Queens Gazette

On The Road in Greece: Enjoying an Arcadian Luncheon



Kagiana

A culture is transmitted not by words, but through food. Professor/Dr. Spiro and Evangelia Vardouniotis invited us into

Arcadian country bread

their homes on a recent trip to Greece to share an Arcadian Peloponnesian Luncheon in Tripolis. Bread from the bakery tastes wholesome and can not be found in USA. Bread is a treat in Greece. Tomato and olive salad with local olive oil, noodles or hilopites produced in Tripolis, with fried local potatoes with baked chicken legs sautéed in tomatoes and olive oil were part of the menu.

“I cooked a new dish this time that you have never had before,” said Evangelia. “This is Kagiana, a tomato egg cuisine with onions.” Memories of growing up in Mattituck, Long Island came. Our family would pick vine ripen tomatoes from Cooper’s farm. “We are going to fry tomatoes with eggs like your grandfather Christos,” said our mother Cleo (Cleopatra) Tsounis. Eggs with tomatoes were our favorite summer egg omelet. I am sharing an internet Kagiana recipe for all who avoid meats and fish.
Kagiana

Hilopites

INGREDIENTS
·       1/3 cup olive oil
·       8 medium – ripe tomatoes, peeled and cubed
·       8 eggs
·       Salt
·       Freshly ground black pepper
·       1/2 tsp oregano
·       2 basil leaves, finely chopped (optional)
·       1/2 cup crumbled feta (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS
1.     Score  an X on the back of the tomatoes.
2.     Put them in hot water and blanch them for 2 – 3 minutes.
3.     Put them in cold water and peel them.
4.     Chop them into small pieces and put them in a colander with salt until most of the water is drained.
5.     Heat the olive oil in a skillet or non-stick pan and add the tomatoes.
6.     Keep mixing until all the juices have evaporated and it becomes a dense sauce.
7.     Add salt, pepper, basil and oregano.
8.     Add the eggs to the mixture and mix well until the eggs are cooked.
9.     Finally crumble some feta and mix.
10.  Serve with a Greek Salad and crusty bread.

This recipe was copied from www.kopiaste.org/2007/11/kagianas-or-strapatsada/

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