From my book The Foods of the Greek Islands.
Adapted from a 19c. recipe this pasticcio is enclosed in puff pastry and is quite different from the modern dish that is topped with a thick béchamel crust. Read HERE more about the history and variations of the dish.
Makes 8 servings
A kind of deconstructed stuffed cabbage leaves, this is a wonderful and most satisfying winter dish. It is inspired by Ozlem Warren’s Bulguru Lahana Kapuska. I substituted wheat berries (farro) for the bulgur, and omitted the pepper paste, adding lots of Maras pepper. I used white wine and very little water as the cooking broth, plus some crushed canned tomatoes. (more…)
This is my variation on lapas (pronounced lah-pàhs) the traditional Greek comfort food our mothers cooked for us whenever we were sick with a stomach or tummy ache. It is a soft risotto, that is best eaten as soon as it is taken off the heat.
But I refrigerate the leftovers and reheat in the microwave, spaying with some water, since I never serve it plain. I use it much like polenta as the base for many different strongly-flavored toppings, like the Roasted Quince and Carrots –with or without eggs or chicken– or with Baked Scallion Meatballs and Avgolemono Sauce. But it is wonderful simply mixed with just crumbled feta or any other cheese.
Traditionally Lapas has no herbs or other flavorings, but my Georgian friends, who also prepared a similar dish, added a few bay leaves which made it wonderfully aromatic. I took their idea and now bay leaves have become part of my rice porridge. (more…)
Adapted from Food 52.
I remembered my mother’s skordomakarona as I came across the very precise recipe for convenient One Pot pasta. (more…)
I have adapted for mung beans my mother’s simple recipe for lentil soup, a winter staple in our house for as long as I can remember. She added mustard to all the pulses believing that it helped tame the occasional digestive issues.
Somehow inspired by the bean’s origin I add turmeric and my mung beans became a richer and more flavorful soup than the original lentils, I feel! This is a very filling Vegan dish.
Serves 6 to 8
