Is spaghetti really Italian? And what about Swedish Köttbullar?
Pasta comes from Italy and those meatballs come from Sweden… right? Nothing could be further from the truth. These iconic products actually come from a completely different country.
Spaghetti
It sounds incredibly Italian, but the origins of spaghetti really do lie elsewhere. There is a theory that spaghetti comes from China, where people have always eaten egg noodles. Yet more people support the theory that the Arabs brought their pasta to Sicily during the occupation. In the mood for something delicious? Then try these creamy garlic prawns with spaghetti or how about this ridiculously delicious spaghetti carbonara by Robert Kranenborg.
Tempura
Tempura is the frying of vegetables or fish in tempura batter. So it is the name of both a dish and a cooking method. We all associate those deep-fried tempura prawns with Japan, but their origins lie with the Portuguese, who introduced the dish to Japan in the sixteenth century. Are you, like us, crazy about drinks and snacks? But would you like something other than cubes of cheese and slices of sausage to go with them? Then we have the ultimate bite for your next-level snack board: cauliflower tempura with anchovy mayonnaise. Or make this tempura of Pádron peppers with pecans by chef London Loy!
Swedish meatballs
Köttbullar is Sweden’s best-known dish, but the original recipe for the famous meatballs comes from Turkey. The Swedish version is based on a recipe that King Charles XII brought back from Turkey at the beginning of the 18th century. Ready to get started? Here’s how to make Köttbullar (Ikea meatballs) with cream sauce.
Hamburger
The hamburger is known as an American food and was invented in Hamburg, right? Nope. Around 1600, Tatar (Russian) horsemen tied pieces of beef between their saddles and their horses so that the meat would be tender by the end of the journey. They then ate it raw. The gentlemen of Hamburg were not fans of this ‘raw’ tartare and decided to cook it. And that is how the hamburger came about. Here’s how to make the very best hamburgers in 5 steps, according to Jord Althuizen. Because if anyone knows how to grill a killer burger, it’s Jord!
Cheesecake
It sounds English, but it is actually Greek. The first recipe dates back to 230 AD and is recorded as the oldest Greek recipe, made with flour, meal, honey and cheese. It was used as fuel for Olympic athletes. The Romans eventually spread cheesecake throughout Western Europe. In our opinion, this is the ultimate recipe for New York cheesecake. Would you like to try something different? Then make this Japanese cheesecake with 12 million online fans. Prefer something ‘light’? This Baileys white chocolate cheesecake is made in the Airfryer and tastes heavenly!
Potatoes
Potatoes are our national product. Say Dutch people and you say potato eaters. But strangely enough, these tubers are not Dutch at all. Explorers brought them by boat from South America to Europe. And fantastic little flavour bombs made from oven-baked potatoes? Make them with this secret ingredient for ultimate umami potatoes…
Croissant
The croissant was introduced around 1839 by Austrian businessman August Zang when he opened a Viennese bakery in Paris. Mr Zang came up with a variation on the traditional kipferl, made from a type of puff pastry. Because of its shape, the Parisians named it after the crescent moon and called it a croissant. And then there is also the Sfogliatella: the Italian answer to the croissant. Or how about the Kouign-amann: the croissant’s chubby little brother.
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