Cooking Recipes and Gastronomical Information

German Cooking Recipes
Germany gets its fair share of cold weather, and their meaty, hearty stews that come packed with flavor can attest to it. Often overlooked by flash in the pans like Italy and France, Germany has some of the world’s most delicious cuisine. Here are a few classic recipes to bring a bit of Germany into your life, no matter where you are.

Baeckoefe
This rich stew is meaty, deliciously seasoned, is typical German fare. Note that it requires a little bit of planning. Use a large casserole dish—with this baeckoefe recipe you can feed six to eight people.

Ingredients:
· .5kg beef stew meat
· .5kg cubed pork
· .5kg cubed lamb shoulder
· 1.5kg potatoes, cut into ¼” rounds
· 1 chopped onion
· 4 finely chopped garlic gloves
· 4 chopped leeks
· Bay leaves
· Thyme
· 2 cups white wine
· Flour
· Water
· Salt and pepper

Directions:
The night before you plan to serve the dish, prepare an overnight marinade. Add onion, leeks, garlic and white wine. Add thyme and bay leaves to taste.
The next day, pour the juices into a bowl and put them aside in the refrigerator. Grease the casserole dish and pour in half the potatoes, smoothing them along the bottom. Add the contents of the marinade, blanketing the meat and vegetables with the potatoes.
Pour over the wine and marinade juices and add water up to the top layer of the stew.
Make a simple dough by mixing flour and water with a little bit of salt. The dough should be sticky and pliable. Place the lid on the casserole dish and ring the lid with the dough, taking care to form a tight seal.
Preheat the oven to 135-150°C and cook for three to three and a half hours. Serve hot from the oven.

Gröstel
Considerably simpler than the Baeckoefe the Gröstel is a no less hearty dish. It can be quickly prepared for lunch, or alongside a vegetable dish for dinner. This recipe serves four, but can be easily adjusted to serve more—or as a quick meal for one.

Ingredients: 
· 5 medium-sized diced potatoes
· 4 eggs
· 3 large slices Italian ham sliced into strips
· 1 chopped yellow onion
· 1 lb fusilli pasta
· 4–5 tablespoons butter
· Salt and pepper

Directions:
Put the potatoes on to boil, adding a little bit of salt. Use four tablespoons of butter to fry the onions.
Add the ham and the boiled potatoes to the onions, adding the fifth tablespoon of butter if necessary.
Fry the four eggs while boiling the fusilli.
Drain the fusilli and add it to the fry. Cook at reduced heat for a few minutes. Stir gently, and add salt and pepper to taste.
Add a fried egg to each serving.