("Catalan" means from Catalonia, the region in northeastern Spain where Barcelona is located.)
I also visited and tried new foods in Morocco, a northern African country located just south of Spain. There, I tried breakfast dishes such as khobz, which is like pita bread, and harcha, which is kind of like a cornbread pancake. In addition, I tried Moroccan couscous, which reminds me of tiny pieces of pasta.
When I tried all of these traditional Spanish dishes, I really enjoyed their flavors and seasonings. For example, the paella was full of tasty ingredients and prepared in a sauce with flavors like garlic and tomato to pull it all together. I liked the empanadas the best out of the traditional dishes we tried because it was so fresh and brought together savory and sweet flavors.
We prepared the paella by searing the meat in a big pan, then sautéing the vegetables, including onion, garlic and pepper, with olive oil. Next, we added the tomatoes, paprika and rice, and then filled the pan with broth and saffron (a spice). We brought all of this to a boil, then simmered it without stirring until the liquid was close to absorbed. Finally, we added other ingredients, like seafood and peas, along with parsley, lemon and various garnishes.
For the empanadas, we rolled out fresh dough and cut it into little circles. We then stuffed them with the filling, such as cheese and meat, and pressed the sides together to make little dumpling-looking creations. We then brushed the tops with egg and baked them in the oven.
