Lately, I’ve been on a mission cooking Greek. Simplicity and taste intertwine in Greek food like in no other. It is my uneducated guess that a lot has to do with olive oil. This guess justifies my scheduled trip to Astoria at the beginning of the spring-summer cooking season to stock up on the good stuff.
Greek olive oil seems to be very different than Italian or Spanish. It stands out more powerful, earthy, peppery, herby — more green in its flavor. Pizzicante is one word I found that fits. It appears strong front and center in prepared dishes making other flavorings obsolete if not irritating. At the same time it doesn’t command the taste of the dish but rather emphasizes flavor of ingredients.
One proof to that is Tourlou, a Greek version of better known to the world ratatouille. Besides vegetables the only herb present here is oregano but even supermarket quality ingredients stand up and salute in this unpretentious blend.
WHAT WENT IN
— 2 medium eggplants, sliced
— 2 yellow zucchinis, sliced
— 2 medium potatoes, peeled, sliced
— 1 medium onion, peeled, sliced, separated into rings
FOR THE TOMATO SAUCE
— 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
— 5 minced garlic cloves
— 1 Tbsp dried oregano
— 1 tsp sugar
— 1/3 cup Kalamata olives, chopped
— salt to taste
— 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
FOR THE OIL
— 1/2 cup olive oil
— 1 tablespoon finely chopped dried oregano
— salt to taste
THE PROCESS
1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
2. In a small pot, bring water to a boil, lightly salt it and parboil potato slices for 3 minutes, drain and dry them and let them cool to a touch.
3. Combine the tomato sauce ingredients and pour all the sauce on the bottom of the baking dish distributing it evenly.
4. Arrange the sliced vegetables on top of the sauce ratatouille style.
5. Brush the top of the vegetables with oil.
6. Cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes.
7. Remove foil, raise oven temperature to 475° F and bake for 20 minutes more until the sauce is bubbling and the vegetables are golden.
8. Tourlou tastes best at room temperature.