Trahana Soup Recipes

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.

PURéED TRAHANA AND VEGETABLE SOUP

Steps:

• Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat in a heavy soup pot and add onion. Cook, stirring often, until onion is soft, 5 to 8 minutes, and add a generous pinch of salt, garlic, carrots and leeks. Continue to cook, stirring often, until carrots and leeks are beginning to soften, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Add remaining olive oil and stir in trahana. Stir until trahana is coated with oil, about 1 minute, and add stock or water and bouquet garni. Bring to a boil, add salt to taste, reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes, until vegetables are tender and trahana has fallen apart in the soup and is tender. Taste and adjust salt. Remove and discard bouquet garni.
• For a coarse purée, use an immersion blender to purée the soup. For a finer purée, transfer, in batches, to a blender or a food processor. If using a blender do not put the top on tight; leave out the center of the lid and cover tightly with a towel. Purée until smooth and if desired, strain. Return to the pot, taste and adjust salt. Add freshly ground pepper to taste.
• Reheat gently and serve, garnishing each serving with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkling of herbs. If you want spice, sprinkle with red pepper flakes or a little bit of cayenne.

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.

TRAHANAS SOUP - GREEK PASTA SOUP

Steps:

• Add the pasta and stock to a pot and bring to a boil. As soon as it starts to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 17 minutes, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon to prevent from sticking to the pot.
• While simmering, lightly fry the bread in butter to make croutons.
• Add the milk and crumbled cheese to the soup, and stir. Cook 3 minutes more and remove from heat. Allow to rest for 5 minutes.