National German dishes are very popular in Europe. As for our country, the majority of culinary specialists prefer to cook traditional Russian dinners. Although some housewives still try to diversify their menu and make German dishes. About what ingredients they include in their composition, as well as what features they have, we will tell in the presented article.
General information about German cuisine
German cuisine is an ancient cuisine. It originates from the time of Roman rule. It was then that in the territory of modern Germany the ancient Germans lived.
German dishes can be different, as well as have their own characteristics. As a rule, it depends on a particular region of the country where they are used. There is no unity in German cuisine. An abundance of unusual dishes can boast of the southern regions of Swabia and Bavaria.
Meat and sausages
It is no secret to anyone that sausages, as well as sausages in general, are one of the most beloved dishes in all regions of Germany.
As for meat, almost all German dishes without fail include pork and beef. According to statistics, the average German eats about 84 kg of meat per year.
Germany is the main producer in Europe for the production of various varieties of sausages. It is believed that in this state more than 1,500 types of sausages are made.
Favorite vegetables in Germany
Along with meat, almost all German dishes contain a large number of vegetables. They are used both as a side dish and as part of thick mashed soups.
The following vegetables are most widely used in this country : spinach, carrots, beans, peas, and also various varieties of cabbage. It should also be noted that German dishes quite often include tomatoes, lettuce and cucumbers. By the way, most meat dishes in Germany are served with fried onions. Also, it is often consumed both in marinated and fresh form.
Traditional German dishes are very similar to the national dishes of Russia. History has contributed to this. For example, after World War II, sauerkraut became very popular in Germany. Today, the Germans consider it their national dish. By the way, in English there is even the word Sauerkraut borrowed from German. In the literal sense, it means "sour cabbage." Because of their excessive love for this product, the inhabitants of Germany have received such a humorous nickname as Krauts.
Bread Products
Few people know, but in Germany about 350-650 different kinds of bread are produced. White bread made from wheat flour, as well as gray bread, black, rye, etc., are very popular among Germans.
Most types of bread products in Germany are made from rye and wheat flour. By the way, it was from here that the German name went as Mischbrot, that is, “mixed” bread.
It should also be noted that pumpkin or sunflower seeds are sometimes added to the dough.
German hot dishes do not eat without bread. After all, it is an essential part of the family table. They also eat bread for breakfast, as well as hearty sandwiches in the evening.
The importance of this product in German cuisine is evidenced by terms such as Abendbrot (dinner), literally meaning “evening bread”, as well as Brotzeit (afternoon snack or lunch), which translates as “bread time”.
Drinks in Germany
Now you know which ingredients may include German national dishes. However, speaking of Germany, one cannot but recall such a frothy drink as beer. As you know, it is very popular not only among Germans, but also around the world.
In most regions of Germany, Pilsner is the favorite beer. Although it should be noted that residents of the southern part of the country (especially Bavarians) quite often drink other varieties of the drink (for example, wheat beer or lager).
Some regions of Germany also produce their own beers (local). For example, in the lower reaches of the Rhine, in the city of Cologne, they make “Kölsch” and the dark “Altbir”.
One cannot fail to say that since 1990 in the united state such a sort of foamy drink as Schwarzbir has also become widespread. Schnapps and cocktails made on the basis of beer (for example, beer with lemonade) are also very popular in Germany.
The most popular German dishes: recipes
As in our country, in Germany it is customary to have breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner. Snacks between main meals are also possible.
In this article, we decided to tell you about what the Germans prefer to use in the morning, afternoon and evening. In addition, we will tell you exactly how German national dishes are prepared and what you need to purchase for this.
Tasty breakfast - apple fritters in a pan
German dishes, whose names are practically no different from Russian, are prepared quickly and easily. If at breakfast you want to nourish your family heartily, we suggest making apple pancakes. For this we need:
- light sugar - 2 dessert spoons;
- white flour - 300 g;
- medium-sized eggs - 4 pcs.;
- vanilla extract - a small spoon;
- sea salt - a pinch;
- gin (optional) - a large spoon;
- whole milk - a full glass;
- vegetable oil (use without aroma) - a large spoon;
- sweet red apples - 3 pcs.
The process of making pancakes
To prepare a German breakfast, eggs, salt, vanilla extract and sugar are mixed in one container and beat with a mixer. Light flour, whole milk, gin and vegetable oil are added there. All ingredients are mixed well.
As for apples, they are washed, peeled and cut into circles.
After the described actions, a thick-walled pan is put on medium heat and a little oil is added. Then, in turn, take pieces of fruit and dip them in batter. In this form, apples are placed in a pan and pour a large spoonful of the base. Products are fried until golden brown. After both sides of the pancakes are lightly browned, they are laid out on a dry towel to remove excess oil.
Breakfast is served warmly at the table. Pre-sprinkle pancakes with cinnamon and sugar, and also decorate with cream and mint.
Hearty Lunch - Guttenberg Garnish with German Sausages
German dishes, the recipes of which few housewives know, quite often include various vegetables. For example, a traditional German side dish Guttenberg cannot be realized without a product such as cabbage. Typically, this dish is served for lunch along with classic sausages. But first things first.
So, to prepare the Guttenberg side dish, we need:
- sauerkraut - 500 g;
- onion - large head;
- potato - 1 tuber;
- garlic cloves - 2 pcs.;
- black peas - 7 pcs.;
- Lavrushka - a large leaf;
- vegetable oil - 3 large spoons;
- boiled water - 2/3 cup.
Cooking Method
To prepare the dish in question, all vegetables are thoroughly washed and peeled. Then they are medium-sized cut and proceed to heat treatment. To do this, take a deep stew-pan, heat vegetable oil in it and fry the half rings of onion. After that, sauerkraut, whole cloves of garlic, peppers, salt and bay leaf are added to the dishes . All ingredients are thoroughly mixed and stewed in their own juice for ¼ hour.
At the end, drinking water, potato slices are added to the dish and the heat treatment is continued for about another half hour.
After the Guttenberg side dish is ready, he is immediately presented to the table. To do this, stewed cabbage is placed on a plate, and a pair of German sausages and a slice of bread are placed nearby.
Nutritious afternoon snack - beef with egg
As mentioned above, the inhabitants of Germany cannot imagine their life without a good piece of meat. Beef with an egg is a very satisfying and tasty dish, which is most often served with an afternoon snack. To cook it, we need:
- fat-free beef - about 600 g;
- bulb - a large head;
- ready-made wet mustard - about 30 g;
- butter - about 70-100 g;
- large eggs - 4 pcs.;
- vegetable oil - use at discretion;
- spices - apply to your taste.
Ingredient Processing
Dishes of German cuisine, recipes with photos of which we are considering, are very satisfying and high-calorie. Before you cook them on the stove, you should process all the components.
They thoroughly wash the beef and then grind it in a meat grinder along with a large onion. After that, moist mustard, pepper and salt are added to the minced meat. All ingredients are thoroughly mixed and then picked up and form flat and round cutlets.
Heat treatment of cutlets and eggs
After making a few beef cutlets, they are dipped in a grill pan with vegetable oil and fried over medium heat.
After all the products are ready, they are taken out and laid out on a separate plate. As for the frying pan, butter is melted in it and the fried eggs are alternately fried.
Serve for an afternoon snack
The finished dish is served on the table on a flat plate. First a beef patty is placed on it, and then cover it with a fried egg. Fresh vegetables and herbs are nearby.
Fragrant dinner - dumplings in German
German dumplings can be done in different ways. We decided to present the most popular recipe. To implement it, we need:
- low-fat pork - 500 g;
- large onion - 2 pcs.;
- juicy carrot - 1 pc.;
- potatoes - 500 g;
- soft fresh tomatoes - 2 pcs.;
- small egg - 1 pc.;
- cold water - 100 ml;
- fat sour cream - 150 g;
- light flour - approximately 250 g;
- vegetable oil - 2 large spoons;
- spices and herbs - optional.
How to cook a dish?
To prepare the dish in question, lean pork is thoroughly washed, dried and cut into small pieces. Then the meat is put in a stewpan, vegetable oil is added and fried until golden brown. Also chopped finely chopped onions with carrots separately.
As for fresh tomatoes, they are stripped of their peels, chopped and spread to vegetables. All ingredients are stewed for about 5 minutes, and then added to the meat. Products salt, pepper and spread favorite spices. They also pour in some water and extinguish over medium heat for about ¼ hour.
In the meantime, peel the potatoes and cut them into medium pieces. Tubers are added to the meat and boiled until tender. After that, they begin to sculpt dumplings. To do this, beat the egg with a fork, combine with salt, pour water and gradually pour the flour.
Kneading a steep dough, roll it out with a thin layer, and then grease it with thick sour cream. The dairy product is evenly distributed over the entire surface of the base and rolled into a dense roll. The resulting product is cut into pieces with a thickness of 3 centimeters.
All dumplings are dipped in the prepared meat broth with potatoes and boiled over medium heat for about 10 minutes. At the end, chopped greens are added to the dish, removed from the stove, distributed on plates and served to the table.
Making a delicious German dessert
The sweet German dish "Strudli" is known to many residents of our country. To prepare such a dessert on our own, we will need the following components:
- puff-free yeast dough - about 500 g;
- frozen or fresh cherry - 1 cup;
- seedless raisins dark - 3 large spoons;
- breadcrumbs - 2 large spoons;
- egg yolk - from the 1st large egg;
- vanilla sugar - apply to taste;
- walnuts (chopped and roasted) - 50 g;
- butter - not less than 100 g.
Make dessert
In order not to waste time in vain, puff pastry can be purchased at the store, and not knead on their own. It is also necessary to prepare the berries. Cherry is better to use fresh. But if you decided to make such a dessert in winter, then you can use frozen berries.
After the main ingredients are prepared, you should start rolling out the dough. It is taken out of the freezer in advance and completely thawed. Then the base is sprinkled with flour and a thin rectangular layer is made of it. To make the German strudel as tender and tasty as possible, it is recommended to roll out the dough only along one side. So its many layers will be preserved in its entirety, which will make the dessert lush and soft.
After the dough layer is rolled out, it is liberally greased with melted butter, and then sprinkled with raisins, chopped and fried walnuts. Also, berries are evenly laid on top of the base, which are flavored with vanilla sugar. At the end, the dough is wrapped with a tube, and then smeared with beaten egg yolk.
In this form, the semi-finished product is placed in the oven, where it is baked for about half an hour at a temperature of 200 degrees.
After the German strudel is ready, it is carefully removed and cooled. Cutting a puff dessert into portioned pieces, it is flavored with icing sugar and presented to the table with a cup of hot tea.