Thursday 24 November 2022

Gkogklyes


These are simple, fresh, homemade pasta made by the maiden aunts
After googling I see , of course, that all  mediterranean countries make a version of  these.  In Italy they are very popular.  Called orecchiette,  Little ears



Not exactly 'little ears' but I'm getting there.


How the aunts make a nice pattern on the pasta





Rolling it out


Our pasta machine.  Once used, now forgoten



The gkogklyes are lowered into a pan of boiling water, handful by handful. When they float to the top they're ready and are scooped out and covered in grated cheese.

Ingredients
500 grams all purpose flour
About one water glass of water, 250 ml
A little salt

Hard cheese finely grated
200 grams butter

Put the flour in a bowl, mix in the salt, then add the water slowly, kneading the dough, adding more water till you have a soft elastic dough. 
Leave for twenty minutes to rest and put on that pot of water with a little salt and bring it to rolling boil.

Pull off a handful of dough and with your hands roll and stretch it out into a long sausage. With a sharp knife cut off small pieces about the size of a thumbnail . Press each piece in the middle . Toss all the little ears in a bowl of flour.

Lower into the boiling salted water little by little and remove with a slotted spoon after about 10 minutes when they start floating.

Place the boiled gkogklyes into a large dry pan. 
In a smaller pot heat till smoking, 200 grams of butter.
Pour the smoking butter over the pasta.

Serve while hot, covering them with finely grated tasty cheese.  
The cheese we use here is called myzithra. It's a hard cheese and doesn't melt.

Kali orexi 

In Italy they probably serve them with a tomato sauce. Try them the Greek way with that hot smoking butter, or olive oil, and grated cheese. Though maybe you need a Greek maiden aunt to make them for you. Those aunt's have a lifetime of good basic cooking under their apron belts. Believe me, they're delicious. All you need is a glass of wine and maybe a Greek salad.




15 comments:

  1. Superb. I'll have a large helping please.

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  2. My grandmother used to make something similar, and she came here from Germany. I will try your recipe. I really miss my grandmother's cooking.

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    1. This is very basic cooking. I can imagine a lot of countries have something similar. You must try the recipe, especially since your grandmother made it

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  3. Sounds simple and delish
    A side of Greek salad would be perfect. Not to mention that glass of wine lol

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  4. Another one for your Poros cook book LA?

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  5. Oh dear that sounds fab and just as Mr B says his prediabetic diagnosis says he must cut well back on beige carbs....(at least someone has managed to get through to him!)

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    1. Definitely not for Mr B. But there's a helluva lot of other things he can eat. Roast pork and kokoretsi!

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  6. I like the italian name of orechitte, which indicates, of course, the pasta's shape of little ears. Whatever the name, pasta is good food!

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    1. I'm cutting down on carbs so I won't be eating much of them. But now and again ....

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  7. That sounds wonderful, thank you for sharing.

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