The first lesson in my life at a culinary school where I was a student, and a teacher was the proprietress of the charming Avli Hotel in Rethimno on the island of Crete. Eliza conducts her lessons right in the hotel’s cosy courtyard under palm trees and bougainvilleas which save guests from the hot sun. By the way, Avli is translated from Greek as a small courtyard. It was a very long time ago, the biggest shock then for me was a fresh zucchini chopped with vegetables. I assure you: it is completely edible and very tasty. Adding raw zucchini to salads has since become my habit. And the hotel in which I met the owner and the chef for this unusual pastime became my favourite. This lesson inspired me to open my culinary school. And here goes the recipe.
The first lesson in my life at a culinary school where I was a student, and a teacher was the proprietress of the charming Avli Hotel in Rethimno on the island of Crete. Eliza conducts her lessons right in the hotel’s cosy courtyard under palm trees and bougainvilleas which save guests from the hot sun. By the way, Avli is translated from Greek as a small courtyard. It was a very long time ago, the biggest shock then for me was a fresh zucchini chopped with vegetables. I assure you: it is completely edible and very tasty. Adding raw zucchini to salads has since become my habit. And the hotel in which I met the owner and the chef for this unusual pastime became my favourite. This lesson inspired me to open my culinary school. And here goes the recipe.- Prep time: 25 minutes
- Cook time: 10 minutes
- Serves: 6-8
- Difficulty: easy
- Course: salad
- Cookware: knife, cooking ring, vegetable peeler
- Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients
- 4 Cretan barley rusks
- 200 g feta
- 4 tomatoes
- 4 cucumbers
- 4 zucchini / young squash
- 4 potatoes
- 2 red onions
- ½ bunch of green onions
- 1 bunch of dill
- 1 bunch of parsley
- 250 g Kalamata olives
- olive oil
- oregano
- freshly ground black pepper
- salt
For tomato sauce:
- 2 tomatoes
- ½ bunch of basil
- ½ of lemon juice
- olive oil
Cooking method
Step 1
Pour cold water into a large pot and put unpeeled potatoes. Cover the pan, put on the fire and bring to a boil. Boil the potatoes until almost cooked so that they remain firm and easy to chop. Drain the water and cut the potatoes into circles and then cut each circle into 4 parts.
Step 2
Slice zucchini and cucumbers into wide strips. Cut red onion into strips. Cut tomatoes into slices. Chop green onion, dill, and parsley.
Step 3
Cook the tomato sauce. Finely chop the basil leaves. Cut the tomato in half and grate in a bowl so that the peel remains in the hands. Add basil, lemon juice, and olive oil to the bowl, mix.
Step 4
In a large bowl put potatoes, zucchini, cucumbers, tomatoes, red onions, parsley, dill and green onions. Add salt, pepper, and oregano. Break barley rusks with your hands in a bowl. Add tomato sauce and olive oil. Mix gently.
Step 5
Put the salad on a plate in the cooking ring, sprinkle with feta and put the olives on top. Remove the ring and serve.
My tips and tricks:
You will find Cretan barley rusks in any Greek supermarket. As a rule, almost the whole department will be given to them. They are made from barley flour and this is one of the most famous Cretan specialties. Their shelf life is unlimited due to the low moisture content but they are so hard that before use they are usually soaked in water. In other regions of Greece, they are made from a mixture of rye and wheat flour with spices and herbs. If you haven’t found Cretan barley rusks or paximathia then you can take any rye bread and dry it in the oven.
- 4 Cretan barley rusks
- 200 g feta cheese
- 4 tomatoes
- 4 cucumbers
- 4 zucchini / young squash
- 4 potatoes
- 2 red onions
- ½ bunch of green onions
- 1 bunch of dill
- 1 bunch of parsley
- 250 g Kalamata olives
- olive oil
- oregano
- freshly ground black pepper
- salt
- For tomato sauce:
- 2 tomatoes
- ½ bunch of basil
- ½ of lemon juice
- olive oil
- Pour cold water into a large pot and put unpeeled potatoes. Cover the pan, put on the fire and bring to a boil. Boil the potatoes until almost cooked so that they remain firm and easy to chop. Drain the water and cut the potatoes into circles and then cut each circle into 4 parts.
- Slice zucchini and cucumbers into wide strips. Cut red onion into strips. Cut tomatoes into slices. Chop green onion, dill, and parsley.
- Cook the tomato sauce. Finely chop the basil leaves. Cut the tomato in half and grate in a bowl so that the peel remains in the hands. Add basil, lemon juice, and olive oil to the bowl, mix.
- In a large bowl put potatoes, zucchini, cucumbers, tomatoes, red onions, parsley, dill and green onions. Add salt, pepper, and oregano. Break barley rusks with your hands in a bowl. Add tomato sauce and olive oil. Mix gently.
- Put the salad on a plate in the cooking ring, sprinkle with feta and put the olives on top. Remove the ring and serve.