As the summer sadly draws to a close, I was flicking through some holiday snaps from our family jaunt to Corfu in June, and got all nostalgic. Of course this made me hungry, so what could I do but turn out some greek-style comfort food? I love love love everything about Corfu – a most misunderstood place, mainly because people associate it with trashy bars, package holidays and crowded beaches. To be fair, this would not be an inaccurate way to describe certain parts of the south of the island, but most of Corfu is just beautiful, unspoilt, surprisingly green with the famously azure seas to rival any other island. The food is also great – if you know where to look. This recipe here is a particularly loose interpretation of greek cuisine, but I feel it does what Corfiot cooking does best, bringing different styles and tastes, Mediterranean with Middle-eastern and of course, abundant portions and lots of fresh vegetables.
Ingredients
400g lamb mince
4 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
3 tbsp oat bran
1 egg, beaten
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
Grated zest of 1 lemon
Handful coriander, finely chopped
Spices
-1/2 tsp sumac
-1/2 tsp smoked paprika
-1/2 tsp mustard seeds
-1/2 tsp carraway seeds
-1/4 tsp allspice
1. Preheat the oven to 200C. Put all the spices into a dry frying pan and toast for 1-2 minutes. Pop in a pestle and mortar and crush.
2. Sweat the onion and garlic in 1/2 tsp olive oil until translucent.
3. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Leave for 30 minutes, then shape into small patties (about the size of a table tennis ball) and flatten slightly. Place on a baking tray.
4. Cook in the hot oven for about 15 minutes.
Seeded flatbreads
-200g plain white flour
-1 tsp salt
-1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
-150 ml warm water
-5-6 tbsp mixed seeds
1. Add all the dry ingredients to a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the centre and pour in the oil and warm water.
2. Make the mixture into a soft dough and turn out onto a floured surface. Knead for 5-7 minutes then return to the bowl.
3. Leave to rest for at least 20 minutes. Shape into a large oblong, and cut into 8 pieces. Roll each piece out as thinly as you can – use your hands to stretch it if needs be.
4. Heat a large frying pan (no oil), and cook the flatbreads one at a time, turning after about 1 minute. Dark spots on the bread will show you when to flip.
Yoghurt Dressing
-2 tbsp thick greek yoghurt
-1 tsp za’atar (or sumac)
Daisy Chain Feasts 