Soufico (Ikarian Summer Vegetables)

Soufico is one of Ikaria’s most iconic dishes, traditionally cooked every Saturday, the day when ovens were on for the weekly baking of bread. Leftovers were used in omelettes, or sausages added as another good option.

The word soufico comes from a word in the local dialect: soufika translates to ‘I left you some’. The story told is of a woman asked by her husband ‘What are we going to eat today?’ She goes into the garden and collects vegetables, places them in her apron and goes to the kitchen to prepare a simple dish. Once cooked she replies soufica: I left you some.

There are a couple of versions of this iconic dish and many of the local women tell me this is the original. You cut all the vegetables into chunks, frying each separately, the secret being the caramelised onions, which make the dish even more flavoursome. Others like to skip frying them individually and layer them raw, making the dish lighter and a little easier to prepare as well.

Here’s my Soufico recipe from my cookbook, ‘Ikaria’.

• 3 eggplants, cut into small cubes

• 5-6 peppers, cut into small chunks or julienned

• 1 and 1/2 kilos onions, diced

• 2 zucchinis, sliced into rounds

• 3 potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes

• 1 garlic clove

• 2 large tomatoes, grated

• 3 – 4 tablespoons fresh basil leaves

• 100 mls olive oil

• 1 teaspoon sugar

• dried oregano

• salt and pepper, to taste

Pre-heat the oven at 180 degrees C.

Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil over a medium heat in a deep frypan. Add the diced onion and a pinch of salt and cook on a low heat for about 10-12 minutes or until the onions are soft and a golden colour. Make sure you stir occasionally to prevent them from sticking or burning. Transfer onto a plate and set aside.

Add the peppers to the frying pan, adding another tablespoon of olive oil if needed. Cook the peppers on a medium heat until softened a little but not cooked through. Continue by adding the zucchini, eggplant and potatoes one at a time, until softened and they begin to change to a golden colour.

Cut the tomatoes in half and, holding skin side down in the palm of your hand, grate the tomato flesh into a large bowl. Once you have grated all the tomato, add 1 teaspoon of sugar to maximise the flavour, and a pinch of salt and the garlic clove, left whole. Allow the tomato mixture to sit for a few minutes to develop the flavours.

Using a large baking dish, begin layering the prepared vegetables. Spread 1/3 of the onion mixture on the base of the baking dish and layer half the potatoes on top, followed by half the zucchini, eggplant and peppers. Ensure you are seasoning between layers as you go with some salt, pepper and dried oregano. Repeat until all the vegetables are finished.

Pour the tomato mixture over the top of the vegetables, covering them completely, and cover the dish. If using a casserole dish, cover with the lid, or you can use foil. Place into the oven. After 10 minutes, take out of the oven and remove the garlic clove. Place back into the oven and continue cooking for a further 20 minutes or until all the vegetables are cooked.

Remove from the oven and arrange the basil leaves on top. Allow to cool uncovered. Serve at room temperature.