Semeli was founded in 1979 - the wines have been well received both on the home market and abroad and have won many international awards. The company is committed to developing local wines that are based on local products that are affordable. It also wants to create more wine tourism to the country, and offers tours around their wineries in Nemea and Mantinea in the Peloponnese.
ABOUT US
XpatAthens
Friday, 20 February 2015 15:57
Greek Wine Tops World Best List
A Greek winemaker has made it on to one of the world's top 10 wine lists of the year. Semeli Mantinia Nasiakos 2012 wine took out the American press honour for its fruity aroma and for making "every sip cause a smile". The wine itself was described as a "shiny and fruity wine, with aromas of ripe fruits that leave in the mouth the taste of the sun".
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Friday, 20 February 2015 15:55
Homemade Pork Gyros Souvlaki Recipe
Make your own homemade, traditional Greek pork gyros wrapped in a pita bread – souvlaki style with this easy to follow recipe! Souvlaki is one of the most popular street foods in Greece and for good reason. Its stuffed with well cooked and seasoned meat, garnished with a cooling tzatziki sauce, wrapped in a delicious crispy pita and best of all? It tastes like heaven!
For the pork gyros
1 pork tenderloin, cut into strips
1 clove of garlic, chopped
1/2 red onion, sliced
3-4 tbsps of olive oil
1-2 tbsps red wine vinegar
1 tbsp oregano
thyme
rosemary
1/2 tbsp of honey
For the tzatziki sauce
1 cucumber
2 cloves of garlic
1/4 of a cup extra virgin olive oil
500g of yogurt (18 ounces)
1-2 tbsps of red wine vinegar
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
To serve
4 pita breads
1 red onion, sliced
1 tomato, sliced
fried potatoes (optional)
some lettuce
Instructions
To prepare the pork gyros, mix into a large bowl the tenderloin (cut into strips), the garlic, the red onion, 3-4 tbsp of olive oil, 1-2 tbsp of red wine vinegar, some thyme, some rosemary, and mix with your hands. Squeeze the ingredients together, so that all the flavours blend and add 1/2 tbsp of honey. Wrap the bowl and put it into the fridge. Leave the marinade in the fridge for at least 2 hours, before using it (ideally leave it over night).
In a (very hot) large non-sticking pan, add the tenderloin along with the ingredients of the marinade, and sauté for 1 minute on each side, without stirring, until the meat is nicely coloured, crispy and tender inside.
To prepare the tzatziki sauce for the pork gyros, pour in a food processor the olive oil and garlic and blend until the garlic is diluted (don’t leave any large pieces of garlic). Into a large bowl, grate the cucumber, season with salt and pepper and leave it aside for 10 minutes. Wrap the grated cucumber into a towel and squeeze, in order to get rid of most of the water. Into a bowl, add the cucumber, the blended garlic and oil, the yogurt, 1-2 of red wine vinegar, salt and pepper and mix. (This recipe is for 5-6 servings. Store in the fridge and always serve cold.)
Use a cooking brush to oil the pita breads on both sides and season with salt, pepper and oregano. Place a large pan (upside down) at the bottom of the oven, place the pita breads on top, and bake in preheated oven at 250C for about 1 minute.
Pork gyros is usually served wrapped, like a sandwich. To serve, spread some tzatziki sauce on the pita breads and top with the pork gyros, some slices of red onion, some sliced tomato and wrap.
For an easier version, you can substitute the tzatziki sauce with some fresh yogurt or some mustard and mayonnaise sauce.
To read more, please visit mygreekdish.com
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Friday, 20 February 2015 15:51
Meat & Vegetable Pie
Undoubtedly, everybody loves pie. This is a fantastic way to use up leftovers and present them in a totally different way. You can use any kind of meat – pork, veal or chicken. If it is not already cooked in tomato sauce, you can add some tomato paste, 1 – 2 ripe tomatoes chopped, or half a can chopped tomatoes. You can make your own dough or use either phyllo dough or puff pastry. To make the pie more appealing to kids, you could make small individual pies. If you are in a hurry, you could use frozen mixed vegetables, instead of dicing them yourself.
Ingredients for Dough
300 gr. self-raising flour
300 gr. all purpose flour
½ a yogurt bowl
1 cup sunflower oil
½ cup white wine
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
½ cup margarine
2 tablespoons vinegar
1 sachet yeast
Ingredients for Filling
2 cups left over cooked meat in tomato sauce
1 large potato diced
1 cup carrots diced
1 cup corn
1 cup peas
1 cup mushrooms cut up in small pieces
½ cup parsley finely chopped
1 teaspoon corn flour
Salt, pepper
1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water for the egg wash
Preparation:
First prepare the dough. Place all the ingredients in the bowl of your food processor, except the salt. Use the hook attachment and mix the ingredients. Then add the salt and continue mixing for about 5 minutes. You will have a nice, soft dough. Take it out of the bowl, place it in a plastic bag and leave it in the fridge while you prepare the filling.
Dice the meat and put it in a pan. Add ½ cup of water and bring to a boil. Add the vegetables, salt and pepper, stir and simmer for 10 minutes. Dissolve the corn flour in a couple of tablespoons water and add to the mixture. Check the seasoning and remove from the fire. Let the filling cool down.
Take the dough out of the fridge and divide it roughly in two pieces, the one a littler larger. Roll out the larger piece to fit your pan, with a little more dough to overhang the sides. The pan must be lightly oiled so that the dough doesn’t stick to it. Put the cool filling over the dough. Level it out with the back of a spoon. Fold the dough over the filling.
Roll out the second piece of dough. Brush the dough you have folded over the filling with the beaten egg. Place the rolled out dough over the filling and trim it round the edges. Press down gently so that it sticks to the bottom dough and gently tuck the leftover dough under the pie. Cut a few slits on the pie to enable the steam to escape. Brush the top with the egg wash. Bake the pie at 180oC until it is golden brown.
Source: CookingInPlainGreek.com
300 gr. self-raising flour
300 gr. all purpose flour
½ a yogurt bowl
1 cup sunflower oil
½ cup white wine
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
½ cup margarine
2 tablespoons vinegar
1 sachet yeast
Ingredients for Filling
2 cups left over cooked meat in tomato sauce
1 large potato diced
1 cup carrots diced
1 cup corn
1 cup peas
1 cup mushrooms cut up in small pieces
½ cup parsley finely chopped
1 teaspoon corn flour
Salt, pepper
1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water for the egg wash
Preparation:
First prepare the dough. Place all the ingredients in the bowl of your food processor, except the salt. Use the hook attachment and mix the ingredients. Then add the salt and continue mixing for about 5 minutes. You will have a nice, soft dough. Take it out of the bowl, place it in a plastic bag and leave it in the fridge while you prepare the filling.
Dice the meat and put it in a pan. Add ½ cup of water and bring to a boil. Add the vegetables, salt and pepper, stir and simmer for 10 minutes. Dissolve the corn flour in a couple of tablespoons water and add to the mixture. Check the seasoning and remove from the fire. Let the filling cool down.
Take the dough out of the fridge and divide it roughly in two pieces, the one a littler larger. Roll out the larger piece to fit your pan, with a little more dough to overhang the sides. The pan must be lightly oiled so that the dough doesn’t stick to it. Put the cool filling over the dough. Level it out with the back of a spoon. Fold the dough over the filling.
Roll out the second piece of dough. Brush the dough you have folded over the filling with the beaten egg. Place the rolled out dough over the filling and trim it round the edges. Press down gently so that it sticks to the bottom dough and gently tuck the leftover dough under the pie. Cut a few slits on the pie to enable the steam to escape. Brush the top with the egg wash. Bake the pie at 180oC until it is golden brown.
Source: CookingInPlainGreek.com
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Friday, 20 February 2015 15:50
Pumpkin Greek Yogurt Banana Bread
With Halloween coming up I have been thinking about pumpkins a lot more and when I was wondering what to do for breakfasts this week, a pumpkin bread seemed like a great way to go! Although I already have a recipe for a pumpkin bread that I really like I wanted to try to incorporate some of the ideas from the recently successful strawberry Greek yogurt banana bread into it.
The Greek yogurt banana bread uses bananas and Greek yogurt to completely replace the oil or butter in an attempt to make it a little healthier while leaving the bread nice and light, fluffy and most importantly, moist. For my pumpkin Greek yogurt banana bread I pretty much took the Greek yogurt banana bread recipe and added pumpkin spices and pumpkin puree while removing some of the bananas to keep the moisture level consistent. In addition I replaced some of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour and since pecan go so well with pumpkin I added some of those as well. The pumpkin Greek yogurt banana bread turned out amazingly well, having one of the best textures that I have ever had in a quick bread! I am looking forward to breakfasts this week especially on Halloween!
Even after spending the time making a healthier pumpkin bread recipe I could not resist topping it with a vanilla bourbon caramel sauce!
I like to wrap my leftover quick bread in aluminum foil and store it in fridge. When I want another slice I simply pull one out and put it in the microwave for 10-20 seconds to warm it up and it is almost just like the day that it was made.
This pumpkin Greek yogurt banana bread with vanilla bourbon caramel sauce makes for such an amzing breakfast!
Servings: makes 1 loaf
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 60 minutes
Total Time: 1 hours 10 minutes
Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour (or all-purpose flour)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cloves
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup pumpkin puree (homemade or store bought)
2 large over-ripe bananas
2 eggs
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
1 cup pecans, toasted and coarsely chopped (optional)
Directions
Mix the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves in a large bowl.
Mix brown sugar, pumpkin puree, bananas, eggs and yogurt in another large bowl.
Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients followed by the pecans.
Pour the mixture into a greased 12 x 24 cm loaf pan.
Bake in a preheated 180C oven until golden brown and a toothpick poked into the center comes out clean, about 60 minutes.
By Kevin Lynch
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Friday, 20 February 2015 15:49
Loukoumi Rose Delight
What are loukoumi? They are candies from Greece similar to Turkish Delight or Aplets & Cotlets which are somewhat popular in North America. Our theme of the week over at I Heart Cooking Clubs is In The Pink -- Pink Foods so I thought I would give Tessa's recipe for Loukoumi in her book Food From Many Greek Kitchens a try. There is a photo in the book of a beautiful plate of powdered sugar covered soft pink jelly looking candies studded with pistachios. That was what I was going for...
adapted from Tessa Kiros -- Food From Many Greek Kitchens
Ingredients
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 cup corn starch
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
2 teaspoons rose water
3 tablespoons shelled pistachios, halved lengthwise (I tried halving one but it was tricky and I didn't want to cut my finger, so I just put them in a ziplock bag and hammered them gently and then sifted off the really small crumbs and kept the bigger chunks)
red food coloring (I had red, pink, and rose, wilton tub colors and decided to go with "rose" which I'm kind of sorry I did and wish I went with the pink, the rose turned into super bright in your face pink, although I did google some rose loukoumi and they were the same color mine turned out, I just liked the soft baby pink of the loukoumi in the book better personally)
1/4 cup confectioners sugar, for coating
2 tablespoons cornstarch extra, for coating
Directions
Put the sugar and lemon juice in a pan with 3/4 cup of water. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil. Simmer without stirring for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a small dab is soft and pliable between your fingers when it's dropped into cold water (soft ball stage or 240 on a candy thermometer).
Combine the cornstarch and cream of tartar in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan and whisk in
1 and 1/2 cups water until smooth. Cook on medium heat, stirring constantly until thick.
Slowly stir in the sugar syrup. This was really tricky, everything got all lumpy and I thought I messed it up, but I kept whisking until it came together. Simmer over very low heat until very thick and pale golden, 60 to 70 minutes. Mine did not take that long, I'd say it turned rather quickly...
Stir often to ensure that your mixture isn't sticking to the pan. Brush and 8 and 1/4 by 4 and 1/2 inch dish with straight sides with oil and line with plastic wrap. The closest thing to that size I had was a loaf pan and I couldn't visualize how that would work, so I used an 8 by 8 inch square silicone pan that I had lined with aluminum foil that I had sprayed with cooking spray. Seemed to work perfectly.
Stir in the rose water and pistachios into the mixture and add the coloring drop by drop until you have a soft rose petal pink.
Pour spread?!? into the dish and cool overnight, covered.
Combine the confectioners sugar and cornstarch on a plate. Cut the loukoumi into 1 and 1/4 inch squares and toss in the sugar mix.
It will keep for week in a covered tin or box, not an airtight container.
http://nummykitchen.blogspot.gr
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Friday, 20 February 2015 15:48
Delicious Cheese Pie (Tiropita)
Cheese Pies - Tiropita - are delicious little parcels of filo pastry, with a tasty filling of feta cheese. They are almost always included on a meze platter and are such a versatile food. You can have them as a daytime snack, with a salad for a light meal, they even go with drinks. This Greek food recipe is so easy and quick to make, they can be whipped up in no time and served for your very happy guests.
I have used two methods here, one with fillo pastry, the other with puff pastry. Try either method, they both taste fantastic!
Ingredients
8 - 10 sheets filo pastry
70 - 90 gms butter, melted
200g feta cheese, crumbled
200g fresh ricotta cheese
2 eggs lightly beaten
ground black pepper
pinch of ground nutmeg
Preparation
With the cheese, you need at least 200g of feta, you can have more feta and less ricotta if you like, especially if the feta is quite mild.
Combine all the filling ingredients in a Mixing Bowl and mix well.
On a board, stack the fillo sheets on top of each other and cut into 3 strips, lengthwise.
Prepare and grease a large baking tray.
Take one strip of filo at a time, using a Pastry Brush carefully brush the melted butter over the pastry, then place 1 or 2 teaspoons of filling on the pastry at one end.
Taking one corner, fold it over diagonally to create a triangle shape. Keep folding it back and forth, diagonally along the strip. You will find the filling has become enclosed in a triangle shaped envelope.
Place the cheese pie on the baking tray with the loose end underneath. Repeat for all other pies.
Brush the tops of the pies with the melted butter.
Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes or until light golden - 180 C, 350 F, gas 4.
Serve warm or at room temperature. Serve as part of a meze with a drink!
Another very simple method is to use puff pastry. (I often use the shop bought frozen sheets of pastry as it is much easier, but you can make your own puff pastry.)
You will need 5 -6 sheets of pastry.
Cut each sheet into 6 portions, place 1 or 2 teaspoons of cheese filling on each piece.
Brush with water around the edges of the pastry, then fold the pastry over the filling to create a bit of a square.
Pinch the sides together and then place on a baking tray.
Brush the pastry with milk and bake as above.
Both versions are delicious and are great to serve as party food.
Bon Appetit - Kali Orexi
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Friday, 20 February 2015 15:46
What To Look For In A Great Greek Restaurant
You found it somehow – it’s a Greek restaurant you read about in a review or one you stumbled across while out for a walk. It doesn’t matter what type of Greek restaurant it is – home-style cooking or elegant dining; there will always be ways to tell if it’s great. What Matters: Smells and sounds. Great Greek food is as filling to the senses as it is to the stomach. The place will smell divine, from the moment you walk in. And it won’t be quiet. It’s nearly impossible to enjoy a fabulous Greek dining experience in silence. It doesn’t matter if the dishes are plain or fancy, traditional or modern cuisine; they will be authentically Greek.
What’s on the menu
Greek restaurants outside Greece tend to serve either well-known dishes like moussaka and baklava, or the very health-conscious Greek dishes like grilled seafood and spare vegetables. There is, however, an entire range of dishes that is under-represented - casserole dishes and thick soups - made from wonderful taste combinations of vegetables, herbs, pastas, lentils and beans. If these are on the menu and are well-prepared, it's a definite bonus!
The ingredients
Fresh is paramount. Greek is paramount. Olive oil, fresh-baked crusty breads, Greek cheeses and wines, fresh fruits and vegetables, lentils and beans, Greek favorites such as oregano, dill, garlic, and lemon will all be represented.
Appetizers and mezethes
A Greek restaurant without a good selection of appetizers or mezethes from which to choose could hardly be called great. Appetizers should whet the appetite, mezethes should complement (but not overwhelm) the beverage, whether wine, spirits, or other drink choice. These small plates of tasty morsels and dips are as much a part of the Greek dining experience as the main meal (and sometimes, adding more and more of these small dishes can become the main meal).
Knowledgeable staff
The restaurant's serving staff doesn't have to be Greek - but of course it adds to the overall atmosphere if it is; however, if the restaurant is truly great, servers - whether professionals (Greek or not) or family members of the owner - are able to describe dishes, recommend combinations of foods, and answer questions. For those who are long-time fans of Greek food, it’s always interesting to hear about regional variations in a dish on the menu; for those with no experience of Greek food, learning about the tradition of mezethes, or a bit of the history of a dish adds enormous enjoyment to a meal. For those on restricted diets, knowledgeable staff is able to direct them to divine dishes that meet their dietary requirements. And if dishes require extra preparation time, servers point that out during the ordering process.
If the restaurant has a sommelier to recommend and present the wines, she/he is knowledgeable about the region of Greece where the wine was made, which wine is traditionally served with which dish, and which wine – despite tradition – might be an even better choice with a particular dish, and why.
Presentation and taste
It smells wonderful, it’s authentic, the ingredients are right, and it has been explained by staff, and now the defining moment is at hand. The food is delivered as ordered. The cheeses and sauces have wonderful textures. Phyllo pastry is light as air. Dishes are cooked to perfection and taste at least as good as they have been described – either on the menu or by the staff.
What Doesn’t Matter
Greek décor
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Friday, 20 February 2015 15:45
The Street Food Of Athens
I adore street food. Simply love it….. and in Athens, some of the best street food is available during the fall and winter months. Just steps away from the ancient agora and under the looming gaze of the Parthenon, lies the Monastiraki section of the city.
Take a stroll through this bustling neighborhood where vendors sell fish, meat and vegetables alongside more touristy fare of T-shirts, worry beads and replicas of ancient vases, and you’ll come across one of my all-time favorite treats : roast chestnuts. You have to work a little at peeling back the crispy outer layer, but it’s worth it! Chestnut vendors sell roast corn as well — tastes great with a sprinkle of Greek sea salt on top.
If you get thirsty from the chestnuts and corn, just a few steps away is the Salep vendor. What is Salep, you might ask? I passed by this huge bronze urn for four days before I got up the nerve to try, and found out……. it’s orchid tea!
The vendor handed over a tiny cup with a foamy finish, a dash of cinnamon and the most exotic fragrance…….I took a taste and it had the strangest mix of sweet, citrus and nuttiness.
Apparently there’s enough demand for orchid tea in Athens to support more than one vendor. In the middle of Ermou, a busy downtown shopping street, this man has also set up shop. And instead of one gleaming bronze dispenser on his mobile cart……
To read the rest of this blogpost, please visit www.travelbelles.com
By Amanda Summer
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Friday, 20 February 2015 15:45
Gigantes Plaki (Greek Baked Beans)
While I was on vacation in Greece I saw a dish consisting of huge beans baked in a tomato sauce that looked good but I did not end up getting a chance to try it while I was there. A quick search of the internet revealed that the dish was gigantes (or yigantes) plaki or Greek baked beans, that uses gigantes beans (also known as elephant beans, large lima beans or butter beans).
The beans are baked in a simple tomato sauce that reminds me a lot of a marinara sauce that uses plenty of fresh herbs. This recipe takes a bit of time with the soaking the beans over night followed by simmering them and then making the tomato sauce and finally baking everything but it is worth it. The gigantes plaki turned out really well! The beans were nice and tender and creamy and they had a great meaty texture. The tomato sauce had reduced down until it was nice and thick and full of flavour! I made sure to leave the beans in the oven until the top just started to charred and those caramelized bits were the tastiest part of all. I served the gigantes plaki with some crusty bread to wipe up all of the tasty tomato sauce and a garnish of feta. The gigantes plaki also works well as an appetizer in crostini form.
Gigantes Plaki (Greek Baked Beans)
(makes 4 servings)Ingredients:
1 pound dried gigantes beans (or butter beans or elephant beans or large lima beans, etc.)
3 bay leaves
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion (diced)
1 carrot (diced)
2 ribs celery (diced)
4 cloves garlic
chili pepper flakes to taste
1 (28 ounce) can diced plum tomatoes
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon oregano
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup parsley (chopped)
1/4 cup dill (chopped)
1 pound dried gigantes beans (or butter beans or elephant beans or large lima beans, etc.)
3 bay leaves
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion (diced)
1 carrot (diced)
2 ribs celery (diced)
4 cloves garlic
chili pepper flakes to taste
1 (28 ounce) can diced plum tomatoes
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon oregano
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup parsley (chopped)
1/4 cup dill (chopped)
Directions:
1. Soak the dried gigantes beans in water with the bay leaves over night.
2. Bring the water to a boil and simmer until the beans are tender, about 30-40 minutes.
3. Heat the oil in a pan.
4. Add the onions, carrot and celery and cook until tender, about 10-15 minutes.
5. Add the garlic and chili pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about a minute.
6. Add the tomatoes, paprika and oregano and simmer until the sauce thickens, about 20 minutes.
7. Season the tomato sauce with salt and pepper to taste.
8. Mix the parsley, dill, beans and 1/2 cup of the liquid that the beans were cooked in into the tomato sauce.
9. Pour the mixture into a casserole dish.
10. Bake in a preheated 350F oven until the top is browned and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 50-60 minutes.
1. Soak the dried gigantes beans in water with the bay leaves over night.
2. Bring the water to a boil and simmer until the beans are tender, about 30-40 minutes.
3. Heat the oil in a pan.
4. Add the onions, carrot and celery and cook until tender, about 10-15 minutes.
5. Add the garlic and chili pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about a minute.
6. Add the tomatoes, paprika and oregano and simmer until the sauce thickens, about 20 minutes.
7. Season the tomato sauce with salt and pepper to taste.
8. Mix the parsley, dill, beans and 1/2 cup of the liquid that the beans were cooked in into the tomato sauce.
9. Pour the mixture into a casserole dish.
10. Bake in a preheated 350F oven until the top is browned and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 50-60 minutes.
By Kevin Lynch
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Friday, 20 February 2015 15:43
Calamari Stuffed With Bread Crumbs, Pine Nuts & Raisins
Squid lends itself to many other cooking methods, one of them being stuffed and baked. Calamari meat is firm and white with a mild, slightly sweet flavor. Many people believe that calamari is 'as tough as rubber bands' but when properly prepared it is a surprisingly tender and delicious seafood dish. In recent years it has become common to find cleaned squid in local fish markets. For stuffed squid, buy squid tubes or bodies that are about 4 to 6 inches long. Rinse the squid well before stuffing them. Fill the tubes with the stuffing without over-packing them so they don't burst during cooking. Although I've seen people sew the end of the tubes closed with a needle and thread, I find that simply closing them with a toothpick is adequate.
(Serves 4)
12 medium-sized squid
1/4 cup olive oil, divided
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup homemade breadcrumbs
3 anchovy fillets, rinsed and chopped
1/4 cup capers, rinsed and chopped
1/4 cup pine nuts, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup golden raisins, plumped in hot water for 30 minutes, chopped
3/4 cup parsley, chopped
2 eggs
2 (500 grams) cans crushed tomatoes
Salt and pepper
Clean the squid by removing the head, fins, and all contents in the body. Peel off the skin and rinse the tubes. Remove the tentacles from the head. Chop the tentacles fine and set aside for the stuffing. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet and brown the chopped tentacles. Add onion and cook for 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another minute. Remove from heat and set aside. In a bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, anchovies, capers, pine nuts, raisins, 1/2 cup parsley and eggs. Add the tentacle mixture. Season with salt and pepper and mix well.
Stuff the squid tubes with the mixture and seal each with a toothpick. Place the remaining olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the stuffed squid and brown on all sides. Add the crushed tomatoes and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until tender. Remove the toothpicks.
Transfer to a serving platter and garnish with remaining parsley.
Source: Mangiabenepasta.com
12 medium-sized squid
1/4 cup olive oil, divided
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup homemade breadcrumbs
3 anchovy fillets, rinsed and chopped
1/4 cup capers, rinsed and chopped
1/4 cup pine nuts, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup golden raisins, plumped in hot water for 30 minutes, chopped
3/4 cup parsley, chopped
2 eggs
2 (500 grams) cans crushed tomatoes
Salt and pepper
Clean the squid by removing the head, fins, and all contents in the body. Peel off the skin and rinse the tubes. Remove the tentacles from the head. Chop the tentacles fine and set aside for the stuffing. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet and brown the chopped tentacles. Add onion and cook for 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another minute. Remove from heat and set aside. In a bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, anchovies, capers, pine nuts, raisins, 1/2 cup parsley and eggs. Add the tentacle mixture. Season with salt and pepper and mix well.
Stuff the squid tubes with the mixture and seal each with a toothpick. Place the remaining olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the stuffed squid and brown on all sides. Add the crushed tomatoes and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until tender. Remove the toothpicks.
Transfer to a serving platter and garnish with remaining parsley.
Source: Mangiabenepasta.com
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