19.03.2024
You can use WP menu builder to build menus

27.06.2014

2 ratings, avg : 5.00
2-4

A classic summer meatless meal in Greece, briam is a medley of seasonal vegetables slow roasted in the oven with lashings of olive oil. Courgettes, aubergines, potatoes, red pepper, tomatoes and onion, all come together in a super easy, yet scrumptious dish.

Recently I was invited to participate in a blogging action organised by WWF Hellas. The theme was “Flavours and Aromas of Greek Summer”, and was part of a wider campaign called Better Life. Our mission was to write about what summer time means to us, concentrating of course on the element of food. The idea is to promote healthy eating habits that include using seasonal, local produce. What better way to represent this concept, than with a dish like briam?

In my article I wrote about how I remember my childhood summers. I sat and wrote down the first few words that came to mind. Karpouzi (watermelon) was one of them, tomato, balcony (as a place where many meals take place in the summer), beer (always ice cold in Greece), were some others. Thinking of karpouzi, I was taken back to the days when we would eat huge slices of it, with our fingers, on the beach. The stickier we got, the better. It would all wash off in the sea anyway! Eating it with a knife and fork is great, but if you don’t get your face covered in pink watermelon juice, you can’t reeeeally appreciate the stuff. Most Greeks will remember their makeshift coolers, i.e. a plastic bag secured with a couple of rocks in the shallow seawater. Warm karpouzi is not acceptable.

Snacking on the beach reminded me in turn of seaside meals. While many families would bring their little tupperware containers filled with goodies, we were one step ahead. In the morning we would leave our summer house with a giant roasting dish filled with food. This would be dropped off at the local bakery. (Bakeries in Greece will take your prepared pans and cook them in their ovens for you. The results are amazing and cannot be recreated in a kitchen oven!) So our lunch would start cooking in the morning, we would go off to the beach, and at lunchtime Mum would pop over and collect it. Upon arrival of the roasting dish we would –finally- emerge from the sea and attack it with glee. No plates, and usually no forks were necessary. With oily fingers we would grab roast potatoes, meat patties, gemista (stuffed tomatoes and peppers) and of course, my beloved briam. Then, seriously messy but completely satisfied, we would wash off in the sea and lie in the shade for some afternoon down time, while counting the minutes before we were allowed to swim again.

So here is a recipe for briam. Every Greek family has its own take on “the best briam in the world”. I think the best briam is the one eaten straight from the roasting pan, on the beach, regardless of the recipe. But the next best thing for me is this one. And of course it’s the way my mum made it. Following that, I have also included two ideas for either jazzing it up if you’re bored with it (yeah… that’s not going to happen) or for eating up the leftovers (if you have any).

Ingredients

For Briam The Classic
3 small courgettes (zucchini), cut into medium slices (about the width of your index finger)
1 medium aubergine (eggplant), cut into largish chunks
1 red bell pepper, cut into rings
1 smallish potato, cut into small pieces (about 16)
1 large onion, cut into large pieces (about 8)
1 medium tomato, cut into large pieces
8 cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp oregano, dried
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper

For Pasta “a la Briam”
Briam, prepared as per above recipe (or warmed up if leftover)
350 gr pasta of your choice
Grated hard yellow cheese (like Greek gruyere), or crumbled feta, to serve

For Eggy Briam
Briam, prepared as per above recipe (or warmed up if leftover)
2-3 eggs

Step 1

For the Briam (serves 2): Preheat oven to 180C fan (190C conventional), and put the rack on the last but one level (3/4). Mix all the vegetables in a bowl, add the oil and seasoning, and mix well with your hands so that everything is coated in the oil. Place everything in a small baking tin (it’s ok if they are a bit cramped). Bake for about an hour or until the potatoes are soft. Serve with fresh crusty bread and feta cheese or a dollop of Greek yogurt.

Step 2

For the Pasta a la Briam (serves 3-4): During the last 5 minutes of the briam cooking time, boil the pasta according to packet instructions. Drain and return to the saucepan. Using a slotted spoon transfer the briam to the saucepan and add a few spoonfuls of oil from the baking tin. There will be a lot of oil there so don’t use it all. Mix gently and serve with grated cheese or crumbled feta.

Suggestions:
-You can also try adding some balsamic vinegar to the briam and pasta.
-Hot briam pasta would also be nice with a dollop of Greek yogurt.
-If you are making the briam specifically to go with pasta, try chopping the tomato or adding a tablespoon of tomato paste to the veggies before baking, for a more sauce-like result.

Step 3

For the Eggy Briam (serves 2-3): After the briam is cooked (or warmed through) take some of its oil and put it in a small frying pan. Fry the eggs in it over medium high heat. Serve the briam with an egg on top and lots of fresh crusty bread to mop everything up.

2 ratings, avg : 5.00

So, what do you think? Leave me a comment!

No comments yet