Trahana Soup With Tomato and Feta

As a grown up I love trahana. It  nourishing, comforting, easy and quick to prepare is trahana. This ancient Greek ingredient is made by boiling cracked wheat in either milk or yogurt, then drying it in the hot sun. It’s then crumbled and stored in pillow cases for future use.

It’s often made in the Fall, a way to use up a glut of milk, yogurt and eggs. There’s sweet trahana (no yogurt) and sour trahana with yogurt – both also containing flour.

This dish is best with grated fresh tomato, bringing a nice sweetness and little acidity. This is a thick soup fortified with crumbled Feta and accented with some Greek oregano.

Fans of Greek food will love this dish, those on the fence about trahana – this one will firmly put you in the “YES” camp.

Trahana Soup With Tomato and Feta

(serves 4)

4 Tbsp. unsalted butter

1/2 onion puree, passed through a box grater

1 cup sour trahana (I like Fantis brand)

4 cups of hot vegetable or chicken stock

1 cup fresh tomato puree, passed through a box grater

1 cup crumbled Feta, divided

1/2 cup room temp. milk

salt and pepper to taste

2 tsp. fresh oregano (1 tsp. dried)

1. To a medium pot, add the butter over medium heat. Once melted add the onions, cook for 5 minutes occasionally stirring.
2. Add the trahana, stir in. Add the hot stock, stir in. Add the tomato puree and bring up to a boil. Season with salt and pepper and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally (so that trahana doesn’t stick to the bottom).
3. Add half the crumbled Feta, the milk and stir for a minute. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper and take off the heat.
4. Divide and plate. Top with remaining Feta, sprinkle oregano and drizzle with some olive oil.