As spring semester rolls around, we know our future students are getting excited to travel abroad. While we can see the light at the end of the tunnel, we’re all still spending more time social distancing and at home. To help make your long days at home more enjoyable, we searched the internet to find you the best recipes that will inspire you for your trip abroad! Read below to learn more about popular dishes from each program location and to see how you can make it at home.
Greece
A popular dish on our Greece program is tzatziki. Tzatziki is a popular dip used on gyros, for pita and vegetables or even served with just meat. It’s light, refreshing and super easy to make. All you need is a few ingredients and you will be transported to the beaches of Santorini with this recipe!
Ingredients:
2 cups grated cucumber
1 ½ cups of plain Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons of chopped fresh mint and/or dill
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 medium clove of minced garlic
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
Instructions:
First, you want to squeeze out any excess water from your cucumber. Take a handful and gently squeeze the grated cucumber over the sink and place the rest of the cucumber in a bowl.
Next, add your yogurt, olive oil, herbs lemon juice, salt and garlic to the bowl and combine all of the ingredients.
Lastly, let the mixture sit for about 5 minutes, ensuring that the flavors meld together.
Serve immediately or let chill.
Rome
For our next stop on the eating around the world tour, we’re going to Rome. Rome is the unofficial carb capital of the world so what better to make than pasta! There’s no denying that you can find pasta in almost every restaurant while in Rome, and we’re not complaining. This pasta recipe is easier than you may think, and you only need two ingredients.
Ingredients:
3 cups All-Purpose Flour
4 large eggs
Instructions:
First, dump the flour onto the counter into a dome shape. You want to create a well, or indent at the top of the dome. This flour mound with the indent on top will look similar to a volcano.
Next, you want to crack your eggs into the well. Using your hands, you want to mix together the flour and eggs, pulling bits of flour from the outside into the middle.
Keep working the mixture into a dough. This kneading should take just a few minutes. If the dough feels a little dry, you can splash some water on top of the dough ball.
Wrap your completed dough ball in clear wrap and set in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. This gives the gluten time to relax and for the flour to absorb.
Once your dough ball is chilled, take it out and cut into four sections. Lightly flour the surface of the counter and roll your sectioned out pasta with a rolling pin.
Once your pasta is rolled thin, cut into any shape you like. Fresh pasta takes only around 2 minutes to cook so toss into boiling water and enjoy!
Costa Rica
Up next we have Costa Rica. Our students on the Costa Rica program rave about the fresh produce and classic dishes in this country. One of the top favorites is Costa Rican Gallo Pinto, which is just beans and rice. This dish has been important in Latin American culture for centuries, and we found a recipe that will show you how to make it at home.
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons of light-tasting oil (vegetable, mild olive, canola)
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 small yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups of cooked black beans, in ¾ cup reserved cooking liquid
¼ cup Salsa Lizano
3 cups cooked rice, preferably day-old and refrigerated
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions:
Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Sauté chopped bell pepper and onion until peppers are soft and onions are translucent, about 6-8 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for about a minute.
Next, add black beans, reserved cooking liquid and Salsa Lizano, stirring to combine. Simmer for 5 minutes until slightly thickened and a little liquid has evaporated.
Gently stir in cooked rice and cook until heated through and most of the liquid is absorbed. This should take around 3-5 minutes. Stir in chopped cilantro and add additional Salsa Lizano if needed. Serve and enjoy!
Cape Town
Cape Town is home to a wide variety of foods. With influences from all over, Cape Town is a melting pot of cultures and cuisine. One of our favorite dishes on this program is Samosas. Samosas are an Indian deep-fried appetizer with endless options of fillings. For this recipe, we’re showing you a simple way to make samosas with a potato filling.
Ingredients:
½ pound of peeled potatoes
2 tablespoons of oil
¼ small onion, diced
¼ cup of smashed green peas
1 tablespoon of curry powder
½ teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon sugar
1 egg white
Spring roll wrappers, cut into 3 equal-sized rectangular pieces
Oil for deep-frying
Salt for taste
Instructions:
Boil the potatoes for 10 minutes or until completely cooked through. Once cooled, take off the skin and mash the potatoes.
Heat up the skillet and add oil. Sauté the onions until aromatic before adding the potatoes, green peas, curry powder, chili powder, sugar and salt. Cook for a few minutes then remove from the skillet and let cool.
Scoop 1 heaping teaspoon of the filling at the top center part of the spring roll wrapper. Brush the outer edges with egg white and fold and form the samosa into a triangle. Pinch the edges and all corners to make sure they are sealed tight.
Continue until all filling is used up. Deep fry the samosa at 350 degrees Fahrenheit until golden brown. Remove from oil and lay on to paper towels. Serve warm and enjoy!
Barcelona
Last on our food tour is Barcelona. Barcelona is known for having a rich culture as well as some amazing food. While dishes range from tapas to paella, we believe that the Spanish Tortilla is a classic and perfect for your at-home date night. Now, this isn’t your typical tortilla. This is actually a dish that is comprised of layered potatoes and onion that can be eaten at any time of the day and we’re going to show you the recipe here!
Ingredients:
1 ¼ pounds of medium sized potatoes
1 medium onion
1 cup olive oil
6 extra-large or jumbo eggs
Salt and pepper
Instructions:
Peel and thinly slice potatoes and onions; it’s easiest to use a mandolin. Meanwhile, heat oil in an 8- or 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. To test the oil’s temperature, drop in a piece of potato, when tiny bubbles appear around its edges, it’s ready.
Next you want to add the rest of your potatoes and onion into the skillet. Add a pinch of salt and some pepper. Gently stir mixture to ensure oil reaches all of the potatoes and stir every few minutes.
As the potatoes and onions cook, in a separate bowl beat the eggs and add salt and pepper.
Once the potatoes are done, drain them in a colander, reserving the oil. In your newly empty skillet, heat two more tablespoons of oil. In your bowl of eggs, add the cooked potatoes and mix, then add to the skillet.
As soon as the edges firm up, about a minute or two, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 5 minutes.
Finally, insert a rubber spatula to the sides of the pan, gently removing the tortilla from the pan. The top will still be runny so slide it out of the skillet onto a plate. Them you will want to flip the tortilla over, getting the runny part face down in the skillet.
Cook for another 5 minutes then transfer to a plate. Serve warm and enjoy!
Looking for more?
Here at LeadAbroad, we’re all foodies, which is why we have an Instagram Highlight dedicated to recipes! We hope these recipes get you excited and inspired for your time abroad. If you want to see even more recipes, check out the Instagram Highlight.