Cyprus

Menu: Fasolada & koulouri thessalonikis | Recipe Source: mygreekdish.com and nationalfoods.org

Made of vegetables, olive oil, and white beans, fasolada was traditionally cooked by the lower classes of Ancient Greece to honor of the god Apollo. In addition to appeasing unpredictable deities, fasolada played another (arguably more important) role: it delivered crucial nutrients and protein to sailors, farmers, and other laborers who only could afford to eat meat on holidays.

Antiquity aside, fasolada is a hearty, warming soup that’s perfectly capable of satisfying both vegetarians and meat-eaters alike. It has a shocking depth of flavor and an undertone that’s simultaneously citrusy and spicy in the same breath, and best of all, it’s incredibly simple to make AND incredibly affordable (we’re talking $20 all in). Some recipes are rewarding because they’re a giant production and a labor of love, and others are rewarding because they’re beautiful in their simplicity. Fasolada is the perfect representation of that latter category, and it’ll definitely be a staple dinner in our household moving forward.

Koulouri thessalonikis are like an American sesame bagel’s skinny European cousin. They’re crispy and golden on the outside, chewy on the inside, and punctuated by a light nuttiness from the sesame seeds. The dough is super elastic and fun to handle, but that said, I tried SO hard to roll the ropes as thin as I could and they still turned out a little too bagel-esque! Luckily, the extra poufiness didn’t impact the flavor at all, and the koulori were the perfect dipping accompaniment for soup.

Ready to cook?

Fasolada (link): Overall, I followed this recipe closely but did make a few small tweaks. Soaking beans overnight is a pain, so I just did two cans of cannelloni beans (drained and rinsed). I juiced two lemons instead of one, and I also added cilantro in addition to parsley!

Koulouri Thesslonikis (link): I followed this recipe exactly!