewel cannellinibonen uit blik van hoge kwaliteit in een mum van tijd kunnen worden gebruikt, zal elke Toscaanse purist erop staan om gedroogde bonen te gebruiken, die een nacht lang zijn geweekt en langzaam zijn gesudderd tot ze mals zijn maar nog steeds hun vorm behouden. De magie gebeurt in een pan met een dikke bodem, traditioneel een aardewerken pot, waar een gulle hoeveelheid hoogwaardige extra vierge olijfolie wordt verwarmd met hele, licht gekneusde knoflooktenen en veel verse, geurige salieblaadjes. Het aroma van salie die in olijfolie frituurt, is de ultieme geur van een Toscaanse keuken. Zodra de aromaten hun essentie hebben vrijgegeven, wordt een scheut rijke, geplette tomaten (pomodori pelati) toegevoegd, waardoor een dikke, hartige saus ontstaat die de bonen zal omhullen. De gesudderde bonen worden vervolgens aan de pan toegevoegd en het mengsel mag langzaam samen koken, waardoor de bonen de smaken van knoflook, salie en tomaat tot in hun romige kern kunnen absorberen. Een laatste seasoning met zeezout en veel versgemalen zwarte peper is essentieel om alle elementen in balans te brengen.

In de grootse traditie van de Toscaanse keuken is Fagioli all’uccelletto opmerkelijk veelzijdig. Het wordt het meest beroemd geserveerd als een 'contorno' (bijgerecht) naast een enorme Bistecca alla Fiorentina (Florentijnse steak) of gegrilde varkensworstjes (salsicce), waarbij de rijke, sappige textuur een perfect contrast vormt met het geroosterde, zoute vlees. Het is echter even bevredigend als hoofdgerecht, vooral wanneer het wordt geserveerd in een ondiepe kom met een dikke snee geroosterd, ongezouten Toscaans brood (pane toscano) om elke laatste druppel van de hartige tomaten- en saliesaus op te dippen. Het gerecht is een eerbetoon aan het idee dat een paar goed gekozen ingrediënten, behandeld met tijd en respect, een maaltijd kunnen creëren die zowel diep voedzaam als uitzonderlijk smaakvol is.

Wat betreft de drankencombinaties, vraagt Fagioli all’uccelletto om de rustieke charme van een rode wijn uit de eigen regio. Een klassieke Chianti Classico, met zijn heldere zuren en tonen van kers en kruiden, is de ideale metgezel, omdat het de rijkdom van de olijfolie snijdt en harmonieert met de aardse salie. Voor een meer informele combinatie zal een eenvoudige, jonge Sangiovese het werk perfect doen. Om dit gerecht in zijn meest authentieke habitat te ervaren, moet men een traditionele 'trattoria' in het centrum van Florence bezoeken, zoals 'Sostanza' of 'Mario', of een herberg op het platteland in de Mugello-vallei. Op deze plaatsen wordt het gerecht nog steeds bereid met de langzame, weloverwogen zorg die het verdient, vaak met bonen die in de nabijgelegen heuvels zijn geteeld. Het is een gerecht dat spreekt van het land, van de geschiedenis en van de blijvende schoonheid van eenvoudig, eerlijk eten.


Fagioli all’uccelletto

Traditionally associated with Sicily and Calabria, giurgiulena is a type of brittle nougat that combines honey, sugar, and sesame seeds. It is often enriched with almonds or candied orange peel, and is usually cut into diamond shapes. Along with many other Sicilian desserts, it is believed that giurgiulena originated during Arab rule, since its name stems from the Arabic gulgulān, meaning sesame. Usually decorated with colorful confetti, this Sicilian nougat is typically enjoyed during Christmastime.

Giurgiulena

Gizzada is a flavorful Jamaican dessert consisting of a pastry shell filled with a sweet, yet slightly spicy coconut filling. It is characterized by its pinched crust, giving the dessert its other name: pinch-me-round. Although gizzada is very popular throughout Jamaica, it is believed that this sweet treat has Portuguese or Jewish origins.