Discovering Greece's other salad: The delight of Kritharaki

Unlike the inappropriately named Breton bean or Swedish salad — dishes whose names wrongfully suggest their origin — Greek salad truly originates from the homeland of Aristotle and Plato. Mentioning these famous figures is apt, as the history of horiatiki (our common name for Greek salad) stretches back to ancient Greece. Therefore, a dish crafted from the natural abundance of Greek land is a quintessential classic. However, the Greek salad often enjoyed in Poland isn't the only traditional fare from Greece.

The second Greek salad to become acquainted with is kritharaki. It derives its name from a special type of pasta, which might be more familiar to you as orzo or risoni. These rice grain-shaped small pasta pieces meld seamlessly with other ingredients like vegetables, feta cheese, or black olives. This combination delivers a delightful taste and refreshment, especially desirable as the warmer days inch closer.

As previously mentioned, the following recipe is a true gem. By adopting it as I have, you're in for a taste of vacation in Greece!

Ingredients:

• 300g kritharaki pasta,
• 1 cucumber,
• 250g cherry tomatoes,
• 1 red onion,
• 100g feta cheese,
• 50g black olives,
• 2 tablespoons of chopped parsley.

Dressing:

• 60ml olive oil,
• juice of half a lemon,
• 2 tablespoons Greek yogurt,
• 1 clove of garlic,
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano,
• salt, pepper.

How to prepare:

1. Cook the pasta according to the manufacturer's instructions. Mix all the dressing ingredients together (squash the garlic clove through a garlic press).
2. Peel the cucumber and dice it. Dice the feta cheese similarly. Finely chop the onion and parsley. Halve the olives and cherry tomatoes.
3. Gently combine the ingredients above with the cooled pasta and dressing. Bon appétit!