You Say Tomato

Europe

Hungary

Hortobagyi palacsinta is a dish prepared with savory pancakes filled with meat like veal and prepared like a stew with tomatoes, onions, spices, and mushrooms. After the pancakes are filled the ends are tucked in and baked in an oven with sour cream and paprika.

Croatia

Buzara is a Croatian technique to prepare seafood by cooking it combined with tomatoes, olive oil, wine, garlic, fresh herbs, and breadcrumbs. The seafood used is usually mussels or scampi but clams, prawns, lobsters, limpets or small fish can also be used. The fresh tomato sauce can have a splash of red wine added.

Bulgaria

Sirene po shopski is a tomato dish that is baked in an earthenware pot along with white Bulgarian cheese. The ingredients are layered in the pot, seasoned with parsley, and topped with an egg.

Turkey

Iskender kebab is a skewered dish prepared with thinly, sliced lamb grilled and combined with spicy tomato sauce.

Greece

Dakos is a dish that originated in Crete. Paximadi a dry barley rusk is topped with crumbled myzithra cheese, chopped ripe tomatoes, whole olives, capers, fresh oregano, and a splash of olive oil. The rusk is rubbed with a piece of garlic and sprinkled with sea salt before topping.

Strapadsada is a popular dish that includes diced, sauteed tomatoes seasoned with fresh herbs. They’re combined with beaten eggs and topped with crumbled feta cheese.

Garides saganaki is a traditional dish that is a combination of sauteed shrimp deglazed with anise-flavored ouzo, doused in a rich tomato sauce, and topped with crumbled feta cheese.

Italy

Pizza Napoletana originated in the city of Naples and is a pizza prepared with simple ingredients and is made in two varieties – Neapolitan and Margherita. This pizza is topped with tomato sauce that is flavored with garlic and oregano. The Margherita variety includes mozzarella and fresh basil leaves that along with the red tomato sauce create the colors of the Italian flag. The pizza crust must be very thin at the base and then the dough puffs up on the sides. After baking the crust should have charred “leopard spots”.

Parmigiana alla napoletana is a delicious version of eggplant parmigiana. The dish is prepared with eggplants that have been peeled and sliced. They’re arranged in a baking dish with a tomato sauce made with cheese, basil leaves, and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. The layers of eggplant and sauce are repeated with the top layer being tomato sauce and grated cheese.

Spain

Albondigas en salsa is a traditional dish that is usually eaten as a tapa. The dish is prepared with meatballs in a rich tomato sauce. The meatballs include beef, pork, or veal or all three mixed with breadcrumbs, parsley, eggs, garlic, flour, and seasonings. The tomato sauce is made with tomatoes, garlic, onions, red wine, olive oil, paprika, salt, and stock. Before combining the meatballs are lightly browned.

Asia

India

Murgh makhani or butter chicken is a dish that originated in Delhi. Tandoor-cooked chicken is stewed with tomatoes and butter.

Iran

Mirza ghassemi is an eggplant dish originating in the Gilan Province. The eggplants are first grilled and then finely chopped and combined with tomatoes, garlic, and turmeric. Then the eggs are mixed in and poured into a baking dish. After baking the dish is served as an appetizer or a side dish with rice.

China

Fan qie chao dan is a traditional dish consisting of eggs and tomatoes. Among the ingredients used are oil, salt, sugar, and potato flour or cornstarch. The eggs are scrambled in large curds and stir-fried with sliced tomatoes. Other variations use ingredients like Shaoxing wine, garlic, ginger, or white pepper.

North America

USA

Louisiana

Jambalaya a popular and well-known dish originated from the Cajuns in the southern part of the country. The dish is prepared with rice, shrimp, or crab meat, finely cut, spicy, smoked sausage and smoked ham, diced green peppers, garlic, tomatoes, celery, onions, and thyme and bay leaves. Rice is added to the dish toward the end to absorb the flavors from the stock until no liquid is left.

Shrimp creole is a classic seafood dish originating in southern Louisiana. The dish is prepared with gulf shrimp simmered in a tomato sauce. The sauce is made with tomatoes, bell peppers, onions, celery, and hot peppers.

Mexico

Choriqueso is a Mexican comfort food dish. Pieces of Mexican chorizo are topped with melted cheese, tomato chunks, chopped onions, and coriander. They’re served as a dip with tortilla chips or stuffed into tortillas.

Entomatadas is a specialty prepared with filled tortillas in a rich tomato sauce. The sauce consists of tomatoes, onions, and garlic with spices and herbs like chili peppers and cloves. Corn tortillas are lightly fried and filled with shredded chicken, refried beans, and cheese topped with tomato sauce.

South America

Columbia

Hogao is a traditional sauce that is used as a seasoning, dipping sauce, or topping. It is a delicious combination of tomatoes, scallions, coriander, garlic, cumin, salt, and pepper, The sauce is sauteed until the vegetables are tender.

Chile

Chancho en piedra is a salsa that is prepared with tomatoes, garlic, chili peppers, onions, olive oil, salt, pepper, and parsley or coriander.

Peru

Choritos a la chalaca is a dish that originated in the port of Callao. The dish is made with steamed mussels topped with a spicy salsa. The salsa is made with tomatoes, corn, rocoto peppers, onions, lime juice, olive oil, and parsley.