Europe's great dishes are often supported by a small sauce that does a lot of work: a spoonful of herbs, a pot of berries, a creamy white sauce. Here is a tour of some of the best.
These sauces come from very different kitchens, but they have something in common: each one is built from a few simple ingredients and is quick to learn. They are the kind of recipes that become habits.
Pesto Genovese comes from Liguria, and its name comes from 'pestare', to pound. Basil, pine nuts, garlic, Parmesan and olive oil are crushed into a thick green sauce. Stir it into gnocchi or pasta off the heat, loosened with a little cooking water.
Photo: cyclonebill
Gnocchi
ItalySoft Italian potato dumplings, pillowy and tender, traditionally tossed in a simple butter and sage sauce or rich tomato sauce.
Prep: 30 minsCook: 15 minsMedium
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Photo: Petar Milošević
Pesto Genovese
ItalyFragrant Ligurian basil sauce with pine nuts, Parmesan, garlic and olive oil. Stirred through pasta, gnocchi or soups.
Prep: 15 minsCook: 0 minsEasy
View Recipe →Gremolata, from Milan, is nothing more than parsley, lemon zest and garlic, but sprinkled over osso buco it lifts the whole dish.
Photo: avlxyz
Osso Buco
ItalyMilanese braised veal shanks — slow-cooked in white wine and vegetables until the meat falls from the bone and the marrow is rich and unctuous. Served with gremolata and saffron risotto.
Prep: 20 minsCook: 90 minsMedium
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Photo: Popo le Chien
Gremolata
ItalyA zesty Milanese mix of parsley, lemon zest and garlic. A sprinkle over osso buco, grilled meat or fish for a burst of freshness.
Prep: 10 minsCook: 0 minsEasy
View Recipe →In Greece, skordalia is a thick garlic and potato dip, served with fried fish and roast beetroot, and it goes well with grilled meat.
Souvlaki
GreeceGreece's greatest street food — marinated pork on skewers grilled over charcoal until slightly charred. Served with pitta, tomatoes and tzatziki.
Prep: 20 minsCook: 10 minsEasy
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Photo: fugzu
Skordalia
GreeceA thick, pungent Greek garlic dip made from potato (or bread) and olive oil. Served with fried fish, roasted beets and meat.
Prep: 15 minsCook: 20 minsEasy
View Recipe →Béchamel, the French white sauce, is the hidden layer in Greek moussaka, Italian lasagne and the French croque monsieur. Learn to make it smoothly once and you can make dozens of dishes.
Moussaka
GreeceGreece's great layered casserole — spiced lamb mince with aubergine, topped with a thick béchamel that bakes to a golden custard-like cap. Rich and deeply satisfying.
Prep: 40 minsCook: 1 hr 20 minsMedium
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Photo: missy & the universe
Béchamel Sauce
FranceThe classic white sauce — butter, flour and milk cooked into a smooth, creamy base for lasagne, moussaka, croque monsieur and countless gratins.
Prep: 5 minsCook: 15 minsEasy
View Recipe →Sweden has two classic sauces. Hovmästarsås, a sweet mustard and dill sauce, belongs with gravlax. Lingonberry sauce, sweet-tart and ruby red, goes with meatballs.
Photo: Charles Haynes
Gravlax
SwedenSalmon cured in salt, sugar and dill — silky, fresh and deeply flavoured. A Nordic tradition that needs no cooking, only time.
Prep: 20 minsCook: 0 minsEasy
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Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Hovmästarsås
SwedenThe Swedish 'maître d' sauce' — a sweet-sharp mustard and dill sauce. The classic accompaniment to gravlax.
Prep: 10 minsCook: 0 minsEasy
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Swedish Meatballs
SwedenTender pork and beef meatballs in a rich cream sauce, served with lingonberry jam and buttery mashed potato.
Prep: 20 minsCook: 25 minsEasy
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Photo: Helena Jacoba
Lingonberry Sauce
SwedenA sweet-tart Nordic berry sauce. The signature partner for Swedish meatballs, potato dishes and game.
Prep: 5 minsCook: 15 minsEasy
View Recipe →Georgia's tkemali is a sour plum sauce, spiked with garlic, herbs and chilli, and it is the usual partner for grilled meat.
Shashlik
UzbekistanCentral Asian skewered lamb — chunks of marinated lamb grilled over charcoal until charred outside and pink within. The social food of Uzbekistan's teahouses and bazaars.
Prep: 4 hrsCook: 15 minsEasy
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Photo: Jelger Groeneveld
Tkemali
GeorgiaA sour, garlicky Georgian plum sauce with herbs and chilli. The classic accompaniment to grilled meat and shashlik.
Prep: 15 minsCook: 30 minsMedium
View Recipe →And in Spain, patatas bravas wouldn't be patatas bravas without a smoky, spicy paprika sauce.
Patatas Bravas
SpainSpain's most beloved tapa — crispy fried potato cubes topped with a fiery tomato and chilli sauce and aioli. Eaten at every bar in Spain.
Prep: 15 minsCook: 25 minsEasy
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Photo: Tamorlan
Salsa Brava
SpainThe smoky, spicy red sauce poured over patatas bravas. Made with paprika, chilli and a touch of vinegar.
Prep: 10 minsCook: 25 minsEasy
View Recipe →If you are looking for where to start, begin with pesto and béchamel. Pesto is the quickest way to make a pasta dinner feel special, and béchamel is the foundation of dozens of baked dishes. Once you are comfortable with those, try something less familiar, such as tkemali or skordalia, for a new flavour on the plate.
Almost all of these can be made ahead and stored, so a single afternoon of cooking can fill the fridge with the makings of several meals.