Fassolada is considered to be the national dish of the Greeks because the Greeks survived those poor years eating dried legumes and vegetables. Meat was eaten rarely and only on special occasions. Even until early sixties, meat was eaten only on Sundays but after a few decades of prosperity we are back to “psorokostena” …
The white giant beans called “gigantes or elephantes” have been cultivated in Northern Greece (Kastoria, Florina, and Drama etc.,) for centuries and are recognized by the European Union as products of Protected Geographic Indication (PGI). These black giant beans are a new Greek variety and are not widely known in Greek cooking yet. They are …
Gigantes plaki is a deliciously hearty vegan dish made with giant beans, cooked in a tomato sauce, served as a main dish or as part of a mezze platter.
I really loved the last pesto I made recently with fresh wild oregano, which we picked from the mountain. You can use it not only in pasta dishes but also on grilled food or as a topping in many other dishes.
Kathara Deftera, which means Clean Monday marks the beginning of Lent. During this period the Orthodox abstain from eating meat and dairy products.
Fassolia Piaz are white beans boiled and made into a salad. There are a lot of variations of this salad but we like it with tomatoes, onion, tuna, parsley, served with olive oil and lemon juice.
Fassolada (or fassoulada, as the peasants call it), is a hearty navy beans stew, or soup if you like and is considered to be the national food of the Greeks.