Main dishes
Chakhchoukha (Algerian Torn Flatbread with Lamb and Chickpea Sauce)
Chakhchoukha layers torn pieces of flatbread with a slow-simmered lamb and chickpea sauce, a dish reserved for special occasions in eastern Algeria. It's rustic,...
Desserts
Fritule (Croatian Rum and Citrus Doughnuts)
Fritule are small, pillowy Dalmatian doughnuts studded with raisins and lemon zest, traditionally fried around the holidays. They're gone in a few bites and...
Rožata (Dubrovnik Rosewater Custard)
Rožata is Dubrovnik’s answer to crème caramel, a silky egg custard perfumed with rosewater and a splash of rose liqueur. It’s the dessert that...
Ballokume (Albanian Corn Flour Butter Cookies)
Ballokume are a traditional Albanian cookie from Elbasan, made with cornmeal and butter and traditionally baked for Dita e Verës, the spring festival. They...
Breakfast
Ojja bel Merguez (Tunisian Eggs with Merguez and Peppers)
Ojja is Tunisia's answer to shakshuka — merguez sausage and peppers simmered in a spicy tomato sauce, then eggs cracked in to poach right...
Sabich (Israeli Eggplant and Egg Pita Sandwich)
Sabich is an Israeli sandwich rooted in Iraqi-Jewish tradition, layering fried eggplant, hard-boiled eggs, and tangy amba pickle into warm pita. It began as...
Hobz Biz-Zejt (Maltese Bread with Tomato, Olive Oil and Capers)
Hobz Biz-Zejt is the Maltese answer to bruschetta — crusty bread rubbed with ripe tomato and olive oil, then piled with a simple tuna...
Eggah (Egyptian Herb and Vegetable Frittata)
Eggah is Egypt's answer to the frittata, a thick baked egg dish loaded with fresh herbs and vegetables and sliced into wedges like a...
Boyoz (Turkish-Sephardic Flaky Pastry)
Boyoz is a laminated, tahini-enriched pastry from Izmir with Sephardic Jewish roots, sold from street carts and eaten with a hard-boiled egg and a...
Salads
Semizotu Salatası (Turkish Purslane and Yogurt Salad)
Semizotu salatası pairs peppery purslane with garlicky strained yogurt, a cooling summer salad found on tables across Turkey. It's simple enough for a weeknight...
Balila (Lebanese Warm Chickpea Salad)
Balila is a warm Lebanese chickpea salad seasoned simply with cumin, lemon, and olive oil, sold from street carts across Beirut as an easy,...
Sallatë Fshatare (Albanian Village Salad)
Sallatë fshatare is the Albanian farmhouse salad found on nearly every table in summer: ripe tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, and a soft brined cheese called...
Salata Mechouia (Tunisian Grilled Pepper and Tomato Salad)
Mechouia means "grilled" in Tunisian Arabic, and this smoky salad of charred peppers, tomatoes, and garlic is one of the country's most beloved starters....
Salata od Hobotnice (Dalmatian Octopus Salad)
This chilled octopus salad is a staple along Croatia's Dalmatian coast, dressed simply with olive oil, lemon, and parsley so the sweet, tender octopus...
Ntakos (Cretan Barley Rusk Salad)
Ntakos, sometimes called koukouvagia, is a Cretan salad built on twice-baked barley rusks that soften under a topping of ripe tomato, tangy mizithra or...
Soups
Molokhia (Egyptian Jute Mallow Soup)
Molokhia is one of Egypt's most iconic comfort foods, a deep-green, garlicky soup made from finely chopped jute mallow leaves. It's traditionally ladled over...
Sopa de Ajo (Castilian Garlic and Bread Soup)
Sopa de ajo is a humble Castilian soup built from stale bread, garlic, and smoked paprika, finished with a poached egg for a warming,...
Aljotta (Maltese Garlic Fish Soup)
Aljotta is Malta’s classic fisherman’s soup, built on a garlicky tomato broth with fresh fish, marjoram, and a squeeze of lemon. It began as...
Sharba Libiya (Libyan Ramadan Soup)
Sharba Libiya is a spiced lamb and chickpea soup thickened with orzo, traditionally the first bite eaten to break the fast during Ramadan. Turmeric,...
Ezogelin Çorbası (Turkish Red Lentil and Bulgur Soup)
Ezogelin is a hearty Turkish soup of red lentils, bulgur, and rice simmered with cumin and paprika-infused butter. Named after a legendary bride, it's...
Saltah (Yemeni Fenugreek and Meat Stew)
Saltah is often called Yemen's national dish — a bubbling meat and vegetable stew topped with a frothy fenugreek foam called hilbeh and a...
Vegetarian
Sauces
Bread
Kesra (Algerian Semolina Skillet Bread)
Kesra is a dense, slightly sweet semolina flatbread cooked in a skillet rather than baked, a staple on Algerian tables for scooping up stews....
Batbout (Moroccan Stovetop Flatbread)
Batbout are soft, pillowy Moroccan flatbreads cooked entirely on the stovetop, no oven required. They puff up like pita and are perfect for scooping...
Fougasse aux Olives (Provencal Olive Bread)
Fougasse is Provence's answer to focaccia — a lacy, leaf-shaped flatbread studded with olives and perfumed with herbes de Provence. The dramatic slashes aren't...
Kubaneh (Yemeni Pull-Apart Shabbat Bread)
Kubaneh is a rich, pull-apart bread that Yemeni Jewish families traditionally bake low and slow overnight so it is ready warm for Shabbat morning....
Ftira (Maltese Ring Bread)
Ftira is Malta's answer to the perfect sandwich bread: a ring-shaped, crackly-crusted loaf with a soft, open crumb, traditionally split and filled with tuna,...
Drinks
Karkade (Egyptian Hibiscus Tea)
Karkade is Egypt's beloved cold hibiscus tea, tart and deep ruby red, often served at weddings and celebrations. It steeps in minutes and only...