Traditional Greek recipes: Papoutsakia

·

Niki Louca from My Greek Kitchen shares her favourite recipe for Papoutsakia (little shoes) with The Greek Herald. This recipe serves 6 as an entrée. You can follow her on Instagram @mygreekkitchen for more!

Ingredients:

  • 3 eggplants
  • 1kg mince meat
  • 1 onion finely chopped
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • salt/pepper
  • oregano
  • olive oil
  • 50gm tomato paste
  • 300ml milk
  • 1 egg
  • 1 heaped tablespoon cornflour
  • 30gm butter

Method:

  1. Pre – heat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
  2. Wash and cut eggplants in half – lengthwise.  Do not peel skin off.
  3. Drizzle with some olive oil and a little salt.
  4. Bake in the oven till golden brown and flesh is soft.
Baking the eggplants until soft.

5. Whilst the eggplants are cooking in the oven, prepare your mince sauce.

6. Saute your finely chopped onion till translucent.   Add your mincemeat and with a wooden spoon stir breaking down the mince.  When nearly cooked  add your cinnamon,  salt, pepper and oregano and make sure there are no lumps in the mince.  Continue to cook for a further 5 or so minutes.

7. Once mince is cooked add your tomato paste and stir well. Turn heat off.

8. In a clean saucepan make béchamel sauce. Melt butter and add your cornflour to make a roux. 

9. Add your milk to your roux and keep whisking to break any lumps.

10. Add your lightly beaten egg to the milk mixture before the milk gets hot – if the milk is too hot it will curdle the egg.  Add a pinch of salt.

11. Keep whisking – do not walk away. It will not take long for the sauce to start to thicken. Once it does turn it off.

To Ensemble:

  1. With a fork, gently squash some of the flesh of each half of the cooked eggplant to make space for the mince sauce.
  2. Divide the mince mixture amongst the eggplant and then spoon over each one some of the béchamel sauce.
Adding the mixture to the eggplants.

3. Put back in the oven till the béchamel sauce is golden brown.

4. Serve each half as an entrée or side.

If you want to serve this as a main allow 1 eggplant per person (2 halves), and serve with a salad.

The final result.

Niki Louca runs cooking classes in Melbourne. For more or to book classes visit My Greek Kitchen at www.mygreekkitchen.com.au or Instagram @mygreekkitchen. You can email Niki at: niki@mygreekkitchen.com.au.

Advertisement

Share:

KEEP UP TO DATE WITH TGH

By subscribing you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

Advertisement

Latest News

From crisis to compassion: Timos Roussos and his family’s mercy mission in war-torn Cyprus

When Turkish troops landed on Cyprus on 20 July 1974, six-year-old Timos Roussos was sitting on the floor of his family’s home in Lemesos.

A granddaughter returns: Georgia Georgiou retraces her yiayia’s occupied village in Cyprus

When Georgia Georgiou handed over her Cypriot ID at the border checkpoint to cross into occupied northern Cyprus, she felt an ache.

‘You never get over it’: A childhood shattered by the Turkish invasion of Cyprus

On a warm July morning in 1974, 10-year-old Anastasia Di Loreto (née Karatzia) was jolted awake by the sound of bombs falling on Kyrenia.

Cyprus: The paradox of tolerance and impunity for Turkey

The lack of a unified, systematic and practical strategy on the part of Greece has led the Cyprus crisis into national disarray.

Lost homes and lingering hope: Greek-Cypriots reflect on Turkish invasion and its aftermath

From hidden stories to haunting memories, two Greek-Cypriot men share what it means to carry the burden of Cyprus’ past.

You May Also Like

Despite Greece’s new COVID measures, Thessaloniki bouzoukia carry on

Neither the COVID-19 pandemic nor Greek government regulations can stop one Thessaloniki venue from hosting its weekly bouzoukia concerts.

Thanasi Kokkinakis hints at Special K reunion for Australian Open doubles

The 2025 Australian Open, set to begin January 12, could see a reunion between Thanasi Kokkinakis and Nick Kyrgios in the men’s doubles.

Sakkari continues to shine in Australian Open as she advances to fourth round

Maria Sakkari has proceeded into the fourth round of the Australian Open, defeating No.10 seed Madison Keys, 6-4, 6-4.