Frikadellen

Frikadellen are flattened patties of ground pork and beef bound with soaked bread roll and egg, pan-fried until deeply browned. They're Germany's everyday meat patty, a fridge staple in most households, and one of the few dishes that's considered just as good cold from the fridge the next day as it is hot from the pan.

What it actually is

A mix of pork and beef is combined with a stale bread roll soaked in milk or water and squeezed out, egg, finely diced onion and a generous amount of mustard, then worked together and shaped by hand into flat, wide patties — noticeably flatter than a burger patty. They're pan-fried in a good amount of fat until a deep, evenly browned crust forms on both sides, the soaked bread keeping the inside moist rather than dense.

The bread isn't a filler cutting corners — it's what keeps the patty tender rather than tough, and a Frikadelle made without it eats noticeably drier.

How it's served

• Hot from the pan, with potato salad or mashed potato and a simple vegetable side.
• Cold, sliced or whole, on bread as a quick sandwich or snack.
• With mustard, spread on the bread or served on the side.

Writing it on a menu

• Flag gluten and egg; the soaked bread and egg binder carry both.
• Say that it's served hot or cold if you offer it either way, since both are genuinely traditional rather than one being a leftover compromise.
• Note the mustard worked into the mix, since it's a real flavour component, not just a condiment served alongside.
• Mention if you make them fresh daily, since a well-made Frikadelle depends on the bread-to-meat ratio being right, which is easy to get wrong at scale.