Swiss and German recipes

The three cuisines have a lot in common as far as general ingredients, preparation, likes, and habits are concerned, but they distinguish themselves also considerably in many other respects. Each country has pronounced regional cuisines, due to the influences of neighboring cultures. In Germany you would find French and Dutch influences to the west, Scandinavian to the north, and Eastern European influences in the Eastern parts. Austria shares borders with the Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, Liechtenstein, and Switzerland and this latter one again has many culinary commonalities with Italy and France besides the obvious similarities with Germany and Austria. Try out some of the following recipes and check out the links to find out more about what the German-speakers like to have on their plate!

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On German culture you'll find many recipes and also the following remark: "Who cares if German Chocolate Cake (GCC) is not at all German? :) It originally comes from Dallas, Texas, and its name comes from the sweet chocolate baking bar, close in character to milk chocolate, developed for Baker's Chocolate Co. in 1852 by Sam German. Here are several versions of baking this tasty cake."

Typical of Baden-Baden and the Baden-Württemberg state in southwestern Germany, Schupfnudeln is a kind of Spätzle (homemade pasta) that gets its name from the Upper German word 'Schupfen,' meaning 'to shove, push, throw or chuck.' They are traditionally handmade by rolling out potato dough on a board and cutting the dough into noodles. Simple and easy to make, they are delicious and go well with almost anything: roast pork, racks of lamb, bits of bacon, sauerkraut, and any cabbage dishes. Original recipe yield: 6 servings.

INGREDIENTS:

DIRECTIONS:

Maultaschen (Swabian Pockets)

It has been said that 'Maultaschen' were originally invented in order to allow Swabians to keep eating meat during Lent by concealing it beneath the pasta shell and amidst the spinach filling from the eye of the parish priest (if not the omniscient Deity Himself). The following recipe is typical but far from definitive, especially where the ingredients for the filling are concerned. Feel free to use whatever you have on hand or whatever your fancy (or your conscience) dictates.

DOUGH:
2 3/4	cups flour
4	eggs
	salt
FILLING:
1	tablespoon butter
6	slices bacon, cut into cubes
3	onions, med -- diced
1/4	lb sausage, Italian sweet
1	hard roll, without crust
1/2	lb spinach, cooked
1/2	lb meat, ground
1	cup Farmer's sausage, diced
3	eggs
3	tablespoons parsley, fresh -- chopped
	salt
	black pepper and nutmeg
1	egg
3	tablespoons milk, canned stock

4 servings

Combine the flour, eggs, and salt in a bowl and mix to make a pasta dough.
Then add a little water and knead until it has a firm but elastic consistency.
To make the filling, melt the butter in a skillet and fry the bacon with the onions until both are quite translucent. Combine the bacon mixture with the sausage meat. Moisten the hard roll in water, press dry, and put through the meat grinder (better than the food mill or food processor), along with the bacon mixture, cooked spinach, ground meat or smoked farm sausage, leftover roast, etc. Then fold in the eggs, parsley, and seasonings; mix together.
The filling should be very spicy indeed.
On a board that has been sprinkled with flour, roll out the dough into rectangular sheets (about twice as wide as you want your 'Maultaschen' to be). Take a tablespoon measure and put little dabs of filling at equally spaced 3-inch intervals all down the middle of one side of the sheet of dough.
Mix together the egg and canned milk and apply it to the spaces in between, the outer edge and the fold line. Fold the plain half of the sheet of dough over to cover the filling, press down firmly on the spaces around the little packets of filling, and use a pastry wheel or knife to separate the packets into 3-inch square or diamond- shaped 'Maultaschen'.
The process is similar to making ravioli.
Cook thoroughly in beef stock or boiling salted water for about 10 to 15 minutes, depending upon the size of the 'Maultaschen'.
They'll bob up to the surface when they're done; remove them with a slotted spoon and allow to drain.
Serving suggestions: Cut an onion or two into half-rings, fry in butter until golden brown and empty the contents of the skillet over the 'Maultaschen' on the serving dish.
Serve with slippery potato salad or a mixed green salad.

Read this story about how to eat this culinary marvel; below you'll find an excerpt.

"The ingredients would seem fairly obvious, though: very finely ground veal, some pork fat, possibly egg whites, perhaps cream, but certainly mild onions, and the crucial spice mixture of parsley, lemon peel, and mace. Stuffed in fine translucent natural casings, Weißwurst is steamed, left to cool, and then very gently reheated in water that must be kept well below the boiling point. The result is a truly delectable marvel of a sausage: completely white with an occasional speck of parsley shimmering through its skin, it is mild but subtle in taste, with a delicately soft and almost fluffy consistency. It is eaten with freshly baked Brezen, sweet coarsely ground mustard and washed down with one of the sweeter types of beers—my choice would be an unfiltered Weißbier, preferably Schneider's own cloudy and very yeasty brew, but some people swear on dark lager or bock. As far as I remember, Sid might go for the latter.

But eating Weißwürste is not a matter to be taken lightly. Their consumption is surrounded if not by ritual and taboo, so at least by very strict etiquette —at least at Schneiders im Thal. For one thing, since freshness is conceptually absolutely critical, they are to be eaten on the same morning they were made. As the saying goes, Weißwürste must never hear the church bells ring at noon. Walk into Schneiders at what otherwise is a perfectly normal lunch hour—say 12:30pm—and the waitress will gruffly remind you of the hour, and suggest you better order something else."

Sauerkraut even has its own web page: Welcome to SauerkrautRecipes.com, the site for sauerkraut lovers, chefs, cooks and bakers from around the world!

Spätzle [SHPEHT-sluh; SHPEHT-sehl; SHPEHT-slee] Literally translated from German as "little sparrow," Spätzle is a dish of tiny noodles or dumplings made with flour, eggs, water or milk, salt and sometimes nutmeg. The Spätzle dough can be firm enough to be rolled and cut into slivers or soft enough to be forced through a sieve, colander or spätzle-maker with large holes. The small pieces of dough are usually boiled (poached) before being tossed with butter or added to soups or other dishes. In Germany, Spätzle is served as a side dish much like potatoes or rice, and is often accompanied by a sauce or gravy. The cooked Spätzle can also be pan-fried with a little butter and onions (usually a good left-over idea).

DIRECTIONS:
Sift flour and salt into a mixing bowl. Add egg; mix. Add water gradually until batter is stiff but smooth. Press dough flat on a plate or floured board. With a sharp knife, scrape small pieces of dough off and drop into boiling salted water. There should be only one layer at a time of spaetzle cooking. Boil gently for 5 to 8 minutes, or until done to your taste. Remove with perforated spoon and let drain. Serve as a side dish with meat. Serve right away or sauté the finished spaetzle in butter until golden and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

INGREDIENTS:

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Line a jelly-roll pan or large pizza pan with prepared dough , making sure dough extends up sides of pan.
Saute onion in a until translucent and pour cooked onion into a large mixing bowl. Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, chop and add to onion; mix well.
Stir in sour cream. Beat eggs enough to break up yolks, then mix in to pie mixture. Add flour to thicken mixture (onions will create a lot of water), then add salt. Mix well and pour mixture into prepared pan. Sprinkle top with caraway seed.
Bake in preheated oven for about 1 hour, or until onions start to turn golden brown on top.

Sauerbraten

INGREDIENTS:

DIRECTIONS:

Place meat in large, non-metal bowl. In separate bowl, combine red wine vinegar, 1 cup water, lemon juice, onion, bay leaves, cloves, salt and pepper. Pour over meat. Cover and refrigerate 48 hours.
Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Remove meat from marinade and brown in oil on all sides, 1 to 2 minutes a side. Remove bay leaves and cloves from marinade. Pour in 1 cup water and pour marinade into pan with meat. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 3 hours, or until tender.
Remove meat from pan. Increase heat and sprinkle flour, a little at a time, over juices, cooking until mixture thickens to form gravy. Return meat to pan with tomato wedges, heat through and serve.
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Kartoffelklöße (Potato Dumplings)

INGREDIENTS:

DIRECTIONS:

Place the potatoes in a large pot with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, and cook until the potatoes are soft, about 20 minutes. Drain water, and place potatoes into a large bowl. Mash potatoes, leaving them slightly lumpy (just like making mashed potatoes). Mix in the salt, eggs, flour, 2/3 cup of bread crumbs, and nutmeg. Roll into walnut sized balls. If the dough is too sticky, you may want to mix in more flour or bread crumbs.
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Gently drop the dumplings into the water. When they come up to the surface, allow them to boil uncovered for 3 minutes. Remove the dumplings with a slotted spoon, and keep warm.
While you are waiting for the water to boil, melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add onions and 1/4 cup of bread crumbs. Cook, stirring constantly, until the onions are tender, and the sauce has thickened some. Pour sauce over the dumplings before serving.

*Für den Boden*
135 g Mehl 70 g kalte Butter 35 g Zucker
*Für die Füllung*
500 g Magerquark 75 g Zucker 1 Päckchen Vanillezucker 3 El. Zitronensaft 100 g gemahlene Mandeln 400 g Schlagsahne 6 Blatt weiße Gelatine 3 El. Gelee (z. B. Himbeer)
*Für den Belag*
300 g Erdbeeren 1 Päckchen roten Tortenguß 1 El. Zucker evtl. 1/4 l Fruchtsaft zum Anrühren des Tortenguß

Zubereitung

Aus den Zutaten für den Boden einen Mürbeteig herstellen. Den Teig 40 Minuten kalt stellen. Danach auf dem Boden einer Springform (28 cm Durchmesser) ausrollen und bei 190 Grad ca. 15 Minuten backen. Auskühlen lassen und vorsichtig auf eine Tortenplatte stellen.
Das Gelee auf den Tortenboden streichen. Einen Tortenring um den Tortenboden legen.
Aus Quark, Zucker, Vanillezucker, Zitronensaft und den Mandeln eine Masse herstellen. Die Sahne steifschlagen und unter die Masse heben. Die Gelatine einweichen, auflösen und ebenfalls unter die Masse rühren.
Die Masse auf den Boden geben und glatt streichen.
Die Früchte waschen, evtl. kleinschneiden und auf der Torte verteilen. Den Tortenguß mit dem Zucker zubereiten und vorsichtig über den Früchten verteilen.

Beim Backen des Tortenbodens unbedingt Backpapier verwenden, damit der Teig nicht an der Springform festklebt!

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Global Destinations: Austria. Here you'll read: "Austria was once the center of a large empire stretching from France to Russia and from the Baltic Sea to Turkey, importing a varied heritage to Austria's cuisine. Indeed modern Austria now borders Italy, Hungary and Germany, among others -- and their culinary influences are the strongest. Austria's capital city of Vienna even claims its own cuisine as if it were a separate country -- it's the smallest Austrian state but also the most populous at over 1.5 million, which is one-fifth the population of the entire nation. Join us as we tour the country that gave us Apple Strudel and Wienerschnitzel."

The following Austrian recipes and the picture above have been used with permission by Giovanni Aureel

Ingredients: 4 fillets veal - each 150 g / 5oz), 1 tsp salt
60g ( 2oz) flour, 2 eggs, 100 g (3 1/2 oz) breadcrumbs, fat for frying, originally lard
Prepare:
Lightly pound the fillets, nick the edges, salt. Coat with flour, dip in beaten egg and breadcrumbs. Fry the fillet on both sides in deep hot fat ( each side app. 1 1/2 min.) until gold brown. Shake the pan occasionally. Serve immediately with lemon slices and parsley.
Typical Austrian side dishes are: Lettuce - potato - cucumber - or mixed salad.

Viennese Apple Strudel (Wiener Apfelstrudel)

For the dough:
3 cups bread flour, 1 egg, 1/4 cup soft, unsalted butter, 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup cold water, Vegetable oil, Bread flour;

For the Filling:
3/4 cups coarse white bread crumbs, 1/2 cup, melted unsalted butter
1 1/2 pounds, 14 ounces peeled, cored and thinly sliced Granny Smith, Pippin or other cooking apples , 1/3 cup granulated sugar , 3/4 cup dark raisins
3/4 cup coarsely crushed nuts,2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 5 ounces firm, unsalted butter

To make the dough: Place the flour, egg, soft butter and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer. Mixing with the dough hook on low speed, add enough of the cold water to make a soft dough. Knead the dough in the electric mixer at medium speed until it is smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Form the dough into a ball and coat it with oil. Cover and let rest at room temperature for about 1 hour.
For the filling: To make the coarse bread crumbs, toast slices of white bread in the oven until crisp, about 10 minutes. Break into pieces and place in a food processor. Pulse the processor until the bread resembles large bread crumbs. In a saute pan, over medium heat, saute the bread crumbs in 1/4 cup of the melted butter until they are golden brown. Reserve the sauteed bread crumbs and the remaining melted butter separately. Combine the sliced apples, granulated sugar, raisins, nuts, ground cinnamon and about half of the bread crumbs. Cut the firm butter into chunks and gently toss together with the apple mixture.

To assemble: Cover a work surface approximately 4 feet by 4 feet with a clean piece of cloth. The cloth is used to facilitate stretching and rolling the dough. Make sure that the cloth is securely fastened to the table. Dust the cloth lightly with the flour. Place the rested dough in the center of the cloth. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a large, thin rectangle. When the dough is as thin as it will go with the rolling pin, it is time to begin stretching and pulling the dough. To stretch and pull the dough, place your hands under the dough, and, using your thumbs and the back of your hand, gently begin pulling and stretching the dough. Pull and stretch the dough until it is a rectangle approximately 3 1/2 feet by 2 1/2 feet. Be very careful when you are pulling and stretching not to tear the dough. After it is pulled to the proper size, let the dough relax on the table for a few minutes. There will be a thick edge around the edges, trim this away. You also want to trim off any parts of the dough that hang over the edges of the table. Place the apple filling next to the long edge of the dough closest to you. Form the filling into a thick log. Brush some of the reserved melted butter generously over the remainder of the dough. Sprinkle the remaining bread crumbs over the dough. Using the cloth to help lift the dough, roll the strudel as you would a jelly roll, starting from the filling side. Place the strudel, seam side down, in a horseshoe shape on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Brush the strudel with the last of the melted butter. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven F for about 35 minutes, Remove the pan from the oven and cool. Slice the the strudel into individual servings and serve either warm or at room temperature.

Spätzle

Ingredients: 300 g ( 10 1/2 oz ), flour, 1tsp salt, 1 egg, 1/8 1 ( 4fluid oz) water
salted water
40g (1 3/4 oz) butter
Prepare:
Mix flour, salt, water and egg until doughy. Immediately sieve the dough coarsely into the boiling water. Cook 2 min., drain and rinse with cold water. Reheat in melted butter.

Pancakes (Palatschinken)

Ingredients for 12 pieces: 150g (5oz) flour, 1/4 l (8 fluid oz) milk or 1/8 l (4 fluid oz) cream and 1/8 l ( 4 fluid oz ) milk, 2 eggs, 2 egg yolks, 1/4 tsp salt, 1tsp sugar
fat for frying
jam for filling
sugar
Prepare:
Mix all ingredients into a thin batter. Heat a little fat in a frying pan. Pour into the pan enough batter to cover the bottom thinly and evenly. Fry on both sides until golden brown. Grease the pan as before and continue until all the batter is used. Keep cooked pancakes warm. Spread each pancake with jam, roll it up and serve hot, dusted with sugar.

Emperor's Omelet (Kaiserschmarrn)

Ingredients: 6 egg yolks, 1pinch salt, app. 1/4 l (8fluid oz) milk or fresh cream, 150g (5oz) flour, 6 egg whites, 50g (2oz) sugar
50g (2 oz) butter
50g (2 oz) raisins
Prepare:
Mix milk, salt, yolks and flour into a batter. Beat egg whites until stiff, beat in sugar spoon by spoon. Fold egg whites into batter. Heat butter in a pan, pour in batter, sprinkle with raisins. Cover the pan with lid and cook app. 3 min. over a medium flame until brown underneath. Turn the omelet and cook the second side until brown. Tear the omelet with two forks into little pieces. Serve immediately dusted with sugar. Stewed fruit goes well with it.

Ingredients: 4 stale rolls, 50g (2oz) fat, 50g (2 oz) onions, 1 tsp parsley, 1 tsp celery-leafs 4 tbs flour, 1 tsp salt, app. 1/4 l (8 fluid oz) milk, 2 eggs
salted water
Prepare:
Cut rolls into small cubes (1cm). Fry chopped onions in fat until golden brown, add finely chopped parsley and celery leafs, fry for 1 min. Mix rolls, flour, onions, add milk, eggs, salt. Mix very well. Shape 8 dumplings, allow them to rest for 1/2 hour. Drop them into boiling salted water, simmer 10 min.
INFO: In different parts of Austria they mix into the dumpling dough bacon, sausage, smoked meat or liver. Then these dumplings are called "Tyrolean Dumplings", "Liver Dumplings" etc. Bread Dumplings are a main dish eaten with any vegetable or sauce. They also are eaten as side dish with meat or are served to beef broth.

Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups flour
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup blanched almonds, finely ground
3 (9 g) packets vanilla sugar
1 pinch salt
1/2 lb cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/4 teaspoon lemon extract
1 tablespoon milk

Combine flour, 3/4 cup of the confectioners' sugar, almonds, 2 of the vanilla sugar packets, and salt on a clean surface, shape into a mound, then make a well in the center. Add butter and lemon extract to well. Using your fingers, work flour-nut mixture into butter until dough resembles coarse meal. Sprinkle milk over dough, knead until smooth, and shape into a ball. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Sift remaining confectioners' sugar and vanilla sugar into a medium bowl and set aside. Divide dough into 16 equal pieces. Using your hands, roll each piece of dough out on a clean surface into 3/4 inch thick ropes. Cut ropes crosswise into 2-1/2 inch pieces, then gently pinch ends to round off edges. Shape pieces of dough into small crescents and transfer to parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Bake until golden around edges, 12-14 minutes. Allow cookies to cool for 1 minute then transfer a few at a time to bowl of sugar and coat well. Transfer cookies to a rack to cool completely. Cookies may be stored in airtight containers in a fridge for a couple of weeks .

Yield: 24 servings
Dough:
6 oz Unsalted butter
4 oz Sugar
4 oz Ground blanched almonds
8 oz Unbleached all-purpose flour

Finishing:
1 Egg; beaten
Blanched sliced almonds
12 oz Apricot or raspberry jam
2 oz Water
Confectioners' sugar

Preheat the oven to 325F.
Beat the butter until light and soft, then beat in the sugar. Continue beating until very light. Stir in the almonds, then the flour. Scrape dough onto a piece of plastic wrap, flatten and wrap. Chill until firm, about 1 hour. Flour dough and surface very lightly and roll dough 1/4-inch thick. Cut into 3-to-4-inch rounds with a fluted cutter.
Transfer to paper-lined pans and cut a 1-inch opening in half the rounds with a plain cutter. Paint the cut rounds with beaten egg and strew with the sliced almonds. Bake the bases about 15 minutes, keeping them very pale. Cool the bases. Combine the jam and water and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Strain into another pan and simmer the glaze until sticky. Sift confectioners' sugar over the almond-coated bases. Paint the others with the glaze and adhere the sugared bases to them. Fill in the openings with more glaze.

68 Austrian recipes at Recipezaar
Global destinations: Austria
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SWISS RECIPES

Switzerland: Recipes vary strongly from region to region due to the shared borders with Germany, Austria, Italy and France (many of our recipes are a fusion of different cultures). Foods often associated with Switzerland include cheese, chocolate (history of Swiss chocolate pioneers), the famous Birchermüesli (recipe below) and a huge selection of bread.

Some well-know Swiss cheeses are the Emmentaler, Gruyère, Vacherin, Appenzeller and Sbrinz. The most popular cheese dishes are Fondue (here is one Fondue recipe in the food blog: Chocolate and Zucchini and another one below in the Swiss recipes) and Raclette (read What is Raclette? and see a picture of a Raclette oven here).

A famous dish made from potatoes is Rösti (originally a breakfast food, but the Swiss now prefer a bread-based meal to start the day), and you often find it served with "Züri Gschnätzlets" - thin strips of veal with mushrooms in a delicious cream sauce. Tarts (Wähen and Fruchtkuchen) and quiches, among so many others, are also traditional dishes.

Switzerland with its many apple types produces a lot of apple juice and cider. Wine too, is produced in many regions, particularly the Valais, the Vaud, the Ticino and the canton of Zürich. Riesling is a common wine. Absinthe is brewed again in the Jura region of Switzerland, where it originated; long banned by a specific anti-Absinthe article in the Swiss constitution, it has been re-legalized in 2004.

150 Swiss recipes at Recipezaar
More Swiss recipes
And 100rds more

SOME POPULAR SWISS RECIPES

Älplermagronen (the Alpine Farmer's Macaroni with Applesauce)

Ingredients:

200 gm Potatoes (7 oz)
3 x Onions
40 gm Butter (1.5 oz)
1/2 Clove garlic, mashed
3 dl Whipping cream
400 gm Macaroni, cooked (14 oz)
Salt, freshly ground pepper
40 gm Gruyere cheese (1.5 oz)
25 gm Vacherin de Fribourg - cheese (1 oz)

APPLE SAUCE
1 kg Cooking apples (2 lbs 4 oz)
Clove, vanilla bean, slit open
120 gm Granulated sugar (4.25 oz)
Stick cinnamon
1 dl Water
Lemon juice (optional)

Method:
Macaroni and Potatoes:
Boil the potatoes in their skin. Let cool.
Peel onions and cut into thin slices. In a large frying pan heat the butter and sauté the onions until light brown. Moisten with cream, add the garlic and bring to boil. Stir in the (cooked) macaroni, slice the potatoes and stir into pan. Reheat. Grate the cheese and stir.
Apple sauce:
Peel and core apples. Cut into small pieces. In a saucepan bring water and sugar to a boil. Add the apples and the spices. Cook until tender, remove the spices, liquidise. Return to saucepan, bring to a simmer and let the liquid evaporate somewhat. Correct seasoning with a few drops lemon juice and sugar as necessary.
Serving:
Arrange the macaroni and potatoes mixture in the center of each (heated) plate, pour the sauce all round, sprinkle with some grated cheese.

Dreikönigskuchen (Epiphanie's cake)

The Dreikönigskuchen is a special cake served on January 6 ("Dreikönigstag", Epiphanie's day)

Ingredients for a cake of about 25cm (10 inches) in diameter:

Preparation:

Mix flour, sugar, salt and lemon in a bowl.
Melt the butter and add the cold milk.
Dissolve yeast in water and add two teaspoons of sugar.
Stir the eggs and add flour mix of 1.
Knead to a soft dough.
Add sultanas and the token and distribute them evenly in the dough.
Tear dough apart and form six or eight pieces the size of a fist. You may form one bigger piece as the center piece of the cake. Arrange the pieces around the center piece as shown in the picture above. Place the cake into a well buttered form.
Let grow in a warm place until the size has doubled.
Put it in the fridge for about one hour.
Before baking, brush with the egg yolk.
Bake for about 40 to 50 minutes in the lower part of the pre-heated oven at about 225 degree Celsius (440 degree Fahrenheit).

Let cool and add a crown made out of golden paper. Each person takes a piece from the cake. The one with the token will be king or queen of the day and all participants have to fulfil a wish of the king or queen!

Zopf (Braided bread)

Ingredients for 2 breads, about 800 gr (1.76 pounds) each:

Preparation:

Mix flour and salt in a bowl, add yeast, sugar, butter and milk, knead to a soft dough. Needs about 10 minutes by hand, 4 to 5 minutes when using a machine. Cover and let grow for about one hour until size has doubled.
Cut dough in two or four pieces of the same size. Braid as shown below.
Put bread on a cookie sheet, covered with baking paper. Let grow again for about 30 to 60 minutes.
Before baking, brush with the egg mixture.
Bake for about 45 to 55 minutes in the lower part of the pre-heated oven at about 200 degree Celsius (400 degree Fahrenheit).

How to braid a Zopf:

Zopf made out of two pieces of dough:

Cut dough in two pieces of the same size. Twiddle each to an approx. 60 cm (24 inches) long roll, thinner towards the ends. Cross in the center as shown above. Put top right end to left low and low left end to top right, again as shown above. Then put top left end to right below and low right end to top left. Continue until no more dough is left. Press ends and put below bread.

Zopf made out of four pieces of dough:

Cut dough in four pieces of the same size. Twiddle each to an approx. 30 cm (12 inches) long roll. Put ends together as shown above on the very left. Put the first roll on the left across the second roll on the right, again as shown above. Then put the first roll on the right across the second roll on the left. Continue until no more dough is left. Press ends together and put below bread.

Birchermüesli

Birchermüesli was invented around 1900 by Dr. Bircher, a pioneer of the biological health medicine and an early promoter of unprocessed food that retains its full nutritional value ("Vollwertkost")

Ingredients for 4 servings:

Variations:

Preparation:

Fondue

This is probably the most famous Swiss dish (besides Raclette). Fondue is made of melted cheese. It is eaten by dipping small pieces of bread into the melted cheese preparation. The secret lies in the right mixture of different flavors of cheese. Typically, fondue is served on cold winter days, but many restaurants serve it all your round.

Ingredients for 4 servings:

Preparation:

Cut the bread into small pieces. Some people like the bread a little bit crispy, so you may want to cut it a few hours before you have the fondue.
Split the piece of garlic in two and rub the inside of the caquelon with them. Put the cheese and the wine in the caquelon and bring to a boil on the stove. Constantly stir the mixture. Add kirsch and maizena, keep stirring. Keep on the stove for a while, but make sure it does not overheat. The mixture tends to spill out of the pot if it gets too hot! Add pepper and nutmeg, then put the caquelon on the burner on the table.
Adjust the heat so that the cheese stays at a constant temperature while eating. Put a small piece of bread on the fork, stir it gently in the cheese and enjoy. Remember: the cheese is very hot!

You may vary the mixture of cheese depending on your taste.

Pastetli (Meat pie)

Pastetli usually come in a round shape. There are different styles of fillings, it may include mushrooms and meat in a creamy sauce. They are often served with rice and peas.

Ingredients for 6 servings:

450 g (1 pound) puff-pastry
2 tablespoons margarine or butter
1 shallot, chopped small
1 clove of garlic, pressed
800 g (1.75 pounds) small mushrooms, cut into four pieces each
1 dl (3.4 fl. ounces) white wine
180 g (6.3 ounces) half and half
1 dl (3.4 fl. ounces) cream
1 teaspoon curry
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
½ teaspoon paprika, a small amount of nutmeg and cayenne pepper
salt or other spices

Preparation:

Bake 6 large heart- or round-shaped pies made out of the puff-pastry for about 15 to 20 minutes
Heat margarine or butter in a pot
Add shallot and clove of garlic, stir
Add white wine and mushrooms, mix, cover and cook for about 5 minutes
Increase heat, cook in open pot until half of the fluid is gone
Add half and half and cream
Add curry, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, nutmeg, pepper and salt
Distribute the filling into the heated pies, serve immediately

Hint: You may replace part of the mushrooms with small pieces of veal.
You may want to prepare the pies in advance, but they have to be heated in the oven before the filling gets added.

Ingredients:
1 3/4 lb Potatoes (see below)
3 oz Butter, lard or bacon fat
1 1/2 T Water or milk

Instructions:
The potatoes should be boiled in their jackets the day before. These should be waxy potatoes of the potato-salad kind. The next day, peel them and grate them on the coarsest blade of the grater. Heat a large heavy frying pan, and let the fat get hot: then put in the potatoes, sprinkle with salt, and fry, turning them constantly. When they have soaked up the butter or whatever, add more. Now form a "cake" by pushing the potatoes from the edges of the pan into the middle and flattening down the top. Sprinkle with the water or milk, reduce heat, and cover with a lid or inverted dish. Shake the covered pan occasionally to keep the potatoes from burning, and leave on low heat for at least 15 minutes. The potatoes must stick together, but not to the bottom of the pan. When cooked, turn the cake out onto a plate, bottom side up, and serve. (Or alternately, brown the other side as well.) . Variations: (1) Saute 2 T chopped onions in the fat before adding thte potatoes. Don't let them brown. Also note that in this version, the potatoes will need less fat. (2) Saute 2 - 3 1/2 oz. diced bacon before adding potatoes. You won't need any extra salt. (3) Sprinkle cooked potatoes with grated cheese before serving, and heat it briefly in the oven to melt it.
Servings: 4

Zürcher Geschnätzlets (cut veal Zürich style)

While it is possible to use any type of meat to prepare this menu, the real Zürcher Geschnetzeltes is made with cut veal. Traditionally, it comes with Rösti (hashed potatoes), but it could also be served with rice, pasta or mashed potatoes.

Ingredients for 4 servings:

Preparation:

Cook the mushrooms together with the lemon juice in a small, covered pot. Heat up slowly, cook for 2 minutes.
Pour the liquid into a cup. Add some spices to the mushrooms, keep them warm.
Melt the margarine in a frying-pan
Add the onions, stir. Increase the heat, add the meat, add some water and roast gently. Turn the meat occasionally to make sure it gets browned evenly.
Remove the meat.
Add the white wine, let cook until the liquid thickens.
Add the liquid from 2. plus some gravy-powder, cook until the sauce binds.
Add the cream and increase the heat slightly.
Add paprika and other spices.
Put salt, pepper and ½ teaspoon paprika on the meat. Put meat into the sauce, increase the heat, but do not cook.
Add the mushrooms.

Kartoffel-Birnen Wähe

Zutaten (für ein Kuchenblech von 26 cm Durchmesser)

250 g in der Schale gekochte Kartoffeln, 250 g Birnen, 100 g Gruyere, 1 Kuchenteig (rund ausgewallt)

Guss:
1 grosse Zwiebel, 1 Knoblauchzehe, 1 Bund Petersilie, etwas frischer Majoran, 1 dl Milch, 1 Becher Sauermilch, 2 Eier, 1 Teelöffel Salz, Pfeffer, Muskatnuss, 200 g Hüttenkäse mit Schnittlauch

Zubereitung

Kartoffeln und Birnen schälen. Zusammen mit dem Käse auf der Röstiraffel reiben. Zwiebel, Knoblauch, Petersilie und Majoran fein hacken. Alle Zutaten für den Guss vermischen und mit dem vorbereiteten Kartoffel-Birnen-Gemisch vermischen. Ein Kuchenblech mit dem Teig auslegen und die Füllung darauf verteilen. Während etwa 30 min bei 200 °C im Ofen backen und heiss servieren.

Basler Leckerli (Basel honey cookies)

Ingredients for two medium size baking sheets:

450 g honey (16 ounces)
300 g sugar (10.5 ounces)
1½ tablespoons of cinnamon
1 pinch of clove powder
½ teaspoon of nutmeg
100 g (3.5 ounces) ground candied orange peel
100 g (3.5 ounces) ground candied lemon peel
200 g (7 ounces) ground almonds
Grated skin of one lemon
1 dl (0.4 cup) kirsch
600g (21 ounces) flour
1½ teaspoon of baking powder
150 g (5 ounces) confectioners' sugar
3 to 5 tablespoons of kirsch or water

Preparation:

Put honey, sugar, cinnamon, clove powder and nutmeg in a pan, heat up slowly, then remove from stove.
Add candied orange peel, candied lemon peel, almonds and skin of lemon, stir until mixed evenly.
Add kirsch, flour and baking powder, knead on a table to form a soft dough.
While the dough is still warm, roll it out on the back of two greased baking sheets approximately 5 mm (0.2 inches) thick.
Let it rest for about 5 to 6 hours or over night in a dry place.
Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes in the center of the pre-heated oven at 220 °C (430 °F).
Mix confectioners' sugar and kirsch or water, frost dough immediately.
Cut off uneven edges. Cut dough in small pieces (5 x 3 cm, 2 x 1.5 inches), take them off the baking sheets and let them cool.

Brunsli (Swiss brownies)

Ingredients for approximately 50 cookies (depending on the size of a single cookie):

Preparation:

Mix sugar, salt, almonds, cinnamon, clove powder, cocoa powder and flour in a bowl.
Add egg whites and stir until ingredients are evenly distributed.
Cut chocolate in real small pieces, pour hot water over the chocolate, let rest for about 5 minutes, then pour off all water except about half a tablespoon, stir until smooth.
Add melted chocolate and the kirsch, knead to a soft dough.
Roll out dough on a flat surface (it may be slightly covered with sugar), approximately 10 mm (0.4 inches) thick. Cut out different shapes and put them on a baking sheet covered with baking paper.
Let rest for about 5 to 6 hours or over night in a dry place.
Bake for about 4 to 6 minutes in the center of the pre-heated oven at 250 °C (480 °F).
Let cool completely before serving.
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Rüeblikuchen (Carrot cake)

Ingredients for a 30 cm (12 inches) baking tin:

Preparation:

Mix flour and baking powder.
Add sugar, cinnamon, cardamom, clove powder and salt, mix well.
Add carrots, almonds, lemon juice and peel, mix well.
Beat eggs and mix well with soft margarine. Mix everything together now and pour into baking tin.
Bake for about 65 minutes at 180°C (355°F) in the pre-heated oven.
Put marzipan carrots on top of the cake for decoration.

Schokoladenkuchen (Chocolate cake)

Ingredients for a form with 24 cm (approx. 10 inches) diameter:

Preparation:

Stir margarine until foam-like.
Add sugar, 6 egg yolks, salt and vanilla sugar, stir again.
Dissolve chocolate in 3 tablespoons of water and add to the mixture.
Add almonds and cracker.
Add 6 stiff egg whites to the mixture and mix carefully.
Grease form with margarine, pour mixture into form.
Bake on lowest position in oven at 180°C (356°F) for 50 to 60 minutes.

Frosting:

Mix powdered sugar with 4 tablespoons of water. Put 1 tablespoon aside.
Add chocolate powder to the rest of the mixture, add a few drops of water and stir.
Let cake cool off after baking. Pour chocolate mixture evenly over cake.
Form a small, funnel-shaped paper with a tiny opening. Put the mixture set aside in 1. into paper and draw 8 concentric circles on cake.
Use a small knife and pull 8 lines from the center towards the edge and 8 lines from the edge towards the center alternating.

Zimtsterne (Cinnamon cookies, a delicious Christmas treat)

Ingredients for approximately 50 cookies (depending on the size of a single cookie):

Preparation:

Beat egg whites and salt until stiff.
Add confectioners' sugar, stir until ingredients are well mixed. Put 1 dl (0.4 cups) aside for the frosting.
Add cinnamon, kirsch (or lemon juice) and almonds, knead to a soft dough.
Roll out dough on a flat surface (it may be slightly covered with sugar), approximately 7 mm (0.3 inches) thick. Cut out stars or other shapes and put them on a baking sheet covered with baking paper.
Let them rest for about 5 to 6 hours or over night in a dry place.
Carefully cover the cookies with the frosting set aside in step 2.
Bake for about 3 to 5 minutes in the center of the pre-heated oven at 250 °C (480 °F).
Let cool completely before serving.

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