Five European Dishes You Need to Know | Part 2

What’s your favorite European dish? Italian pizza or fish & chips from Britain? Or would you prefer mussels with fries, goulash or ratatouille? Many European dishes are world-famous. We show you five European classics that you absolutely must try. We looked at what makes them so special and what you need to consider when preparing them. Join us to make pizza in Naples, cook goulash in Budapest and prepare moules frites in Brussels. In Torquay, England, we serve deep-fried fish with chips and in Nice, ratatouille is on the menu.

Chapters

0:00 Intro
0:17 Italian Pizza
1:44 Hungarian Goulash
3:00 Belgian Moules Frites
4:11 English Fish&Chips
5:06 French Ratatouille

CREDITS:
Report: Christian Weibezahn
Edit: Andreas Ogrzewalla
Supervising Editors: Ruben Kalus

#food #delicious #europe

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DW Food brings you the perfect blend of culinary trends, easy DIY recipes, exciting food secrets & a look behind the scenes of Europe’s culinary culture.

Many European dishes are world-famous, but what makes them so special? And how are they prepared? We reveal the secrets behind 5  European classics that you absolutely must try. We start with a stroll through the lanes of Naples, in southern Italy,   where a true classic was born.  

I’m the biggest fan of Margherita. It’s the best pizza I’ve had. For a Margherita, a thin yeast crust is topped with: Red, green and white, just like the Italian flag. A pro tip: Then it’s into the oven for a maximum of 60-90  seconds at between 440 and 470 degrees Celsius.

Pizza was born in Naples. And though many toppings are possible, there are limits. But the pizza baker’s attitude  is the most important ingredient. Now it’s on to Budapest, Hungary, and their national specialty. People normally, international people, are  expecting to get a stew when they order

A goulash at a restaurant. But here in Hungary, if you’re eating a goulash or if you order it   from a restaurant menu, you would probably get a soup, a goulash soup, which is more liquid. Beef cheek is the best meat for a perfect goulash.  

Add fresh root vegetables, garlic and onions. And of course typical Hungarian paprika. In general we cut nice cubes and we  cook them together with the onion base.   It’s very important to sweat the onion very nicely. So it takes half an hour. A tip: After adding the paprika powder to the onions,

Take the pan off the heat and stir. Otherwise it quickly burns and becomes bitter.   After the meat has stewed for 2 hours, add the  root vegetables and continue cooking. Finally, pour water over everything and the goulash soup is ready. Next stop: Belgium. Here the culinary star is moules frites,  

A pot of steamed mussels served with fries. Et voilà: moules à la marinière. We start with freshly scrubbed mussels, along with butter, salt and pepper, celery and onions. Allow about 800 grams of mussels per person. Turn them after half the steaming time so they cook evenly.

In Belgium, the fries are  usually fried twice in beef fat. The best mussels are available from October to January. Mussels were once considered a simple meal for the masses, but over the years they have become a coveted and expensive delicacy. Fries are also an integral part of  this British classic: Fish and chips.

People love it. It’s just a good combination. This street food is best made from cod fillets. The batter is prepared with carbonated  water, making it fluffier. Fried fish was brought to Britain  by Jewish immigrants in the 16th century. The first fish and chip  shops appeared around 1860.

Nobody knows when the connection with fries came about. In any case, both are fried. In England, fish and chips is  eaten with salt and vinegar. I think fish and chips has got  a strong future. As a dish,   it’s always going to be around. Never get sick of it. Still love my fish and chips.

After so much fried food, we end on a healthier note. We’re in France for a dish which even gave its name to a movie: Ratatouille. My favorite thing about ratatouille is that it can  be served with almost anything. It can be vegan,   vegetarian or it can be served with meat.

Eggplant, peppers, zucchini, tomatoes,  red onion and garlic are the ingredients. Making ratatouille requires diligence.  First wash and cut up the vegetables evenly,   so each individual flavor comes out in the dish. The eggplant comes last, because it turns brown quickly when it’s cut and exposed to air.

Purists season and fry each vegetable separately in hot olive oil. Add tomato sauce to finish. Ratatouille is served hot  or cold to accompany fish or meat. Or on a baguette topped with goat cheese. Are there any other European  dishes that you especially like?