Homemade Sour Bulgur Trahana From Ikaria Recipes

HOMEMADE SOUR BULGUR TRAHANA FROM IKARIA

Steps:

• Place all of the ingredients in a medium-size saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer, stirring to prevent bulgur from sticking to the bottom of pan. Simmer, stirring, until mixture is a dense, just-about-solid mass and very hard to stir, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Preheat oven to 250 degrees and line a sheet pan with parchment. Spread bulgur mixture on parchment in an even layer. It should fill the baking sheet and should be about 1/4 inch thick.
• Place in oven and bake until completely dry and brittle, 3 to 4 hours. It should only color slightly. If trahana on the edges of pan begins to brown, remove that portion and return pan to the oven until all of the trahana is completely dry.
• Remove from oven and allow to cool, then break up into chunks or granules (in my experience the trahana falls apart into granules rather than chunks). Store in jars in a cool, dry place.

SIMPLE TRAHANA SOUP WITH LEMON AND OLIVE OIL

Steps:

• In a medium soup pot heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat and add trahana. Stir until coated with oil, about 1 minute. Add water or stock and bring to a boil. Add salt and pepper to taste, reduce the heat and simmer, stirring often, until trahana is tender and nutty tasting and the broth slightly thickened, 15 to 20 minutes if using home-made bulgur trahana (if you use semolina or flour trahana the time will only be 8 to 12 minutes and the mixture will be more like a porridge).
• Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice. Spoon into bowls and top with a drizzle of olive oil and a tablespoon of crumbled feta. Garnish with plain yogurt if desired and chopped fresh herbs such as mint, parsley or dill.

CHICKEN SOUP WITH TRAHANA (HOMEMADE DRIED PASTA)

Steps:

• Heat a little olive oil in a pot and saute the onions and garlic. Cook until onions are translucent. Add into chicken broth and bring to a boil. Add trahana and cook until tender. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with garlic toast.
• Combine in a large bowl, the milk, yogurt, and lemon. Cover it and let stand overnight to sour. Next day, in large pot mix the bulgur, flour, and semolina in a bowl and blend in the soured milk-yogurt mixture and eggs. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon. Season with salt and pepper. Let sit for 20 minutes. Place large spoonfuls of the mixture on a baking sheet and place in an oven preheated to 150 degrees and let dry for 8 hours. When dry, place in a food processor and pulse to break into pebbles. Store in jars in a dry cool place. Use like rice and pasta and in soups.