Recipe Bigoli with Duck Ragù

Something which is not yet entirely proven for serious students of linguistics, but is readily apparent to Italophile Austrian gastronomes: the similarity, which is not just a linguistic one, between Austrian dumplings (“Nockerln”) and Italian gnocchi (pronounced: gnoki). In both countries, these small doughy treats are readily given a spicy twist. You would look for these semolina dumplings, the “Grieß-Gnocchi”, in the soup-bowls on the far side of the Brenner Pass, whereas in the world of Austrian soups you will come across them fairly frequently.

The traditional Slovak dishes are most commonly referred to as gnocchi with sheep cheese (Bryndzové halušky), sheep cheese (Bryndzové pirohy) and other dishes produced using traditional methods.The sheep cheese is a soft salty cheese made of sheep’s milk with a strong aroma and taste. Like Bryndzové halušky, Bryndzové pirohy is a characteristic Slovak dish that belongs to traditional Slovak specialties. The recipe is quite simple. The preparation procedure, however, is quite different and we can distinguish them reliably by sight and taste.

The cuisine of northern Slovakia is influenced by the harsh climatic conditions of the area, where it is usually intensively cold at least three months per year. This is one of the reasons why smoked meat, potatoes, sauerkraut, dairy products and pulses are typical for this cuisine. In Slovakia, the pulses belong to the oldest cultivated crops. The most famous dish, still popular of the Slovak kitchen, is the bean soup, which used to be part of the Christmas Eve dinner for many families.

Halloumi, the traditional white cheese of Cyprus, has been produced on the island for centuries. A semi-hard cheese prepared from sheep milk with the addition of mint, halloumi cheese has a pleasant flavour and is delicious when grilled or fried. As a starter, grilled halloumi is superb!