Kritharaki from Greece: pasta grains for all occasions

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At the supermarket you can either ask for their Italian names, Risoni or Risi, or Kritharaki, “Greek pasta” or pasta rice.

What is Kritharaki?

The term rice noodles is misleading. These are long, “regular” noodles made from rice flour and are an integral part of Thai cuisine. Like pasta, Risi or Kritharaki is made from durum wheat semolina and, like them, is cooked in hot salted water. Six minutes is sufficient, but they don’t necessarily have to be al dente. A hearty tomato soup in Greek manestra, You can let them swell to make the soup nice and thick.

How to cook Kritharaki correctly?

In principle, the preparation of Kritharaki is as flexible as other types of pasta. They are delicious with tomato sauce or pesto, with vegetables, anchovies, capers, in salads or as a side dish. Advantages: They can be easily eaten with a spoon; This is especially ideal for children. If you don’t cook them in bubbling hot salted water, but instead add liquid, such as vegetable broth, little by little, they will absorb the flavour.

First of all, they are suitable as a rice substitute, such as stuffed tomatoes or “risotto”. Preparation does not require any great skills. While risotto is a delicate matter and rice can become sticky as glue if not stirred properly, “pastasotto” is boiled just until it reaches sufficient softness.

Pasta otto with ham and peas

For a five-minute dish like pasta otto with ham and peas, heat the butter in a saucepan, add the finely chopped leeks and uncooked risoni, and briefly sweat it all with the chopped ham. Pour in hot vegetable broth, reduce heat and add lemon or lime juice. Boil the vegetable broth and add some more, until the risoni reaches the right consistency. Add peas (frozen ones work too), stir in yogurt, season with salt and pepper if needed, and sprinkle with Parmesan.

Since Kritharaki are especially popular in Greek cuisine, there are many Greek recipes for them, such as minced meat casseroles and feta. Eggplant, tomatoes and black olives go well with this.

Sunday lunch: Giouvetsi

A typical Greek Sunday recipe is Giouvetsi. To do this, Kritharaki is slowly cooked in tomato-meat sauce in the oven until it absorbs the flavor of the sauce. Traditionally Giouvetsi is served with roasted veal or lamb, but versions with veal or chicken are also possible.

Source : Blick