Giaourtlou
Aug 16th, 2010 | By Peter Minakis | Category: Beef, Featured, Greek Grill, Herbs, Main, Recipes, Sauce
Post originally appeared on September 19/07
For anyone who’s traveled to Greece knows that dining “al fresco” is a neccessity, not a luxury like here in Canada with our short summers. Greece’s hot nights force one to eat outside and when my good neighbor, Gregory invited my family for a “spesial” dinner, I knew it would be good and of course, outdoors.
We traveled about 30 minutes from our home by car…all 6 of us in a cramped in a car. However Greeks are resourceful and Gregory’s wife, Clio, insisted upon sitting in the very back…how nice!
We arrived in the town of Zografou to be greeted by a very friendly proprietor who welcomed us to his family operated taverna.
We sat down, ordered water, beer, retsina, salads and waited for the owner to spout off the eatery’s offerings. I went for the slow-cooked wild boar (which fell off the bone) and my family ordered some biftekia stuffed with cheese. What struck me was what Clio ordered…Giaourtlou.
I had heard of this dish but never before had I tried it. It’s a warmed pita bread (acting as the bed), layered with yogurt then a large bifteki (greek burger) and then topped by a tomato sauce. “Ooooooh, this looks good”! I didn’t even wait for Clio to offer me a taste of her dish but I did kindly ask and wow….what a cool presentation and the taste combo was different yet very tasty. It was something foreign to me. I know why….it’s a dish with Turkish origins.
So today I bring you Giaourtlou…tasted in Greece, originally from Turkey and presented to you by a Canadian. Now that’s international cuisine!
Giaourtlou (Γιαουρτλού)
for 4
1 recipe of keftedes
For the Yogurt Sauce
500 ml of strained Greek-style yogurt
4 cloves of minced garlic
1 Tbsp of wine vinegar
1 tsp sea salt
3 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp of smoked paprika
a drizzle of good extra virgin olive oil
For the Tomato Sauce
2 Tbsp of butter + 2 Tbsp of olive oil
2 medium-sized onions, diced
4 very ripe tomatoes puree, from a box grater (skins discarded)
1 Tbsp tomato paste
1 Tbsp smoked paprika
1/3 cup dry white wine
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
salt to taste
1) In a bowl, mix your ingredients needed to make a batch of Keftedes. Form them into hamburger-like shapes and refrigerate until they are ready to be grilled.
2) Start your tomato sauce. Into a saucepan under medium-high heat, add your butter and olive oil and then saute your onions under medium heat for about 10 minutes. Now add your tomato puree, smoked paprika, wine and simmer for another 15-20 minutes or until the sauce is thick. Adjust for seasoning and add your chopped parsley. Reserve.
3) In a bowl, mix your yogurt, minced garlic, vinegar, salt, paprika and parsley. Adjust seasoning and refrigerate.
4) Grill your Biftekia (shaped like hamburgers). When you’re finished grilling, take your pita bread and brush it with olive and place on grill to just warm the bread on both sides and take away your pita and Biftekia for assembly & plating.
Assembly
1. Place your pita bread on the plate. Sprinkle some dried oregano on the pita.
2. Spoon and spread some yogurt sauce to generously cover the surface of the pita bread.
3. Now top the yogurt with the Bifteki(a) and then top with the tomato sauce. You may garnish the finished dish with sliced red onions and parsley.
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© 2010, Peter Minakis. All rights reserved. If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at http://kalofagas.ca then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at truenorth67 AT gmail DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author.
That is international cuisine :)
That does look good. A flavourful juicy grilled burger with a tomato sauce and a cool yogurt sauce.
I don’t know how I missed this post Kevin. The Giaourtlou looks and sounds amazing. The perfect dish to have with family and friends at a Greek taverna.
Your blog is dangerous to read on an empty stomach! — Costas (from over at http://www.iloveoliveoilblog.com)
That dish is so perfect, I can’t think of anything else I’d rather eat, well, provided they are lamb keftedes that is :)
As a side note, I’m surpised to see that Greeks use paprika in so many of their recipes. I don’t remember my Greek grandfather every doing that.
really great dish….lucky you had it
I am drooling! That has to be my favorite kind of food…
Cheers,
Rosa
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Υπέροχη η παρουσίαση της πεντανόστιμης συνταγής.Την κάνατε λαχταριστή!
International cuisine indeed and how delicious that dish looks!
Looks fantastic and I would even eat it because the tomatoes are in a sauce.
Oh my you are eating well, aren’t you? But I wouldn’t have expected less. Continue having a great time and letting us know all the details.
It does sound delicious Peter, made all the better by the Mediterranean climate:D
Peter you are killing me! It’s not yet 10 in the morning, I have just eaten breakfast and all I can think of is charcoal grilled beef with spicy tomato sauce and yoghurt!
Simple, delicious and nutritious. You are singing my song…. and it LOOKS fabulous. I cannot wait to try the sauces.
:)
valerie
I’ve never heard of this Greek version but whenever I eat at any Turkish restaurant I order “Iskender kebab” which is doner over a pita smothered in yogurt and topped with a spicy tomato sauce. This sounds similar and just as good. Mmmmmmm!!!!
I’m not sure how to pronounce it but it sure looks and sounds outstanding. I could live on Greek food.
Maria’s comment was enlightening; she said she orders it in Turkish restaurants where it is called “iskender”; this means alexander. So, the kebabs are probably Greek in origin, or related to one of his invasions.
Truly international and truly delicious Petah …. love it! Hungrily off to check how to do the kebabs now. Hope you are enjoying your holiday!
Didn’t let me comment there … =( … so here we go..
Ahahaha my friend… I loved how you wrote this post! RUN!! Got to make them with the other stuff that I cannot pronounce for the love of me!
This is fabulous cuisine! Husband is toying with the idea of maybe moving to Greece and just coming over to visit here, ogle the food you cook, is just going to make me say yes!