"The olive tree (Olea europaea), a traditional Mediterranean tree crop, bears olives as its fruit. The plant family, which includes lilacs, jasmine, and forsythia, is named for the tree and its fruit. It was one of the first trees to be planted, and by ancient times, it had spread throughout much of Europe." The olives are picked from trees all around the Mediterranean area, thus different places produce different varietals with different flavours. Purchasing pre-bottled oil instead of making their own at home or pressing it at a local mill is becoming more popular (which is still very popular). If you have your own olive grove, you may make your own oil by pressing the olives between two large stones or even using an old press! Some claim that this results in a better-tasting product... Couscous, a staple of the Mediterranean diet, is available in both the Middle East and North Africa. Couscous is a kind of flour that originated in Morocco. It is made by soaking semolina flour in boiling water, allowing it to cool, and then steaming it over stew or vegetables. Couscous may be eaten alone or with meat, fish, chicken, lamb, or even all four! If you've ever eaten Moroccan food, you've almost certainly had saffron-seasoned couscous on your plate. The use of saffron gives this dish its distinct flavour and golden colour; it is further enhanced by the addition of scallions (also known as green onions), lemon juice, or olive oil.
Spanish cuisine is a mash-up of home and foreign influences. Because of its proximity to the Mediterranean Sea, the country has a wide variety of seafood dishes, and its proximity to France and Portugal has influenced its use of red wine and garlic. Arabic, North African, and Mediterranean cuisines have all influenced Spanish cuisine. Because Spain was historically ruled by Muslims, additional Middle Eastern culinary influences emerged. With Spanish cuisine, fresh products are often cooked in olive oil instead of butter or lard (although this varies by region). Tortilla espanola (a potato omelette), jamon serrano (dry-cured ham), pan con tomate (tomato-rubbed bread), churros (fried dough sticks) dipped in hot chocolate for breakfast on weekends, gazpacho soup, tapas (small portions of food served as appetisers at bars or restaurants), and many other dishes are popular.
Tabbouleh is a Levantine salad made with finely diced tomatoes, cucumber, mint, parsley, onion, and olive oil. Lemon juice is often poured on top to improve the flavour. The green plant known as parsley grows in the Mediterranean region. Its leaves are smaller and more delicate than those of most other herbs since it is a member of the carrot family. Parsley has a variety of nutritional benefits, including being high in vitamins A and C, iron, calcium, magnesium, and potassium; improving digestion due to its high fibre content; lowering blood pressure; cleansing the kidneys by removing toxins from them; and stimulating bile secretion, which aids in the prevention of gallstones. You may consume parsley both raw and cooked, but be sure to remove the stems first (they are not edible). In stews, salads, and on top of soups, the freshness of parsley mixes nicely with other components such as tomatoes or lemon juice (like our recipe for Greek Soup). Broad beans, also known as faba beans, are a kind of legume that is often used in Mediterranean cookery. They are popular in many Mediterranean countries and have long been a mainstay of the cuisine. They are not only inexpensive and easy to grow, but they are also nutritious. High quantities of protein, dietary fibre, and B vitamins like folate and riboflavin are all present in faba beans (vitamin B9) (vitamin B9). They may be used in both soups and salads thanks of their versatility; when cooked into falafel, they give an excellent vegetarian protein source! The fiery chilli paste known as harissa is made from red chilies, garlic, and other spices. It is often served as a condiment with Mediterranean dishes like as couscous, grilled meats, and shellfish. It is of Tunisian origin. In addition, harissa can be used to make couscous, yoghurt, sauces, barbecue sauces, and meat glazes. Harissa can be made at home by roasting dried chilies and then grinding them with garlic, cumin, coriander seed, caraway, and olive oil. However, because to anomalies in heat transfer during the roasting of the components, this method may create inconsistently high-quality harissa.
Bulgur is made from parboiled, dried, and crushed wheat. Bulgur can be used as a side dish or in salads, pilafs, and soups. Although bulgur is supposed to have originated in the Mediterranean region, it has now spread all over the world. Bulgur is also often used in Middle Eastern cuisine; it is a component in the salad tabbouleh and the soup kibbeh nayyeh (made with lamb). Neapolitan cuisine refers to the cuisine of Naples, Italy. Its history dates back over 2,000 years. The ingredients and habits brought to southern Italy by the Greeks and Romans during their conquest form the cornerstone of Neapolitan cuisine. It was subsequently used as a template for various other Mediterranean recipes. Neapolitan cuisine is now one of the most popular types of Italian cuisine. Pizza, pasta, fish and seafood dishes such as swordfish or calamari, and other meals are only a few examples of Neapolitan cuisine (squid). The popular Middle Eastern dish baba ghanoush is made with eggplant, garlic, and tahini. It's often served with pita bread or pita chips as an appetiser or side dish, but it also works well as a main course. Baba ghanoush is smooth and creamy, but not as filling as hummus (another popular dip). Serve it warm or cold to suit your tastes! Spanish paella is a rice dish that is frequently accompanied by chicken, fish, or rabbit. It is commonly enjoyed on special occasions and offered in a huge pan. The name "paella" comes from the Latin word for pan (patella). Koshary, also known as kushari, is made with rice, macaroni, lentils, and fried onions. Its roots may be traced back to Egypt, where it is venerated as the national dish. Tomato sauce is commonly poured over koshary.
This Egyptian delicacy has been around since the 19th century, when it was first mentioned in Al-Ahram, an Egyptian newspaper. The dish was created by street sellers who needed cheap lunches to sell to working-class folks on their way to work or school every day. Koshary became so popular because it allowed customers to enjoy this comfort food without exceeding their budget! Italy's cuisine is popular all around the world. In Italian cuisine, popular components include pizza, spaghetti, risotto, lasagna, bread, custard desserts, and lentil soup. Meat, such as chicken or beef, and vegetables, such as tomatoes and peppers, dominate Italian cuisine. Sauces from Italy, such as alfredo sauce and tomato sauce, can be used on a variety of dishes, including pizza and pasta. Squid belongs to the cephalopod class, which also includes octopus and cuttlefish. Squid is a popular ingredient in world cuisine, notably in Mediterranean countries such as Greece and Italy. Squid is often eaten whole, although it may also be chopped into rings, strips, or filleted. Squid is not only delicious, but it is also an excellent source of protein, with one dish (100 g) containing approximately 19 g. Despite the fact that this quantity appears small in comparison to other foods, the high levels of vitamin B12 compensate for it (which helps with brain function). Squid could be right up your alley the next time you want to try something new from your favourite Mediterranean restaurant or market—or even if you want to cook your own dish at home! Making sausages is a craft as well as an age-old art. It is a science as well as an art. You are simply not permitted to call your sausage "art," as doing so would be dishonest. This is just a taste of the delicious cuisine available in Mediterranean countries. There's something for everyone here, including spaghetti and falafel. While many dishes may seem to be similar to those from other parts of the world, they often have their own special twist or flavour profile that sets them apart from the competition. If you want to learn more about Mediterranean food or seek travel inspiration before visiting one of these countries, visit our blog area.
Mediterranean food is a collection of culinary traditions that originated in the Mediterranean Basin, characterized by its diverse dishes and ingredients. The countries surrounding the Mediterranean Sea are thought to be responsible for some of the most important developments in history, including those in architecture, mathematics, philosophy and theology. Borek is a Turkish dish of filo pastry stuffed with cheese or minced meat. The word Borek is derived from the Turkish word börek, which means "folded". The most common form of borek in Turkey is külbura (cheese borek), made by wrapping a triangular piece of dough around soft white cheese, then frying it in hot oil. Falafel is a deep-fried ball or patty made from ground chickpeas (garbanzo beans), fava beans, or both. It's usually served in a pita sandwich with vegetables, pickles, and tahini sauce. It's also commonly served as part of mezze—an assortment of appetizers popular in the Middle East. It's vegetarian and vegan. Falafel is one of those foods that can be traced back centuries in different cultures across the Mediterranean region; it seemed to have originated somewhere between Egypt and Greece sometime during the 18th century BCE (Before Common Era). Most people don't realize that falafel has been around for so long because it didn't become popularized until after World War II when Jewish immigrants from Arab nations brought their culinary traditions with them to Israel. Ful medames is a popular dish in Egypt and the Middle East. It's made with cooked fava beans, which are then mashed and seasoned to taste. It's also the national dish of Egypt! Ful medames is often served as breakfast or brunch food, but it can also be eaten any time of day. Some people like to eat ful with pita bread, while others prefer it on its own or with other foods like hummus or falafel. You'll find ful medames at many Egyptian restaurants all over the world—even in New York City! A traditional Greek dish, moussaka is a casserole made with layers of thinly sliced eggplant and tomato, topped with a béchamel sauce and baked. Moussaka is usually served as part of a meze (appetizer assortment) or as an entree with salad or roasted potatoes. Bouillabaisse is a traditional fish stew from Provence, in the south of France. It's made with a variety of different types of seafood—usually red rascasse (lionfish), John Dory, sea bass, monkfish, and mussels—and served with rouille (a garlic-spice mayonnaise-based sauce) on top.
It was originally made by fishermen who caught whatever they could find and boiled it up to feed their families. Nowadays bouillabaisse can be found in restaurants around the world; however its main ingredients are still dictated by tradition: tomatoes can't be used because tomatoes weren't introduced to Provence until after the 17th century when Spain invaded France! Hummus is a popular dip or spread made from cooked, mashed chickpeas blended with tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, garlic and sometimes other ingredients. It originated in the Eastern Mediterranean region and is popular across the Middle East. Egyptian cuisine is known for its salads and flatbreads like falafel. Ful medames, a fava bean dish similar to hummus, is another popular Egyptian meal. Moussaka is a Greek dish that originated in Egypt and was later brought to Greece by the Ottomans; it contains eggplant, ground beef or lamb, and béchamel sauce. Bouillabaisse hails from France but originated in Marseille, which was once part of the Ottoman Empire; it's made with fish stock flavored with saffron that can be served over rice or couscous. Chorizo is a type of pork sausage originating from Spain. It can be eaten fresh or cured and smoked, and it's often used in Mediterranean food recipes like paella and Spanish tortilla. The word chorizo comes from the Spanish verb choricear, which means “to chop into small cubes” or “to cut up finely” (Choricero was also the name given to butchers who worked with pig meat). Chorizo is sometimes confused with salami because they're both cured meats commonly found in Mediterranean cuisine. Salami has a smoother texture than an uncooked chorizo, though; it's made with ground beef rather than pork, so it contains more fat and sodium than its country cousin. Tahini is a paste made from ground sesame seeds. It’s a staple of Middle Eastern cuisine, and it’s used in many dishes that are popular in Mediterranean food. Tahini is often used as an ingredient in hummus, but it can also be served on its own as part of a meze (a collection of small dishes). For example: Falafel sandwiches usually include falafel balls that are deep-fried and then served with tahini sauce. The Ottoman Empire was the most powerful state of its day and during its peak controlled a large portion of Southeastern Europe, Western Asia and North Africa. Being a multicultural empire, it had many cuisines circulating in its lands, which were influenced by the many cultures that came together to form it. There are several main categories of Ottoman cuisine, including Balkan (eastern Mediterranean), Anatolian (western Mediterranean), Arab-influenced, Persian-influenced, Greek-influenced and Armenian-influenced dishes.
Pasta is a type of staple food made from an unleavened dough of flour and water. It originated in Italy, and is eaten throughout the world. There are many types of pasta, including spaghetti, macaroni, penne, tortellini, ravioli, fettuccine and lasagne.
Falafels are meat or vegetable balls of deep-fried chickpeas that are served with pita bread and tahini sauce. They are often served in Middle Eastern cuisine.
Harissa is a hot or spicy sauce typically made from chili peppers, garlic, olive oil, and spices. Harissa can be used as a condiment or as an ingredient in a marinade, but can also be mixed with yogurt to make a sauce for meat or vegetables.