Five traditional recipes initiate a journey to the Cyclades and their well-known gastronomic paths.
Tinian artichoke pie
Ingredients:
- 1 pack of pie crust
- 6 artichokes
- 1 big onion
- green onion cut roundly
- dill
- parsley
- 3 eggs
- 1/2kg grounded kefalograviera cheese
- 5tbsps olive oil
- salt
- pepper
Preparation:
Once we have the artichokes cleaned, we place them into a basin with water and lemon. Next, we cook them in salted water with 2 lemon cups (so as not to turn black). As soon as they become tender, we drain and chop them. In a frying pan, we sauté the dry and green onions, add the artichokes and remove from fire. We add the eggs, cheese, dill, parsley, salt and pepper. In an oiled baking pan, we unfold half the pastry sheets, pour over some oil and spread the filling. We cover with the rest of the pastry sheets, brush again with oil, drizzle some water and bake in preheated oven at the 180˚C for an hour.
Fourtalia or froutalia from Andros
Ingredients:
- 500gr potatoes
- 4-5 eggs
- 4tbsps olive oil or lard
- 2-3 sausages from Andros
- spearmint
- grounded mizithra cheese
- a little milk
- salt pepper
Preparation:
We clean, wash and cut the potatoes into rings. In a frying pan, we cook the sausages in olive oil or let the sausages pour out all their fat. We add the potatoes and blend until they become tender. In a soup bowl we beat the eggs, pour some milk and season. We add the local grounded cheese and flavor with fresh spearmint. We pour the mixture over the sausages in the pan and as soon as one side is ready, we turn it over (using a big pot lid). When it is cooked, we serve in a platter.
Honey pie from Mykonos
Ingredients for the pastry sheet:
- 600gr flour
- 1 coffee cup of melted butter
- 1/2 teaspoon of sweet salt
- 1 cup of lukewarm water
- Extra butter for opening of the pastry sheet
Ingredients for the filling:
- 1kg tyrovolia
- 4 eggs
- 300gr sugar
- 2 spoonfuls honey
- Cinnamon for the powdering
Preparation:
Place in a little basin the flour with the salt and in the middle pour the melted butter. Start kneading and add slowly the lukewarm water until it is converted into a firm and soft dough. Mix all the ingredients for the stuffing. Butter a griddle and after having divided the dough (the lower pastry sheet has to get more dough), open the pastry sheet. After having opened it, place butter on the surface, refold and open again the sheets. Put them in the griddle and add the stuffing. Open the second sheet likewise. Finish off the pie by bringing together the two pastry sheets with a fork. Carve and prick the surface of the pie in order to let it breathe. Oil the pie and bake at 180˚C for 1 hour. As soon as it is out of the oven, pour it over with 5-6 spoonfuls of honey.
Paros stewing snails (karavoloi)
Ingredients:
- 1/2kg snails
- 1kg mature smashed tomatoes
- 1kg onions
- 1 cup of olive oil
- 1-2 bay leaves
- Cumin
- Salt
- Pepper
- Flour
Preparation:
We place the snails in a strainer, pour flour and cover very well so as for them not to “escape”. After 5-6 days, we wash them very well for several times. We place the snails into a pot with salted water and cook for 5 minutes. We strain, cut their edging part, wash out well and let them get cold. In another pot, we add water, salt and the onions. As soon as they become softer, we pour the olive along with the tomato, pepper, bay, cumin and finally, the snails. We cook until they absorb all liquids apart from their oil.
Pentarates” potatoes from Naxos
Ingredients:
- 1/2kg potatoes from Naxos
- 1/2kg onions
- Salt
- Pepper
- Oil for frying
- Grated Naxos graviera cheese
Preparation:
We wash the potatoes very well and cut them unpeeled into rings. We place the potatoes in hot oil and fry. We prepare the onions and cut them in thin slices. We put them into the pan with the potatoes and blend. We add salt and pepper and carry on frying. We remove from fire, add the grated graviera and serve.
