Pasta

From Limnos and Helmos to Crete, the Dodecanese and Mani, almost every corner of Greece has its own traditional pasta in some variation or other, since it has always been a main component of the Greek diet.

Made with few and pure ingredients (milk, wheat, eggs), the local pasta reflects the simplicity and wisdom of traditional cuisine. Pasta can be served as a main or side dish in traditional meat recipes, identified with the Sunday table.

What are some of the most iconic pasta that we can find all over Greece?

Traditional hilopites are transformed into an exquisite dish when paired with braised veal or chicken in tomato sauce. They are made in various regions of Greece, usually in the shape of a small square. They are even more delicious when made with goat milk and free-range eggs, and they pair perfectly with dry myzithra.

Flomari was and still is a quick and hearty dish for the people of Limnos. In the old days, housewives would gather and go from house to house to make flomari for each family, and their skill in cutting pasta was a mark of their expertise. Nowadays, flomari is still a key ingredient in traditional recipes of the island, paired with meat or vegetables, or added to soups. Braised rooster in tomato sauce, vegetarian rooster (with eggplants instead of meat) and flomari with snails are some characteristic examples.

Flomari was and still is a quick and hearty dish for the people of Limnos. In the old days, housewives would gather and go from house to house to make flomari for each family, and their skill in cutting pasta was a mark of their expertise. Nowadays, flomari is still a key ingredient in traditional recipes of the island, paired with meat or vegetables, or added to soups. Braised rooster in tomato sauce, vegetarian rooster (with eggplants instead of meat) and flomari with snails are some characteristic examples.

In both the Peloponnese and Evia, we find the goglies or gogkes. Tsouhti from Mani, the humble but tasty pasta recipe with a fried egg on top, is a perfect example of how cooks managed ingredients in the old days. Rich families in the region also added salted pork.

On Donoussa and Amorgos, we find klosta, a type of handmade pasta cut into very thin strips. Handmade Rhodian matsi (also called koulouria) is made only with wheat flour, with no eggs.

Orzo is one of the pasta varieties most associated with home-cooked comfort food. From its simplest version, with tomato sauce and plenty of garlic, to the most popular, which is none other than veal giouvetsi, it is irresistibly delicious.

Finally, the trahanas of our childhood deserves a special mention – it can be found in almost every corner of the country. Made with flour and milk, it can be sweet or sour, coarse or fine, prepared with cow or sheep milk, flour or semolina, and it has a very long shelf life. Rich in fiber, magnesium and folic acid, it is particularly nutritious, and can also be served as a soup, white or red. Add some feta cheese on top for extra flavour.

It is worth seeking out traditional Greek pasta, which can be purchased from local cooperatives or small grocery stores.