Can you enclose the cosiness of a country village on a single dish? Yes you can. And this is the carrot, leek and country sausage trachanoto dish.
The reason for this recipe was Ecopal. Ecopal is a small company founded in May 2016, but Ecopal has experience in the field of organic production since 2005. At its facility in Trikala, Thessaly, it produces organic cookies and traditional organic pasta.
In my hands, along with other tasteful and unique products, came the organic sour trachana. It is made from sheep’s milk yogurt, a mixture of flour, white and yellow, salt and water. Trachanas has high nutritional value while it is a source of fiber and low in fat.
What is trachana?
Trachana is widely know in Greece as one of the oldest comfort foods, while there are two types: sweet and sour. Trachana is mainly made with flour or semolina and milk or yogurt. For sweet trachana whole milk is used, while for sour trahana yogurt or buttermilk. There is also a vegan version where dairy products are substituted by vegetable pulp.
After the ingredients have been combined, they are broken into chunks, dried, and then broken into smaller pieces. Late summer is the best season to make some homemade trachana since there is plenty of heat for drying, while usually there is an excess of milk.
Trachanoto recipe notes
The recipe is very simple and easy to make. It has – not 100%- the logic of preparing a risotto. That is sautéing the vegetables first, then add the trahana and at then the wine. The difference from risotto is that we do not gradually add the broth but all at once.
The most important step in this recipe is when the liquid is added to the pan. The temperature of the pan should not be high because if it is high the liquid elements will evaporate immediately and have the expected results. If this happens trachana will not boil.
Carrot, leek and country sausage trachanoto
Ingredients
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 leek, finely chopped
- 2 carrots, cut into cubes
- olive oil, extra virgin
- 200 gr pork country sausage, cut into cubes
- 300 gr trachana
- 100 ml white wine
- 500 ml vegetable broth
- freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- salt
- freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- Finely chop the onion and the leek. Set aside.
- Cut the carrots and the pork country sausage into cubes. Set aside.
- In a deep frying pan heat the olive oil and sauté the vegetables for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the pork country sausage and sauté for 5 minutes, or until golden.
- Add the trahanna and with a wooden spoon stir for 2-3 minutes.
- Add white wine and stir. Wait for 2-3 minutes or until the alcohol evaporates.
- Add vegetable broth, salt and pepper.
- Stir often so that the trahana doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot.
- The trahana is ready when the broth is absorbed.
- Sprinkle with some grated parmesan and serve.
I hope to enjoyed meeting trachana, I really did. It is a very humble ingredient made with flour or semolina and milk or yogurt. While there is also a vegan version. You can use trachana for making delicious trachanoto or even a comforting soup.
Have you tried the trachanoto recipe? If yes please let me know either on Instagram, or Facebook or Twitter!
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