Efdocia anginus making spanokopita. Photo courtesy of Christos Sourligas
As a child, Christos Saurigas was not good at leaving food on his plate at his mother’s table.
“My mother always said, ‘That’s your energy,'” recalls the Montreal filmmaker, 49. “Then I became an adult and I still can’t waste food.”
In fact, for Surligas’ mother, Evdokia Anginas, food means more than just a meal. In the early 1940s, during World War II and still living in his native Greece, Anginas traveled across the Arcadia Mountains to deliver meals to resistance fighters fighting the Nazis. And when she later immigrated to Montreal, Ms. Anginas settled in the Parc Her Extension neighborhood, which had a large Greek population. There, she could only learn basic English because there were shops and services in her native language nearby.
As a result, Saurigas says, food is probably her mother’s only language to the outside world. In reality, my mother just wanted to feed her belly. It reminds me of my friends from the 1980s and 1990s. I remember a few years ago, I would literally starve for days (I’m not kidding) knowing that they would come over to my parents’ house just so I could eat a couple of dishes because my stomach hurt. I ate a lot of food. ”
When doctors discovered that Anginas, now 88, had heart disease and gave her 12 to 18 months to live, Saurigas started a project to honor her mother’s legacy, one centered around food. That’s why I decided to launch this project. .
result: My Big Fat Greek Cookbook: Classic Mediterranean Soul Food Recipes — A collection of Anginas’ Arcadian recipes, accompanied by the historical origins of some of the dishes, photographs, and Anginas’ own life stories.
“my big fat greek cookbook This is the antithesis of the trendy Mediterranean diet. Because most Greeks simply don’t eat like that. And certainly not the Greek diaspora, which numbers more than 10 million people,” Saurigas writes in the book’s foreword. “We grew up eating hearty, simple meals made from ingredients that her mother grew herself, such as meat, stewed vegetables, and potatoes.Freshness and rich flavor. [sic] is the key to this book. ”
Saarligas worked alongside her mother, father, and sister for more than a year, cooking and documenting recipes. my big fat greek cookbook — Definitely a valuable family experience. But more good news soon arrived. Ms Anginas underwent heart surgery to save her life and her family hopes she will recover and return to her home within the next few months.
Mr. Saarligas recently said: zoomer about working with his mother my big fat greek cookbook. At the end of the interview, he shared two recipes from the book. zoomer Readers should try it out.
You’ve described Arcadian cuisine as reminiscent of Romantic times and poets like Lord Byron.
Christos Sourigas: Lord Byron is a big figure in Greece. Not only was he a romantic poet, he was actually one of the people who contributed to the creation of the new independent state of Greece in 1821. And he died during the war. This was probably at the beginning of Western Europe’s industrialization, so they were trying to remind people of the simple shepherd life of the past. And that’s Arcadia. Arcadianism is an idea about an idyllic life. The region was very mountainous, so unless you lived on the coast, you didn’t have access to water. So we couldn’t get fresh fish. So for them, it was food based on the vegetables they grew and the livestock they kept. That means lots of meat and potatoes. That’s why I call it legitimate rustic food, or soul food. And there are lots of actual vegetarian and vegan dishes as well.
What is your earliest memory of your mother’s cooking?
CS: I remember this simple orange cake that I just munched on while drinking cold milk. [for breakfast]. I remember she used oranges and actual orange peel and the top layer was this almost soft little blanket of love. Every time I eat this, it always brings back memories of my childhood. When I was stupid, young and naive, growing up as an immigrant and hanging out with like-minded people. I grew up in an area with a lot of Greeks and a lot of Italians. It’s free. That’s what it represented to me.
While writing this book, what did you learn about your mother’s cooking and the foods you’ve enjoyed all your life?
CS: I learned two things.Some meals may take some time, so please [waiting for the food to cook], Google the origins of these dishes. Second, and this is the most important. [his family] I have never cooked using a measuring device or cup. I actually had to buy it. They didn’t have them at home. And it took me about six months (I’m not kidding) to actually be able to cook using a measuring cup. It all comes down to taste and feel, and it becomes organic, like a part of their body. Sometimes she actually put her finger inside to feel the actual temperature of some of the food. She makes the yogurt by touching and feeling how hot the yogurt actually is before letting it cool. I think she put her finger in the milk and she stayed there for like 13 seconds or 14 seconds and it felt like it was on fire. That’s right.
Did your food taste the same after you incorporated the exact measurements into your recipe?
CS: It’s funny you say that, because I hired a food stylist and a food photographer, and this food stylist probably made about 8 dishes and they tasted them. that’s right Like my mother. I was shocked. It felt like I was in my mom’s kitchen.
What was the experience like writing this book with your mom?
CS: Believe me, this piece took over a year to create. So I ended up spending time with her — like eight to 10, maybe 12 hours a day — that I probably hadn’t done since her childhood. And while she was cooking, she actually sang a lot of old songs and read old poems that she had memorized. There are probably hundreds. And I videotaped them. So it was kind of a way to really get close. It was also a kind of way for me to say “I love you” and thank her…Our relationship definitely became sweeter and softer.
recipes from my big fat greek cookbook
Fasolachia (green bean)
From the book: “Fasorachia can heal whatever ails you. I love trimming the tips of green beans with my fingers. (Don’t use a knife.) By feeling, stroking, and touching them, you can release energy. Trust me, it’s the same thing when you water your flowers, plants, gardens, and herbs. Always touch them and talk to them. Because we want them to grow nice and beautiful, there’s no need to be shy about dipping the bread into the succulent soup, as it’s made for sipping. Feel free to crumble some feta cheese on top for extra flavor.”
6 large handfuls of green beans
Top part of celery and 2 leaves (top half of celery stem only)
1 medium onion
1 tablespoon dried spearmint powder
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon salt
pepper
1 cup tomato juice
Preparation: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour
Ready: 1 hour 10 minutes
Number of people: 4 people
1. Wash all vegetables. Cut off the tips of the kidney beans. Cut the celery and onion into 1/2-inch cubes.
2. In a large pot, add olive oil and vegetable oil and sauté the onions over high heat for 3-5 minutes. Add the green beans and stir to partially cover the pot. Cook for 5 minutes, then reduce heat to medium-high.
3. Add celery and spearmint. Stir to partially cover the pot. Cook for 10 minutes.
4. Add 3 cups of boiling kettle water and stir. Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, being careful not to split the green beans.
5. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper and add more boiling water if needed. Stir, partially covering the pot. Cook for another 15 minutes.
6. Pour in the tomato juice and carefully stir in the soft vegetables. Simmer for the last 15 minutes or until the water evaporates leaving an orange, oily soup. Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes before serving. It goes great with bread and feta cheese!
GIOUVETSI
From the book: “Giuvetsi embodies the simplicity of Greek peasant cooking. Slow-cooked and baked with just a few ingredients, this dish is definitely my favorite Greek meat dish. There’s nothing better than Čuvetsi on a cold winter’s night: hearty, nourishing and soul-feeding, it’s like a snowy winter gust hits your bowl of meat. I love coating it with lots of shredded cheese…delicious!”
For meat:
1.5 kg (3.3 lb) veal shank (or chicken or lamb)
salt (pinch)
White vinegar (furikake)
2 medium onions
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup tomato juice
1/2 tablespoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
For pasta:
2 cups kritalaki (orzo pasta) — or hiropite or spaghetti
1/2 cup tomato juice
romano cheese
Preparation: 10 minutes
Cook and bake: 2 hours 20 minutes
Ready: 2 hours 30 minutes
Number of people: 6
1. Cut the veal into 2-inch cubes. Don’t bone it. Pour enough water into a large pot to cover the meat. Add a couple dashes of salt and a little vinegar. Simmer for 10 minutes. Skim the foam with a slotted spoon and remove the meat into a bowl. Rinse the pot.
2. Pour the olive oil and vegetable oil into the stockpot. Cut the onion into 1/2 inch cubes, add and sauté over medium heat. Add the veal cubes and cover the meat with boiling water from a kettle. Partially cover the pot and stir. Bring a pot to a boil and reduce heat to medium-high. If necessary, fill the pot with boiling water. Continue cooking for 45 minutes, then add tomato juice, salt and pepper and mix. Stir and cook for another 10 minutes, partially covering the pot. Let’s set it aside.
3. Preheat oven to 395 F (200 C).
4. Add kuritaraki to a large baking dish (ideally a round clay baking dish) and spread out the pasta with your fingers. Add 4 cups of boiling kettle water, mix and bake. Bring the pasta and water to a boil (about 15 minutes), stirring occasionally to prevent the kuritaraki from sticking to the dish. Then add the tomato juice and mix the veal and its broth. Bake for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave the giuvetsi in the oven for another 10 minutes, or until the pasta has thickened.
5. Remove from oven. Once cool, top with grated Romano cheese. Enjoy with bread and red wine.
“My Big Fat Greek Cookbook: Classic Mediterranean Soul Food Recipes” is available now in stores and online.
A version of this story was first published on October 30, 2019..
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