Say it, 'Pesto'

'Pesto' translated in Greek is 'Say it'.
So let's say it with walnuts, parsley and kefalograviera.

It could be Greek, with a nice Hellenic EV.

250g walnuts, shelled
A big bunch of parsley, including stalks
2-3 garlic cloves
200g kefalograviera cheese, grated
½ cup EV olive oil

Throw it all into the food processor and whizz till smooth.
Thin out with more oil, if needed.

Spread on bread, turn into a dressing for Greek salad, toss with warm kritharaki pasta, squish into baked eggplant…..

Haido's potato cake

Vertisko, Northern Greece - Aug 2011.

A teeny, tiny speck of a village in the hills, 1hr north of Thessaloniki.

Dinner at To Horio (To Χωριο, meaning 'The Village').

Pork spare ribs, salted fresh water fish, village salad, pickles, local barrel cheese, woodoven bread.

Loads of tsipouro on the rocks (a.k.a 'rocket fuel') made from local grapes.

Balmy night.

Great company.

A sneak peek into the restaurant kitchen for another recipe.

This time, Haido's signature potato cake.

Haido's potato cake

Serves 2

2 large waxy potatoes, peeled and grated.

1 onion, grated

100g kefalograviera cheese, grated

salt & pepper

EV olive oil, for frying

Put grated onion and potato into a bowl.

Season and mix well.

Heat olive oil in a non-stick frying pan.
Add half the mix and very lightly press with the back of a spatula.

Fry on high heat for 1 min, then reduce heat and continue to cook for a further 3-4 mins on both sides.

When cooked and golden remove from pan and repeat with the remaining mix, adding more oil to the pan.

Sprinkle grated kefalograviera cheese on top and serve with tzatziki.

This recipe was translated from:

http://www.gastronomos.gr/grigores_sintages/2525/Trimmenes-patates-sto-tigani-me-saltsa-giaourtiou?c=91

The boys @ To Horio 

Bored & 2kg of capsicums

Bored?

Cook.

Make Gemista (stuffed capsicums).

2kg red capsicums

1kg pork shoulder or minced pork

3 onions, finely chopped

12 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup EV olive oil (preferably Greek)

1 cup short grain rice (Carolina rice from Greece or Italian Arborio)

1Tblspn ground Greek cinnamon

3 tspn ground cloves

1 tspn ground nutmeg

a big handful of pinenuts

a big handful of sultanas

big handful of fresh parsley, finely chopped

bigger handful of fresh mint, finely chopped

300ml (or so) water

Salt & pepper, to taste

Heat oven to 180C

Filling:

Cut pork shoulder into pieces and throw into the food processor, a few pieces at a time.

Mince to coarse & chunky.

Lazy? Just buy minced pork.

Add ½ cup EV olive oil to deep saucepan.

Add minced pork and brown over high heat.

Add onions, garlic, herbs, spices, pinenuts, sultanas, salt/pepper and rice.

Stir, remove from heat and set aside.

To assemble:

Cut a 1cm lid from the top of the capsicums.

Remove seeds from inside cavity and rinse.

Salt inside.

Assemble in a large baking tray.

Add filling ¾ to the top.

Add lid.

Pour remaining EV olive oil and 300ml water over and around the capsicums.

Cover with baking paper & foil.

Roast until rice is ready and capsicums are soft.

Remove baking paper & foil in the final 10mins till tops are slightly golden.

Eat with feta and more bread to mop up juices from pan.

Assembled & ready for the fill.

Filling on standby.

Filled & ready for the roast.

Where's the feta, Spiro?