Post Update:
One of the many things I did during my vacation in Greece was to also cook and appear with my friend Chef Dina Nikolaou on her daily show, “Nistikoi Praktores”.
We taped at a Manaviko (green grocer) in Halandri (north Athens) and in keeping with this season’s theme of frugal dishes, I offered to cook up this Makaronia w…ith Vlita & Vasilliko. The recipe is also on my site.
Thank you to Dina, Christianna, the crew and STAR channel for a most memorable day!
Our neighbor Soula introduced me to a pasta dish with greens mixed in with the sauce. You have water boiling for pasta, just thrown in your seasonal of greens of choice to blanche and cook them down a bit then shock them in an ice bath so that they retain their bright green colour. Again, the king of wild greens for Greeks is Vlita, or amaranth. Use what you like or what’s at hand.
Upon tasting this dish, the slightly bitter Vlita greens are balanced by the sweet basil and tomato sauce, garlic and Kefalotyri offer the savory aspect and the olive oil is the velvety ingredient that rounds out the sauce.
Makaronia me Vlita ke Vasiliko (Μακαρονια με Βλίτα και Βασιλικο )
(serves 4)
1 pkge. of Misko#6 spaghetti
about 4 large, very ripe garden tomatoes, passed through a box grater OR 1 796ml can of crushed plum tomatoes
(skins discarded)
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
6-7 cloves of garlic, minced
1 cup of fresh Greek basil (or any other basil)
Approx. 4 cups of Amaranth leaves (vlita or any other wild, slightly bitter green)
sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
grated Kefalotyri cheese
- Place a large pot of water on your stove-top. Bring to a boil and a good amount of salt. Rinse your Amaranth (Vlita) under cold water and place in the salted boiling water. Bring back to a boil and simmer the Vlita for 5 minutes. Remove with a strainer, run cold water under the greens and allow to drain.
- In the meantime, place a large skillet on your stove-top over medium heat. Add the olive oil and the garlic and as soon as soon as you can smell the garlic, add the tomatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce back to medium, season with salt and pepper and simmer down until the sauce is thick, little water left in the sauce. Turn off the heat and keep warm.
- As soon as the pasta is cooked, strain and add into the sauce along with the Vlita and chopped basil. Toss the pasta until the sauce has mixed well and divide and serve.
- Pair with a Nostos/Manousakis Red blend.
mmm yum i’m gonna go to my kinezo market and find me some amaranth aka red spinaki now. your recipes are always the best! enjoy hania and that olive oil.
Δεν τελειώνουν τελικά οι συνδυασμοί των καλοκαιρινών κηπευτικών.Ωραιότατη η σάλτσα σας και ακόμη ωραιότερο ολόκληρο το post σας
Wow, that water is so inviting…
A lovely pasta dish!
Cheers,
Rosa
Thordis does a hiking trip to Crete…you never know…… O agree that the best way to explore and learn about an area of the country is to be the guest of the locals.
This looks like a delicious and simple pasta, Peter. Glad you are enjoying your time in Greece, especially in my pappou’s hometown. :)
I’d have a hard time cooking with that beach calling to me!
Nothing I like better than “makaronia” and vegetables of some sort.
Looks like these trips keep getting better and better!
we cook amaranth with dal, so I am very used to finding it. I am definitely keeping this one in mind. enjoy the sun.
It sounds great Peter and I want to make it ASAP but …..where can I find Vlita in YYZ?
Eleni, I go to the Asian markets for it. Look for “red spinach”.
i think its a great dish…
I’m so jealous–Greece is the last of the top 3 places that I have yet to visit. My husband visited Crete many years ago and loved it. One of these years, hopefully, and I’ll be able to enjoy some of the island’s bounty (like this beautiful dish).
Peter WOW! I never thought of using vlita with pasta before! lucky you: cooking with freshly picked ingredients is always the best.
Those clear blue waters are too dreamy. Still I am amazed that your pictures have almost nobody in the water. Do you say something to scare them off? how can a beach like this not be mobbed?
That water looks so beautiful!!! Very jealous! The pasta dish is similar to one that we make for a quick meal but without the addition of the greens! Must try that with something!
This pasta looks so yummy and the crystal clear water is SOOO beautiful…
Sounds like the perfect trade-off. You get to stay on a beautiful island, and your friends reap the benefits of your awesome cooking.
LL
I just saw it today on STAR :) look awesome….Thank u for all!