Pragmatic Pastitsio and a Food Event

Late last year, my friend Tony from Olive Juice contacted me and told that he is hosting a food event called "Taste of the Mediterranean". It's a food blogging event sponsored by igourmet.com and each month, a journey and celebration of each dish takes place, focusing on a popular dish from that from each of the regions of the Mediterranean.

Tony asked me if I would be a part of the panel for judging the dishes each month and I immediately said yes. It's always been my goal to promote Greek food and this just the event to do it!

Last month it was "focus France", and February it's fabulous Greece. You can visit Tony's site here to read the itinerary of this culinary tour around the Mediterranean basin. Having said that, do you fancy a trip around the Mediterranean? This month join us in Greece where we showcase the very popular dish called Pastitsio.

Pastitsio is Greece's answer to lasagna where the traditional recipe is assembled using tubular pasta known as Makaronia #2 (bucatini), ground mince and a topping of Bechamel sauce.

There are many takes on Pastitsio around Greece, nutmeg being the prevalent spice in the Bechamel and any one or a or a combination of bay, clove, allspice and cinnamon are employed (in the mince) to kick up this favourite.

Be it Greek or non-Greek, eaten at a Greek restaurant or at your Greek friend's home, one will find a slab of Pastitsio being served by your most hospitable Greek host or hostess.

Part of being Greek is being tolerant, pragmatic, inclusive. Melina Mercouri once described Athens like a mother, ever stretching her arms to embrace yet another child.

THAT's the way of Greeks, our spirit...our love of people, family and friends and being the most gracious host(esses) to our guests.

There are many approaches you can take to Pastitsio. Tony has just offered up his take here. I too have posted a Pastitsio recipe and you have have a peek at my version here.

The Pastitsio canvass is wide open. Do you have a desire for the classic Pastitsio with ground meat, pasta and Bechamel? Perhaps you want to make a vegetarian Pastitsio? Are you in the mood for a Seafood Pastitsio? A Lenten Pastitsio or one with legumes?

There's more...ever thought of a Dessert Pastitsio? The possibilities are endless. Celebrate Greek food and try your hand at Pastitsio. Be imaginative with the ingredients, the spices, the construction. I only ask that you have fun in the kitchen, enter the event with verve and celebrate Greek food and all Mediterranean food this month and in the coming months.

Each month, a winner will be selected by way of a vote from our distinguished panel. Your dish's entry earns you a chance to win a $50 gift certificate from igourmet.com. What are you waiting for? Get in the kitchen and get cookin'!

Simply cook up your version of Pastitsio, take photos, relate the thought-process to your dish and blog it by February 28th. Link back to Tony's Taste of Mediterranean page and you can even use the logo!

P.S. I encourage my readers from Greece (and abroad) to participate as well. Feel free to offer up a dish in Greek or any other language you are most comfortable in communicating.


If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at http://kalofagas.blogspot.com then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at truenorth67 AT gmail DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author.
© 2007-2009 Peter Minakis

Kakavia (Κακαβια)

Kakavia is also known as "Psarosoupa" or a fish soup. Kakavia also gets it's name from the pot in which it's cooked in, the "kakavi". By all accounts, Kakavia is the pre-cursor to the modern-day bouillabaisse. It made its way from Greece to Marseilles (Massalia) around 600 B.C.

The Greeks cooked this in the "kakavi", the French in the "bouillet". Which pot do think came first? Good.

There are many renditions of Kakavia, this one having some tomatoes, others made in a Avgolemono Sauce and both are absolutely delicious. The two versions (any many in between) are made with a combination of fish and shellfish, filled with vegetables and herbs and it makes for an excellent pairing with some crusty bread and a dry glass of white wine.

Some of the older recipes for Kakavia even call for the use of sea water in the soup but we'll steer away from that. Kakavia is traditionally made from the day's catch to feed the crew so, don't fret if you don't have the same array of seafood I've used. The best fish and seafood is the freshest fish and seafood.

There are three components to a Kakavia, the first being the base of vegetables and herbs. The second component is the whole fish that's gives the soup mid-range seafood flavours. Without the whole fish, this would just be a vegetable soup with some shellfish thrown in the end. The third and final component is the actual fish and seafood that get added just near the end of the cooking process. The meat of the dish, if you will.

Preparation or "mise en place" is always important when cooking but I'd recommend you get organized when making Kakavia. It's not a difficult soup to make, there are just some steps one has to be organized about when tackling this dish.

Bouquet garnis are required for the whole fish that get poached in the soup and, for the bundle of herbs and spices that will add depth of falvour. Leeks are best for soups but onions work fine too. A rough dice of all the vegetables is all that is required. The goal is to have chunks that fit well on the soup spoon. A gulp of potato, a slurp of carrot and clam, a bite if shrimp and celery.

Kakavia is also a liberal recipe in that there's no set rules as to what fish and seafood one should use. My only caution to you is to avoid adding salmon here...the salmon will dominate the entire flavour of the soup.

So, pay a visit to your fishmonger, ask him (or her) to find you a good whole fish for stock, say a red snapper or 2-3 red mullets. In Greece, the Scorpion fish does the fish stock duties but I've yet to see such species on this side of the Atlantic. A medley of shellfish are the jewels of the soup. Grab some clams, mussels, the shrimp and some fillets of white fish (like bass, cod, whiting or grouper).

An important procedure with Kakavia is to wrap the whole fish well in a cheesecloth. The wholefish will be poached in the broth and the body can come apart rather easily. The cheesecloth does a very good job of preventing pin bones from remaining in your soup.

Finally, do accompany this soup with some good crusty bread. On this occasion, I toasted some homemade Artisan bread, wizzed up some roasted garlic with olive oil and scallions and smeared the spread over the crusty warm bread. The combination of dipping this old-school garlic bread into this chunky fish soup will remain a memory for awhile.

Kakavia (Κακαβια)

(serves 6)

1/2 cup olive oil

2 large leeks, rinsed well & rough dice

3 carrots, peeled and chopped

2 ribs of celery, chopped

3 large potatoes, diced

4 cloves of garlic, smashed

3 bay leaves

4-5 allspice berries

6-7 peppercorns

1 bunch of fresh thyme

pinch of saffron threads

1 heaping Tbsp. tomato paste

1/2 cup tomato puree

1 cup dry white wine

2 red mullets (or 1 whole red snapper or Scorpion fish)

1 lb. clams

1lb. mussels

1 lb. shrimp, peeled & deveined

(shells reserved)

1 lb. white fish fillets (bass, haddock, halibut, whiting),

cut into bite-sized pieces

8-9 cups of water

salt and pepper to taste

some cheesecloth

crusty garlic bread

chopped fresh parsley

wedges of lemon

1. Have your "mise en place" in order. Clean, peel & chop up your vegetables, wash, scrub, peel, clean, trim your fish and seafood and keep in the fridge until ready to cook. Have some cheesecloth handy to make a bouquet garni of your herbs and spices and to wrap your whole fish.
2. Place a large pot on your stovetop over medium-high heat and add your leeks, carrots and celery and saute. You may also add the bouquet garni of bay, thyme, allspice, peppercorns along with the saffron threads and another bouquet garni of reserved shrimp shells (lots of flavour in those). Lower to medium and cover and allow to sweat and soften for about 10 minutes.
3. Add your potatoes, tomato paste and tomato puree and stir in for a minute or two. Now add the wine and water and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce to medium and simmer for another 30 minutes. Add some salt and pepper to taste.
4. Add your whole fish (wrapped & tied in cheesecloth) and simmer for another 15 minutes. Carefully remove the fish, continue simmering the soup. Carefully remove the meat of the fish and reserve. You may discard the fish bones.
5. Clams take longer than all the remaining seafood to cook. Drop the clams into the pot and bring back to a boil. As soon as your soup is boiling, turn the heat off and add the mussels, shrimp and pieces of white fish and cooked red mullet meat. Cover and allow the residual heat of the soup to cook the seafood for about 10 minutes. Remove both bouquet garnis and discard.
   
6. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Divide the soup in large bowls and serve with some crusty garlic bread, sprinkle some chopped fresh parsley and serve with a wedge of lemon.
7. I recommend drinking a Pavlou Xinomavro-Riesling. It's a "blanc de noir", meaning it's a made primarly of crushed red grapes and the skins are removed to preserve it's "white wine" appearence. The Xinomavro-Riesling is an 80/20 mix and it has intense acidity (that's good), berry tones with a lemon finish.

If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at http://kalofagas.blogspot.com then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at truenorth67 AT gmail DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author.
© 2007-2009 Peter Minakis

Spaghetti With Brown Butter and Feta (Μακαρόνια με βούτυρο και φέτα)

Last weekend was a busy one. I had a full social calendar, things to do around the house, work on a revamped "Kalofagas" website and attend a Superbowl party on a Sunday evening that's usually spent quietly at home.

Oh yeah...I was also in the thick of baking, enjoying and sharing artisan bread in five minutes! As a reminder, you have until this upcoming Friday (by noon) to leave a comment and be elligible for a draw to win this fabulous bread making cookbook.

As if bread weren't enough carbs, I had a craving for pasta but something stripped down, focusing on good ingredients and what the Hell, I was feeling nostalgic.

One of my favourite dishes my mom would serve is a plain spaghetti (Makaronia) that was tossed in butter until slightly browned, then the pasta was drained and tossed in the brown butter with crumbled Feta cheese and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil to cap the dish.

Brown butter is a sauce unto itself and in my opinion, under-rated. The next time you're feeling for pasta yet you want something light, try a spaghetti with brown butter and Feta. Whip up a salad and call it a nice, light dinner where you'll get to eat Makaronia the way momma made it.

In case you're wondering, that's plain white pasta in the photos, the brown butter has given the dish a warm nut-brown colour.

Spaghetti With Brown Butter and Feta (Μακαρόνια με βούτυρο και φέτα)
(per serving)

2 Tbsp. of butter
1 clove of garlic, smashed
handful of dry spaghetti (Misko brand)
extra-virgin olive oil
grated Kefalotyri or Romano cheese
crumbled Feta cheese
salt and pepper to taste

1. Get a pot of water boiling on your stovetop. When aboil, add a good amount of salt, add your spaghetti and cook according to packet's instructions.
2. In a small pot, add your butter, a little olive oil and the smashed clove of garlic over medium heat. Keep your eye on the melting butter and soon you will see the milk solids begin to foam and quickly dissappear...THIS is where you have to watch carefully.
3. Your butter will turn from a golden yellow to a chestnut brown very rapidly. Your goal is to get a nut-brown colour to your butter. Once you have that nut-brown butter, take off the heat, take the clove of garlic out and keep cover to keep warm until your pasta is done.
4. When your pasta is cooked to an "al dente", strain and place in the pot with your brown butter. Toss the pasta to coat and if the spaghetti appears a bit dry, add some olive oil into the mix. Add some grated Kefalotyri cheese and continue to toss until the cheese has blended in with the butter.
5. Take off the heat, add some crumbled Feta, a turn of fresh-cracked black pepper and top with some more crumbled Feta and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil

The richer, creamier cousin to this dish can be found here.


If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at http://kalofagas.blogspot.com then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at truenorth67 AT gmail DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author.
© 2007-2009 Peter Minakis

Kataïfi (καταϊφι)

The sister dessert to Baklava has to be Kataifi. The more common and popular dessert is baklava but don't let that keep you from trying out this dessert that's easy to assemble, fabulous to look at and ever a delight to eat.

Much like Baklava, Kataifi exists in the dessert repertoire of Greek, Turkish, Middle Eastern and some Arabic nations. Kataifi is a pastry that resembles "shredded wheat" but that's where the similarity begins and ends.

Kataifi behaves like phyllo dough in that one has to work quick, be fresh and be kept moist when handling it (like phyllo). Where does one buy Kataifi? That's easy, you'll likely see packages of Kataifi pastry for sale in stores that sell phyllo pastry and quite often, they are beside each other in the freezer!

The most common filling for the Greek Kataifi is chopped walnuts but I don't think the Greek Food Taliban will fault you for making up your own nut mix. One can try pistachios, almonds, pecans or go ultra-rich with pine nuts!

During the Christmas holidays, I was in a mood for a combo of pistachios, almonds and walnuts, do I hear a "Hell Yeah"?

Having some leftover filling from my chocolate baklava, I went & got some Kataifi pastry from my Greek grocer and set out to make some Kataifi!

Sandie, this one's for you!

Kataïfi (καταϊφι)

1 package (1lb) of Kataifi pastry, thawed
1/2 lb. of melted butter

Filling
2/3 cup of walnuts, fine chop
2/3 cup of pistachios, fine chop
2/3 cup of blanched almonds, fine chop
1/2 cup of sugar
1 tsp. of ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. of ground cloves
1 egg white, lightly beaten

Syrup
3/4 cup of honey
2 cups of sugar
2 1/2 cups of water
1 cinnamon stick
rind of 1 lemon
juice of 1 lemon

some reserved nuts for topping

Pre-heated 350F oven

1. Buy your Kataifi pastry from a store that sells alot of phyllo and kataifi pastry (high turnover). This ensures you're buying a fresh product each time. Thaw in the fridge overnight and take out of the fridge about 15 minutes before working with it to come to room temperature.
2. In a food processor, pulse your nut mixture until you've achieved a crumbly nut mixture. Empty into a bowl and mix in the remaining ingredients in the filling list.
3. After you've brought your Kataifi to room temperature, open the pastry. The Kataifi I work with comes rolled up in a package. Carefully unroll it and using some scissors, cut up into 2"X5" strips. Keep your supply of Kataifi pieces covered with a damp towel as you assemble the Kataifi rolls.
4. Drizzle the surface of your Kataifi piece and place 1 Tbsp. of the nut mixture at one end of the Kataifi strip and roll it up tightly into a small cylinder. Place the the assembled rolls of Kataifi on a buttered 11"X 15" pan and sprinkle them with melted butter.
5. Bake in a preheated 350F oven (middle rack) for 1 hour. Allow to cool.
6. Prepare the syrup as follows: add all the syrup ingredients in a pot and bring to a boil, then simmer over medium heat for 15 minutes. Keep the syrup hot until your Kataifi has cooled from the oven (Katiafi must be cool - syrup hot).
7. Using a ladle, pour the hot syrup over the entire surface of your Kataifi. You may see pooling of syrup but no worries, the Kataifi will absorb the syrup up. Sprinkle the reserved nuts over the Kataifi pieces.
   
8. Allow to cool before serving. Keep stored in an airtight container (room temperature) for a week.
   

If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at http://kalofagas.blogspot.com then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at truenorth67 AT gmail DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author.
© 2007-2009 Peter Minakis

Pastourma Takes Patience (παστουρμά)

On many occasions I've referred to the Greek eating experience as being centered around many sample plates of foods that are shared over drinks, conversation among family and friends. Greek cuisine has alot of appetizers, usually simply prepared but the array is great and the diversity even more so.

One facet of Greek appetizers or "the meze" is the use of delicatessen meats. I remember when I was young and my mom would prepare for an entire week to prepare mezedes for the onslaught of family and friends who would drop by our house on the occasion of my father's nameday, St. Nicholas.

It's very common to see salami and other cold cuts on offer at a buffet table or as part of an array of appetizers like cheeses, bread, toursi (pickled vegetables) and the usual dips (like Tzatziki).

I've always liked deli meats be it Greek or non-Greek but today and in the future, I'm going to showcase some of Greece's deli and cured meats.

There's Kavourma from northern Greece, the Cretan delicacy of Apaki, Louza from the Cycladic Islands, Siglino from down south Mani way and today's feature, Pastourma.

From my readings, Pastourma comes from Armenian cuisine but it's widely enjoyed by Turks, some Arab countries and of course, Greece.

Pastourma made it's way to Greece through the migration of Greeks who once resided in Constantinople and Asia Minor. Some of the best Pastourma I had was when I visited Istanbul (Constantinople) a couple of years ago.

The Greeks of Asia Minor have left a permanent stamp on Greek cuisine and as many would agree, our cuisine is richer for it.

What's Pastourma? It's the grand-daddy of Pastrami. It used to be cured by frontier horsemen who would carry a type of Pastourma in their saddles during their long treks away from home. In essence, it's a beef jerky but now will get into the nitty-gritty.

Pastourma, it is said was once made of camel meat but that could be either urban legend or a fact of days of yore. Today's Pastourma is mostly made from different cuts of beef. For this recipe, I used an inside round cut of beef...lean, no silverskin and ideal size for some who wants to enjoy it with family and friends.

Pastourma takes about a month to salt cure and dry age to perfection. From my research, there are some quick-cure recipes out there but it appears the slow method garners the best results.

Pastourma is not for everybody. The crust is known as "tsimeni" or "trigonela" and it's a paste that contains garlic and spices, the predominant one being fenugreek.

Personally, I love the aroma, the taste of Pastourma. For those not in the know, fenugreek is a spice used heavily in the Orient it's from Methi leaves, which my Indian friends will attest to using in their dishes quite often.

Pastourma is best when it's sliced thinly, it has that texture of prosciutto or bresaola, very tender and buttery kind of experience. In it's rawest presentation, it's served thinly sliced on a plate with some bread and cheese and washed back with an Ouzo or Tsipouro aperitif. I've also found dry Greek reds to pair well with Pastourma.

Pastourma also makes for a wonderful omelet, which often is served as a dinner option for those late night Greek meals.

The most famous use of Pastourma has to be Caesaria Pie, which contains a filling of pastourma slices, Kasseri chese and often tomato.

Pastourma can be found at Middle Eastern markets, some Greek food marts sell it, Armenian and Turkish patronized stores will also certainly carry it. If you're in a city or town that is nowhere near any of these stores, no worries....the home version is here.

Once again, my core belief in food is sharing and I've held no recipe back and nor will I ever. I present to you Pastourma, the home-cured version...enjoy!

Pastourma (παστουρμά)
(recipe adapted from Mark Marcarian)
33 days preparation

1 piece of inside round beef (about 2 lbs)
approx. 1/4 cup sea salt (granulated)

Tsimeni
3 Tbsp. of ground fenugreek
1/2 tsp. red pepper (cayenne)
1/2 tsp. of salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 Tbsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. ground allspice
3-4 cloves of minced garlic
approx. 1 cup of water
cheesecloth

1. Ask your butcher for an inside round cut of beef, lean and no silverskin. Rinse and pat-dry your meat and place in a container that will fit in your fridge. Using an upholstery needle, thread some butcher's twine through one end of the meat and tie a knot so that you may later hang the meat for curing.
2. Cover the the entire area of meat with sea salt and place in your vessel. Cover with plastic wrap and use either a brick or 2-3 cans of tomatoes to weigh/press down on the meat. Place in the fridge for 3 days and turn once each day.
3. Upon completion of day 3, rinse the meat of the salt in cold water and allow it to then soak in cold water for an hour. Allow the water to drain off the meat (30 minutes) and press between some cloth towels to remove any remaining moisture.
4. Wrap the meat with one layer of cheesecloth and hang in a cool, airy place to dry for 2 weeks. My Pastourma was hung to dry in a cool, dry cellar that was 15-18C and humidity of about 60-65%. Check on your Pastourma from time to time, you might get a slight foul smell but that's okay...change the cheesecloth ( I did 3 times).
   
5. After 2 weeks, remove the cheesecloth and rinse and pat dry. Now mix all the ingredients (except the water) for the Tsimeni in a large bowl. Slowly add the water a bit at a time while you mix the ingredients until a thick, gloopy paste has formed. You'll use anywhere between 1/2 to almost 1 cup of water (the Tsimeni should be thick so that it adheres to the meat).
   
6. Put on some gloves and slather the meat with your Tsimeni mixture. Take your Tsimeni-coated meat back to where you hung the meat and allow to cure for another 2 weeks.
7. After a total of approx. 33 days, your Pastourma is ready to be eaten. Cut the Pastourma in half and slice thinly against the grain from the inside towards the outer, tapering end of the meat. You may also refrigerate or freeze your Pastourma for future use. Wrap well in plastic wrap and that for 5 minutes to soften and go on and slice what you need before placing back in the freezer.
8. Serve thin slices at room temperature as part of an appetizer plate with some cheese, some bread and an aperitif like Ouzo or a dry Greek red wine.
   

If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at http://kalofagas.blogspot.com then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at truenorth67 AT gmail DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author.
© 2007-2009 Peter Minakis

A Simple Greek Sandwich

Roast some red peppers. Place in a paper bag to sweat for 30 minutes or so and peel the charred skins off. Season with sea salt and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.

Get yourself a slab of Greek Feta cheese.

Toast a homemade sesame seed bun and place some roasted red peppers in the bun, with a slab of Feta. Sprinke some dried Oregano and enjoy one of the easiest and tastiest sandwiches will ever have.

If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at http://kalofagas.blogspot.com then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at truenorth67 AT gmail DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author. © 2007-2009 Peter Minakis

Grouper en Papillote (ροφός στο χαρτί)

I am enjoying this January from an eating perspective. It's been refreshing to look and enjoy meals that are on the lighter side without sacrificing taste or neglecting your hungry stomach.

Last week's Fish a la Spetsiota was warmly embraced by you my readers and it appears it's caught the attention of some at Food Network Canada!

Today, I'm going to feature another fish, the grouper. My fish monger seems to always have a decent and fair supply of these fish. They likely come from the waters of Florida and the fish can be the size of a salmon to half the size of a human.

I would characterize grouper as a semi-firm fleshed fish, not as dense as shark or swordfish but something a little firmer than salmon. It's flavour is mild in flavour and holds up well to the recipe I'm about to show you.

I do enjoy baked fish (almost as much as grilled) and this grouper "en papillote" (in paper) is easy to prepare, easily accessible ingredients and healthy to boot!

Healthy you say? Remember it's still January, I have my eye towards healthy dishes and this one is a good serving of grouper, some vegetables, olive oil and your one component of decadence...a big, crusty roll of bread who's only purpose on Earth was to give you the honours of mopping up this lovely, aromatic sauce.

Grouper en Papillote (ροφός στο χαρτί)
(for 4)

1 medium red onion, sliced
1 green bell pepper, sliced
1/4 cup olive oil
2 pints of cherry tomatoes (pre-roasted on high heat in your oven)
1 Tbsp. of minced garlic
1/4 dry white wine
1-2 unpeeled zucchini, sliced
4 (7-8oz.) Grouper fillets
1/4 cup of fresh basil leaves
(or 1/2 tsp. dry basil)
1 tsp. dry Greek oregano
1 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. fresh cracked black pepper parchment paper
butcher's twine
extra-virgin olive oil

Pre-heated 400F oven

1. Rinse and pat dry your fillets and season lightly with some salt and pepper, set aside. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the olive oil reduce to medium and saute your onions and peppers on for about 6 minutes or until softened and tender. Add the tomatoes, garlic and wine and simmer for another minute. Stir in zucchini and add salt and pepper according to taste and set aside.
2. Cut four pieces of parchment paper (about three times the size of each fillet) and layout on your kitchen's work surface. Set each fillet in the middle and spoon some sauce mixture over each fillet. Top with a few basil leaves and some dried Oregano and fold the sides up towards the middle, fold the two pieces to form a seal in the middle and twist the ends of the paper with your hands. Now secure each end by tying each end with butcher's twine.
3. Place your paper parcels of fish on a large baking sheet and place on the middle rack of your pre-heated oven for 25-30 minutes.
4. Carefully transfer to each plate and cut open the packets at your dinner table. Drizzle extra-virgin olive oil over each fish and serve with a seasonal salad, some crusty bread and a dry white wine.
   

If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at http://kalofagas.blogspot.com then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at truenorth67 AT gmail DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author. © 2007-2009 Peter Minakis

Kampanoules With Peppers and Basil (καμπανούλες με πιπεριές και βασιλικό)

It's been awhile since I've posted a pasta dish. It's not that I haven't been eating pasta (I have) but I'm also not going to bore you with another Bolognese recipe or any other standard pasta dish that most of us regularly enjoy.

Instead, it's time to showcase another rustic dish, filling yet light on the pocket and the palate. Last year Misko of Greece sent me some samples of their Greek pasta and one of the more unique shapes were their "kampanoules" (καμπανούλες) or in English - "little bells".

The package reads that they are indigenous to the province of Thessalia, which sits between Macedonia and and Attica. The shape of this pasta also mimics the shape of the little bell-shaped flowers that grow wild on the mountainsides.

Enough with flowers, pasta tastes better, no?

This recipe comes from the side of the package of Kampanpoules. This is a simple dish, using only vegetables, herbs, olive oil and the pasta itself. I've made this dish a few times and it always satisfies me with it's fresh flavours and I never feel bad about eating a big bowl.

Another Greek cheese that's grated on top of pasta dishes is the aged, dry Myzithra. Myzithra comes fresh and aged and it's made like ricotta cheese (from the leftover whey).

Dry Myzithra comes in large, grapefruit sized balls, it's a hard and salty cheese. When grated it has the characteristics of a mild Romano.

Kampanoules With Peppers and Basil (καμπανούλες με πιπεριές και βασιλικό)
(for 4)

2 cups or 500gr. of "καμπανούλες"
1 cup of diced tomatoes (fresh or canned)
1/3 cup olive oil
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 small red onion, diced
1 cup of fresh button mushrooms, sliced
1 green pepper (banana or cubanelle), sliced
1 red pepper, sliced
1/3 cup pitted black olives, rough chop
1 cup of fresh basil, chiffonade
Grated dry Myzithra cheese

1. Place a large pot of water on your stovetop and bring to a boil. Add a good amount of salt and cook your pasta (kampanoules) for 10-13 minutes.
2. In a large skillet, add your olive oil over medium heat and add the onions and garlic and saute for a couple of minutes. Now add your mushrooms, tomatoes and peppers and simmer for about 8-10 minutes over medium-low heat. Add the chopped olives and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Set aside and keep warm.
3. When your pasta is cooked, drain it and add to the sauce along with your basil and toss to coat all the pasta with the sauce.
4. Divide pasta into four plates and grate the dry Myzithra over each serving.
   

If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at http://kalofagas.blogspot.com then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author. © 2007-2009 Peter Minakis

Fruits of the Forest (Φρούτα του δάσους)

Ever since I was a child, I've always enjoyed eating mushrooms. My earliest recollection of eating mushrooms were a batch sauted and smothered in butter and garlic, like Greek mom's do.

I enjoy mushrooms on pizza, mushroom soup, a baby spinach salad with sliced mushrooms, mushroom crepes, pasta with a mushroom sauce or part of a tart or stuffing. They are really quite versatile and I love mushrooms so.

I have lots of Greek cookbooks and although there are some mushroom recipes, there aren't much. Last year I discovered a Greek language blog called Manitarosyntages (mushroom recipes) and it was af if I have discovered my own batch of edible mushrooms during a hike in the forest.

The blog's author is Dimitra Vergou-Evanggelopoulou and after reading a few of her posts, I discovered that she had also just released a cookbook full of Greek recipes with mushrooms...SCORE!

I inquired about ordering and shipping the book to Canada and Dimitra was very generous in offering me a complementary copy. The book arrived just before Christmas and it's one of the best Christmas presents I've received in awhile.

Dimitra comes from the Greek prefecture of Grevena, which is located in Greece's northernmost province, Macedonia. The area of Grevena has long been recognized as a bountiful area when it comes to mushrooms and most recently, truffles have been found.

Most of the truffles go to export but this delicacy is starting to appear in Greek dishes too! The book contains seventy recipes from soups & salads to appetizers and main courses and even some applications in Greek spoon sweets!

At this point in time, the book is only available in Greek but one could always buy the book, befriend a Greek and get a translation, no? For those interested in buying this fine cookbook, you may visit the publisher's website here.

In the meantime, I'd like to thank Dimitra for her generosity in sending me the book and in typical Kalofagas style, it's time for food and for sharing.

The other day I found some finger-food sized ouster mushrooms that had short stems and not woody at all. If you're wondering...yes, the oyster mushrooms have that slight seafood taste and the stems can be too woody to eat. Simply break snap off the stems and they will break in their natural spot (much like asparagus).

This recipe makes for a quick and delicious meze or appetizer. It's fried oyster mushrooms but you can use any mushroom you wish. What's unique about this dish is that the batter uses white wine and that, my friends complemented the taste of the mushrooms.

It's winter time in Greece, people are entertaining in their homes, dining with friends at tavernas and wine is flowing freely. Pick up a bottle of dry Greek white wine, make some of this batter, fry up some 'shrooms and sip on the wine and discover how this appetizer complements the wine so well!

For this dish, I sipped on the Domaine Porto Karras Malagouzia. Malagouzia grapes, a Greek varietal that was almost extinct has made a resurgence and it made for a wonderful pairing with the fried mushrooms. The fruity finish complements the earthy mushrooms and a slight sweet aftertaste is left on the palate.

What are you waiting for? Go grab some Malagouzia and some mushrooms!


Fried Oyster Mushrooms (Μανιτάρια Tηγανητά)
(makes 1 appetizer plate for 4)

Approx. 1 lb. of Oyster mushrooms, stems trimmed
2 eggs
1 glass of dry Greek wine
approx. 1 cup of all-purpose flour
sea salt and black pepper
vegetable oil for frying

1. In a large bowl, crack your eggs and add the wine and whisk to incorporate. Now add the flour while whisking until you get a thickness akin to pancake batter. Add about a tsp. of salt and pepper and allow to sit.
2. Heat your deep fryer or other vessel used for frying and your oil should get to about 360-370F before frying.
3. Dip your mushrooms in the batter and fry in batches until golden-brown. Set on a paper-lined plate, season with sea salt and serve warm with a dry Greek wine.
   

If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at http://kalofagas.blogspot.com then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author. © 2007-2009 Peter Minakis

Grandma's Pork & Quince (Χοιρινό & Κυδώνια της Γιαγιάς)

My relatives can be divided into two camps: the father's side of the family and the mother's side. The two camps are also geographically divided with all of my dad's side of the family residing here in Canada and save for two of my mom's first cousins here in Canada, the rest of her family reside in Greece.

Many friends have asked why I go to Greece so often, is their not a whole other world out there to explore and enjoy? My obvious answer is "yes" BUT...I always remind them that I have aunts and uncles, dozens of cousins, friends and friends of the family and for a long time, maternal grandparents. It's important for me to stay connected with them.

My mom's parents have both since passed on but memories of them are triggered each time I go to Greece and I always visit the cemetary to light a candle for them.

My maternal grandmother's(yiayia) name was Agape, translated litterally as "love". What woman would marry at a young age, bear five children, embrace grandparents in the household, be the CEO of a household that had nine hungry mouths and manage sneak away some food to some less fortunate and starving relatives?

Only a lady with the name of Agape.

Having found a good and reliable source of quince this past autumn, my mom recalled a dish her mother (my yiayia Agape) would make during the winter months. My parents both also recall the annual slaughtering of the pigs for the winter and pork (like in much of the word) would get paired with fruits.

This dish comes from mom's memories as a child and this dish of pork & quince is one of those food memories. Basically you have paillards of pork meat that rolled around good slices of quince and placed over a bed of potatoes and quince and tossed in olive oil plus the zest and juice of one orange.

I was skeptical as to how tasty the resulting dish would taste like but that eroded to expose a roast that was aromatic, easy on the eye and absolutely delicious.

If you can still find some quince in your neck of the woods, give this bake a try...it's easy, it's old school Greek and it tastes delicious.

This dish brought back many fond memories of my yiayia Agape and for me, food and aromas transports me, triggers memories. I hope this dish does the same for you.

Grandma's Pork & Quinces (Χοιρινό & Κυδώνια της Γιαγιάς)
(serves 6)

1 1/2 of lean bonless pork (loin, or leg)
12 medium to large Russet or other baking potatoes
1/3 cup of olive oil
4 quinces
zest and juice of 1 orange
salt and pepper to taste
toothpicks

Pre-heated 450F oven

1. To slice your pork thinly, place the piece of meat in the freezer for about 30 minutes to harden. Cut thin slices of pork, say about 3-4 per person and place each piece between plastic wrap and pound out into paillards (cutlets). Reserve.
   
2. Peel and cut your potatoes into uniform sizes and place in the roasting pan. Peel and core your quinces. Two quinces should be cut up into chunks that are the size of the potatoes and the other two quince should be cut up into 1/2cm slices that can fit and rolled into the pork paillards (cutlets).
3. Pour the olive oil over the potatoes and quince, add the zest and juice of one orange and preheat your oven. Season with salt and pepper and toss to evenly coat the potatoes and quince. Taste the oil in the pan to check and adjust seasoning accordingly.
   
4. Assemble your pork and quince rolls by laying out a pork cutlet, lightly season the inside with salt and pepper and place a slice of quince at one of the cutlet. Roll the pork around the quince (snugly) and afix with a toothpick. Continue assembling your pork and quick rolls until all the pork has been rolled. If there's any pieces of quince left, toss them in the roasting pan with the potatoes and quince.
5. Lightly season the outside of your pork and quince roll-ups and place on the bed of potatoes and quince. Place in your pre-heated oven for 30 minutes and then take out the baking dish and flip the pork-rolls so that the underside also cooks to a nice deep-brown colour. Reduce the oven's temperature to 400f and continue to roast for another 15-20 minutes or until the the potatoes are fork-tender.
6. Serve each plate with a pile of potatoes and quince, drizzle some extra-virgin olive oil and serve with a winter green salad.

If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at http://kalofagas.blogspot.com then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author. © 2007-2009 Peter Minakis