This spaghetti is special in that it is sweet and spicy with its bolognese-style sauce using a mix of banana ketchup and tomato sauce to give it a unique tang. I’d never had banana ketchup before but it really does taste very similar to tomato ketchup but a lot sweeter. In the original recipe the sauced called for adding even more sugar as this is a kids food favorite but I actually found it just on the edge of overly sweet without adding any extra sugar. While you can certainly make your own banana ketchup I’d suggest buying it for the nostalgia effect. I’m not sure I would ever make this again but it was really interesting to try.

This minced meat dish is a staple of Estonian culture and super easy to make. It’s perfect with a nice side of roasted potatoes or a toasted piece of black bread to pick up the sauce. While it’s not glamorous it comes together in just a few minutes and can be adapted or flavored any way you want so it’s perfect for a quick mid-week meal. It’s also good as a topping on pasta or rice.

This might not be the usual empanada that I’m used to but it is a delicious and fairly easy to make pie from the Galician region of Spain. Smoked paprika and slow cooked onions give the pie an earthy and soft flavor that makes it easy to eat endlessly. This is a great dish for a party also because it’s easy to make a lot at once and it’s relatively mess free to eat so this could be a great appetizer or standing dinner. It’s apparently traditional to put the letter of whatever is in the pie on top so mine has a ‘P’ for pollo but feel free to try other fillings!