Garlicky goodness: Making authentic Greek skordalia at home

Greek cuisine doesn't have to be limited to vacations. You can easily re-create moussaka or souvlaki at home. Similarly, you can make skordalia, an intensely flavored, thick paste. This dip, made from garlic, definitely uses more than just a couple of cloves.

Skordalia can be enjoyed as a dip, sandwich spread, or even as a marinade. It makes an excellent cold appetizer when served with pieces of pita bread, kalamata olives, or vegetable sticks. It also pairs well with main dishes, enhancing the flavor of meats, especially the lamb popular in Greek cuisine. Grilled vegetables can be spread with and marinated in this garlic dip, then cooked further. The exact ingredients can vary, as skordalia recipes differ by region.

The main ingredient that makes skordalia so unique and popular in Greek cuisine is garlic. Peeled cloves are ground to a fairly smooth consistency and combined with base ingredients, which can include mashed potatoes, crushed almonds, or walnuts. In rural areas, crumbled bread was often used as the base. Thoroughly mix everything with olive oil using a mixer or a round, wooden pestle. Salt and pepper are sufficient for seasoning, but nutmeg can also be added. Some recipes include white wine vinegar or egg yolks, giving a result reminiscent of aioli sauce. Historically, especially on the islands rather than the mainland, a broth made from cod with added lemon was used instead of vinegar. Skordalia is often served with fried fish.

The preparation is not complicated, but processing the garlic can be time-consuming. It's best to start with the version made with cooked potatoes, serving skordalia like mashed potatoes. To reduce the intensity of the flavor, you can use roasted garlic, which is less sharp than raw garlic.

Ingredients:

        
• 1 pound of potatoes
• 8 cloves of garlic
• 1 lemon
• 5 fl oz of olive oil
• salt

Preparation:

        
1. Peel the potatoes and cook them in salted water. Place them in boiling water to retain maximum vitamins and flavor.
2. Peel the garlic, chop it, and then crush it with the edge of a knife on a wooden board.
3. Transfer to a mortar and add the juice squeezed from the lemon.
4. Grind to a smooth consistency, then combine with the olive oil.
5. Press the potatoes through a ricer and combine with the garlic mixture. Serve at room temperature.