‘Fasolada’ is a warm bean stew made in Greek homes all year around. It is the ultimate healthy village comfort food. White beans, carrots, celery, potatoes, sun ripened tomatoes, dried chilly and generous quantity of extra virgin olive oil to bind everything together. Add feta cheese and parsley for a great finish! You’ve never dipped your bread in anything better!

Recipe serves: 4 persons. Total cook time: 1.5-2 hours (60 mins if using pressure cooker)

Ingredients

300g dried white small Greek beans
6-7 cups of fresh water
1 red onion, chopped
2 celery stalks (with their leaves), thickly sliced
2 carrots, thickly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
⅓ cup Greek extra virgin olive oil
2 large bay leaves
1½ cups tomato passata or thick crushed tomatoes
1 TBSP. tomato paste
2 medium sized potatoes, cut in large cubes
½ tsp. dried organic Greek oregano
¾-1 tsp. sea salt --- freshly ground pepper --- red pepper flakes
1-2 TBSP. vinegar
⅓ cup Greek extra virgin olive oil (at the end)
200g Mevgal Greek Feta Cheese (serving suggestion)
50g Kalamata or Sun Dried Olives (serving suggestion)

Instructions

1. Rinse the beans, discard malformed or stone-like ones. Soak the beans for at least 8 hours or overnight (preferably).

2. The next morning, drain and rinse the beans. Place them in a large pot with just enough fresh water to cover them. Bring to a boil. You will notice that white foam will rise to the surface of the water. Remove it with a spoon and then drain the beans in a colander. (This step is necessary to get rid of the impurities and it also makes the beans much easier on your stomach!)

3. Place the beans back in the pot with the six cups of fresh water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer for about 30 minutes. While the beans cook, prep the vegetables.

4. Add the onion, celery, carrots, garlic, ⅓ cup of olive oil and bay leaves to the pot. Simmer, partially covered for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

5. Next, add the tomatoes, tomato paste, potato and the seasoning. Cover the pot partially and continue simmering for about 30 minutes more, or, until the beans are very tender and the soup is thick and creamy. Check to see if a little more liquid is needed, and if it does add a little warm water. The consistency of the soup should be casserole thick.

6. Just before removing from the heat, discard the bay leaves and stir in the vinegar and the remaining ⅓ cup of olive oil. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

7. Serve hot with some hearty bread, seasoned olives and Greek Feta cheese.

Notes

The cooking time depends on the age and condition of the beans. Older dry beans take much more time to cook, so adjust the cooking time accordingly.

This soup is even more flavorful the next day. You can keep it in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days, in an airtight container. Reheat the soup gently in a pan on the stovetop.

Pressure Cooker

If you use a pressure cooker, then follow steps 1-2 as above in an open pan and then combine steps 3-5 under pressure. Essentially add all the ingredients together, stir and then pressure cook. Cooking time can be around 35-45 minutes depending on your pressure cooker. Add more water and continue pressure cooking until beans are soft and creamy.

Few things bring a smile to my face (and stomach) like my mum’s 'kritharaki'.

'Krithariaki' is the Greek name for 'orzo' pasta, which looks like grains of barley (‘kritharaki’ literally means little barley) but is actually a wheat pasta. The recipe I love is cooked with a rich tomato sauce, extra virgin olive oil and good quality fresh ground beef. It's the ultimate comfort food, you cannot go wrong and everyone loves it!

Orzo is a great pasta that is not very well known, but is so versatile and delicious. You can use it in a soup, as a traditional pasta or in a stew. If you have anything 'soupy' or with excess juices, just throw in some orzo and it will absorb everything to become a lovely part of the dish.

So mum's 'Kritharaki' recipe, with no further ado! Serves 4 persons.

Ingredients

500-600g ground beef
250g Rummo orzo pasta
¼ cup Oluem extra virgin olive oil
1 medium red onion, diced
2 grated carrots
3 garlic cloves, chopped
600g freshly grated/chopped ripened tomatoes
Salt and black pepper
Pinch of dry oregano
Pinch of cinnamon
Up to 2-3 cups of water
2-3 tblsp ketchup for little sweetness
100g crumbled Feta cheese and 200g grated Halloumi Cheese
Finely chopped parsley for serving

Instructions

Step 1
In a large wide pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat and add the ground beef. Use a large wooden spoon to break up the chunks until mince is even. Season with salt, pepper, cinnamon and oregano, and cook for 10-15 minutes. Then add onions and garlic and cook until onions have softened and water has evaporated.

Step 2
Add the chopped/grated tomatoes, the grated carrots, the ketchup and 1-2 small cups of water.

Step 3
Cook for about 30 minutes in a medium/low heat until liquid is reduced and taste for flavour. Remember to stir occasionally during cooking. Sauce should look like a thick gravy by now. Add more of whatever you feel it needs. Greek cooking is not an exact science! Go with your taste and preference.

Step 4
Once the mince has cooked, add the orzo to it, stirring it in so it doesn’t stick together and add enough water, so the orzo is just covered. Cover the pot with the lid and let it cook for about 15-20 minutes. Stir regularly from the bottom of the pan to stop the orzo sticking and burning. Add a little water at a time as needed, keeping the sauce thick.

Step 5
When orzo is soft, and water is reduced to a thick gravy, remove from heat. Top with the grated cheeses and parsley and serve.

I hope this brings as much joy to you as it does me!

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Rummo Semi de Orzo Pasta / 500g

HK$29.00

Mevgal Greek Feta Cheese P.D.O. / 200g

HK$55.00

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Polycarpou Cyprus Hand Made Halloumi Cheese, 100% Sheep Milk / 250g

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Shakshuka is a delicious eggs in tomato and red peppers dish that can be enjoyed all day long

Shakshuka With Feta

Shakshuka may be at the apex of eggs-for-dinner recipes, though in Israel and the Middle East it is mostly breakfast and lunch food, a bright, spicy start to the day with a pile of crispy pita bread served on the side.

Shakshuka originated in North Africa, and like many great dishes there are as many versions of it. This one strays from more traditional renditions by adding crumbled feta cheese, which softens into creamy nuggets in the oven’s heat.

It’s a one-skillet recipe of eggs baked in a sauce of ripe tomatos and sweet red peppers, spiced with cumin, paprika and cayenne. Briefly, you firstly make the tomato and red pepper sauce, then you gently crack each of the eggs into the pan, nestling them into little pockets in the sauce.

The pan is moved into the oven to finish for a few minutes.

Ingredients

3-5 tablespoons Greek extra-virgin olive oil
1 large red onion, halved and thinly sliced
1-2 large red bell pepper or horn pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
3-5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
Pinch of oregano or thyme
⅛ teaspoon ground cayenne, or to taste
800g of well ripened fresh tomatoes with their juices, coarsely chopped
¾ teaspoon sea salt, add more as needed
¼ teaspoon black pepper, add more as needed
150-200g Mevgal feta cheese, crumbled
6 large eggs
Chopped coriander or parsley

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 180C degrees. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add onion and bell peppers. Cook gently until very soft, about 20 minutes. Add garlic and cook until tender for 1 to 2 minutes; stir in cumin, paprika and cayenne, and cook 1 minute. Pour in chopped tomatoes and season with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; simmer until tomatoes have thickened, about 10-15 minutes. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed. Some people like to add a teaspoon of sugar if tomatoes not ripened. Stir in crumbled feta cheese.

2. Once sauce is reduced and thick, make little pockets on top and gently crack eggs into the skillet. Season eggs with salt and pepper. Transfer skillet to oven and bake until eggs are just set, 5-7 minutes. Sprinkle with coriander or parsley and serve with spicy sauce if you like.