«Σπανάχι» Πηγή: Frédérique Voisin-Demery, https://www.flickr.com/photos/vialbost/8205830220
Nutritious pourekia for fasting with wild greens filling mixed with bulgur wheat, vermicelli and onion.
Name - Recipe
Μπουρέκια με άγριο σπανάκι και άλλα χόρτα.
For the dough:
½ kg village flour
¼ cup olive oil
¾ cup water
1 tsp salt
For the filling:
½ kilo wild spinach or other greens
¼ cup olive oil
½ cup vermicelli
¾ cup bulgur wheat
1 small onion, finely chopped
½ cup raisins (optional)
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp pepper
Oil for frying.
Clean and wash the greens. Add the oil to a pot and add the onion and then the vermicelli to sauté. Pour half a glass of water and then the greens. Add cinnamon and pepper to taste. Stir and, once cooked, add the bulgur. Remove from the heat and cover with a towel. In a bowl, sift the flour, add the oil and water and knead. When the dough is well kneaded, rest it for an hour. Roll the dough to a thin pastry sheet and cut squares of about 10x10cm each. Place a spoonful of filling on one end of the square and roll it. With a fork, press well the edges of the poureki. Continue with the rest of the squares. In a pan, heat plenty of seed oil and fry the pourekia. Turn them once and when golden transfer to a strainer to drain and then to a platter and serve (Katzi 2000, 109).
Frying.
Functional and symbolic role
These pourekia were customary during fasting. They were baked on satži (=cookware, clay shallow tray with two handles or metal plate on which they baked pies) or on the niskia [= the hearth] or fried (Kypri - Protopapa 2003, 249-250).
Additional information and bibliography
Katzi M. (2000), “the food that nature gave us”, Folklore Cyprus 30,50, 104-110.
Kypri Th. - Protopapa K. A. (2003), traditional pastries of Cyprus. Their use and importance in customary life, publications of the Centre for Scientific Research, XVIII, Nicosia.
Dimitra Demetriou, Argyro Xenofontos
Νηστίσιμα πουρέκια με μανιτάρια (Μαγειρεύω Κυπριακά 2013). Πηγή: Στάλω Λαζάρου.
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