Santorini products

Recipe from “Kyra Katina” at Ammoudi

Sandsmelt fish pie

Ingredients for 1-2 persons

• ¼ kg sandsmelt fish

• 1 medium-sized onion

• 1 tablespoon peppermint

• salt & pepper, a little flour

Instructions

In a bowl put the sandsmelt fish, onion (chopprd), peppermint, salt, pepper and a little bit of flour. Mix the ingredients until they become one integrated mixture. Pour oil into the frying pan, lay the mixture to be fried as an omelet and turn it around.

Products of Santorini

buy fresh Santorini small tomatoes just cut from the orchards, eggplants and prickly pears,

Products of Santorini

Why is there so much fuss for the products of the Santorinian earth? Why is it that fava is about to enter the Stock Exchange, as well as the Santorinian small tomato? Why are there conferences being organised so frequently dealing with her greatly prized products? Probably because Santorini has something unique: her particular ecosystem, which was created from volcanic explosions. The volcanic ash, which has made the soil porous, in combination with the drought, soil humidity and morning sea breeze, give unique flavor to the products of this soil.

Hloro tyri

Its production is very small, so the likelihood to find it on the island is really low. It is a fresh caprine (goat) cheese with creamy texture, made by the locals usually for domestic use. You can occasionally find it at the Selene restaurant.

Caper

Bush growing at the steep slopes of the Caldera, upon the traditional terraces of the island. A gastronomic element giving particular flavor to salads and sauces. It is used in salads and spicy sauces, fresh or dried. Special dish is the “kapparofylla“ (caper leaves), which you can find packaged from the Cooperative.

Santorinian small tomato

Probably the most popular product of the Santorinian earth. Juicy,

a bit more thick-skinned than the classical tomato but with fabulous aroma and taste, the anhydrous small tomato is one of a kind! The anhydrous soil increases the amount of sugars attributing much more flavor.

Before the earthquake of 1956, there were thirteen factories on the island producing tomato paste of the Thira type. Following the earthquake, due to the low yield per hectare, the tomato cultivation was considered to be non-profitable. However, during the last years, the standardized tomato products of the Santorini Cooperative and the Anhydro Home Handicraft have been wining more and more awards in contests and not only.

White eggplant

Another rare product of the Santorini soil with many comparative advantages. It has very few seeds, does not absorb much oil when fried and has a particularly sweet taste. So sweet that there is no need to de-bitter it at all. You will find white eggplant dishes at various restaurants on the island. It is really worth trying “melitzanosalata” (white eggplant paste)!

Fava

Had you ever thought that a fava could differ from another one? Indeed, should you place the Santorinian fava next to another one, the difference in taste is obvious! The first one has a much more full and sweet taste and most interesting texture. The reason for this is not only the soil. The Santorinian fava is unique because it comes from a different variety of fava bean, Lathyrus Clymenous, which according to excavations in Akrotiri has existed on the island since 3.500 years ago. One of the first factories producing fava is that of Spyros Nomikos in Vothonas. You will try it on the island “pantremeni” (married) with onion, octopus, caramelized onions, pieces of pork meat, even with cuttlefish.

DO NOT MISS

Should you want to see these products with your own eyes, and buy fresh Santorini small tomatoes just cut from the orchards, eggplants and prickly pears, then you’d better go near the Square of Fira early in the morning (above the parking). Here is the fish market, where all fishermen gather in the morning to sell the fish of the day and right next to them are the greengrocers with their fruits and vegetables.

Traditional Dishes of Santorini

Pitakia atherinas (sandsmelt fish pies): fried sandsmelt fish with

onions and flour.

Fish with sour fish-sauce: small fish fried with vinegar and garlic.

Koufeto (sugarplum): honey boiled with almonds. A candy

offered at weddings.

Meletinia: small pies made of hand-made pastry sheet filled

with mizithra (cream cheese). It is an Easter dessert,

but you may find it at confectionaries. Try it.

Tomatokeftedes (Tomato balls)

The original Santorinian dish, “tomatokeftedes” or elsewise “pseudo-meatballs” (for they are made without meat).

Ingredients

• 2 onions, 1 kg Santorinian tomatoes

• 2 potatoes, 2 zucchinis, 1 teaspoon of basil

• 1 teaspoon of peppermint, 1 tablespoon of soda

• 1 tablespoon of tomato paste, salt, pepper, flour

Instructions

Grate the onions, tomatoes (4-5 normal-sized tomatoes if Santorinian small tomatoes cannot be found), potatoes, zucchinis and add peppermint, basil, soda, salt, pepper, one tablespoon of tomato paste and as much flour needed until the mixture becomes a puree. We take the mixture with the spoon and one by one spoonful we fry it on strong fire.